Is there any way I can add CMDB.ci.business_app to a search index?

[Lisa22]

I have a colleague who has used this table as part of his business catalogue and this needs to be searchable on the portal.  I know CMDB.ci.business_app is an excluded table but is there any way I can get around this?

[richardyaxl]

Hey @Lisa22 !
Did you find an answer to this? I have the same requirement of creating an index source for cmdb_ci_business_app for use in our employee center search.

Thanks!

Rich

[danmjunqueira]

Yes, you can include the cmdb_ci_business_app table (or any CMDB table) in a search index manually — even if it's excluded by default.

Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Add the Table to a Search Source
Go to:
Portal Search Sources
(/sys_search_source_list.do)

Click New.

Fill in the fields:

Name: Business Applications (or similar)

Table: cmdb_ci_business_app

Active: true

Condition: optional (filter out non-relevant records)

Searchable Fields: select which fields should be searched (e.g., name, short_description, description)

Display Fields: choose what to show in search results

Save.

Step 2: Add to a Search Group (optional but recommended)
Go to:
Search Groups
(/search_group_list.do)

Add your new search source to the appropriate group used by the portal.

Step 3: Rebuild the Search Index
Go to:
Search Engine Configurations
(/search_engine_config_list.do)

Find the configuration used by your portal (e.g., Zing).

Click Rebuild Index to include the new table and content.

Notes
If you're using Zing (the default search engine), it should pick up the new search source once added.

If your instance has table-level exclusions via system properties or indexing rules, they may need to be adjusted.

If cmdb_ci_business_app is excluded by a scoped app rule, you may need to override it or use a custom wrapper table.

[richardyaxl]

Hi @danmjunqueira 

Thanks for your response. I followed the first 2 steps, however in step 3 there is no table on our instance called "search_engine_config". 

How can I link the Portal Search Source for step 1 to our AI Search profile?

Thanks

[danmjunqueira]

You're absolutely right — if the search_engine_config table is not present in your instance, it’s likely that AI Search is not fully activated or configured yet for your environment.

Here's how to properly link your Portal Search Source to an AI Search Profile, following best practices:

Step-by-step: Link Portal Search Source to AI Search Profile
1. Confirm AI Search Plugin is Activated
Ensure the AI Search (com.glide.search.ai) plugin is installed and active.

Navigate to System Definition > Plugins.

Search for "AI Search" and verify it's active.

2. Create or Use Existing AI Search Profile
Go to: AI Search > Search Profiles

Create a new profile or use an existing one.

Ensure it has the proper Searchable Sources like cmdb_ci_business_app, kb_knowledge, or others relevant to your portal.

3. Configure the Search Source for Portal
Navigate to: Service Portal > Search Sources

Open the Portal Search Source you're using (e.g., Knowledge Base, Service Catalog, or custom).

Set:

Search Source Type: AI Search

Search Profile: Choose the profile you confirmed or created in Step 2

If the “Search Profile” field isn’t visible:

Your portal might still be using Zing-based search.

You must switch to AI Search under:
Service Portal > Portals > [your portal] > Use AI Search = true

4. Test Search on the Portal
Navigate to your Service Portal.

Perform a search and validate that results are now AI-powered (ranked semantically, synonyms, etc.).

Troubleshooting Notes:
If you're using a custom portal, double-check the portal record (sp_portal) has Use AI Search enabled.

If the AI Search Profile field does not populate in the Search Source form, verify that you are on Rome or later and have AI Search enabled via system properties:

glide.search.ai.enabled = true