Search sources in AI Search

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated November 14, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Search sources in AI Search

    Search sources in AI Search define and control the searchable content available in user search experiences within ServiceNow. Each search source references an indexed source, which contains the data to be searched, and optionally applies filter conditions to limit the records returned in search results. This setup enables targeted and efficient search experiences tailored to specific user needs.

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    Key Features

    • Search Source Structure: Consists of a reference to an indexed source and optional filter conditions that records must meet to be included in search results.
    • Filter Conditions: Allow narrowing down indexed source records based on indexed fields only. Filters can be static or dynamic, such as filtering records assigned to the current user.
    • Limitations on Filters:
      • Cannot filter by fields from child tables of the indexed source table.
      • Dynamic filters cannot use scripts referencing the current keyword, global variables, global business rules, or script includes.
    • Multiple Search Sources per Indexed Source: You can create several search sources referencing the same indexed source but with different filter conditions to support various search scenarios.
    • Linking to Search Profiles: To expose search source content to users, link one or more search sources to search profiles. Multiple search sources can be linked to a single search profile.
    • Viewing and Managing Search Sources: Search sources can be viewed and edited through specific AI Search modules, including viewing all search sources, those linked to an indexed source, or those associated with a search profile.
    • Preview Functionality: Allows you to preview records that match the search source’s indexed source and filter conditions to verify the search content.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    By defining search sources, customers can precisely control which records appear in AI Search results, enhancing relevance and user experience. Applying filter conditions ensures users only see appropriate search results, which is especially valuable in multi-user environments or where data access needs to be restricted. Linking search sources to search profiles allows tailored search experiences for different user groups or contexts. Understanding limitations on filter conditions helps avoid configuration issues and ensures optimal search performance.

    Define search sources to make your searchable content available in search experiences. Choose an indexed source and configure optional filter conditions to limit the content that users can search.

    Search source structure

    A search source includes two elements:
    • A reference to an indexed source. By default, search queries using the search source can return all records from the referenced indexed source. For more information on indexed sources, see Indexed sources in AI Search.
    • An optional set of filter conditions applied to the indexed source's records. Indexed source records must pass all of these filter conditions to be returned as search results for queries using the search source.

    You can define multiple search sources that reference the same indexed source, specifying distinct filter conditions for each.

    Filter conditions

    To limit the set of indexed source table records that AI Search returns as search results, you can apply filter conditions to your search source.
    Note:
    Search source filter conditions can only operate on source record fields that are indexed. Fields on referenced records aren't indexed by default. To use a referenced record field in a search source filter condition, you must first configure indexing for the field in the indexed source. For details on this procedure, see Enable indexing of referenced table fields for an AI Search indexed source.

    You can use static and dynamic filter conditions to filter search source records. As an example, you could apply a dynamic [Assigned to] [is (dynamic)] [Me] user filter to make your search source only return results corresponding to indexed source table records assigned to the search user.

    Search sources don't support any of the following filter options:
    • Filters that reference fields from child tables of the indexed source table. As an example, if you create an indexed source for the Task [task] table, search sources for that indexed source can't use filters to reference fields from the Incident [incident] table because the Incident table is a child of the Task table.
    • Dynamic filters with scripts that use the current keyword or global variable
    • Dynamic filters with scripts that reference any global business rules
    • Dynamic filters with scripts that use script includes

    For more information on filter conditions, see Filters. To learn about relationships between parent and child tables, see Table extension and classes. For details on dynamic filter options and their associated scripts, see Create a dynamic filter option.

    Linking search sources to search profiles

    To make your search source's content available to users, link it to one or more search profiles. You can link multiple search sources to a single search profile.

    For more information, see Link a search source to a search profile.

    Viewing search sources

    You can view or edit search sources from any of the following application modules:
    • To view all defined search sources, navigate to All > AI Search > Search Experience > Search Sources.
    • To view search sources that reference a particular indexed source, navigate to All > AI Search > AI Search Index > Indexed Sources. Open the indexed source and select its Search Source Mappings related list.
    • To view search sources linked to a particular search profile, navigate to All > AI Search > Search Experience > Search Profiles. Open the search profile and select its Search Sources related list.