--- sourceDocument: Zurich ServiceNow AI Platform Administration sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/platform-administration Release : - zurich ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Zurich ServiceNow AI Platform Administration ft:clusterId : - platadm bundleId : - platadm workflow : - Platform --- # Indexing content from indexed sources # Indexing content from AI Search indexed sources {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Zurich Updated July 28, 2025 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Indexing content from AI Search indexed sources AI Search in ServiceNow indexes records from defined source tables and their child tables to enable fast and effective search capabilities. It automatically updates the search index to reflect create, update, and delete operations on these records. However, unmodified records are only indexed after a full table index operation. Show full answer Show less ## Indexing Referenced Tables By default, AI Search indexes only the reference field values (e.g., a company reference in a User record) but not other fields from the referenced tables. To include additional fields from referenced tables in your search index, you can configure **dotwalkfields** and **searchabledotwalkfields** field settings for those reference fields. This enables the use of these fields in search source filters, facet filters, and entity view action mappings (EVAM). ## Indexing Attachments AI Search indexes searchable content and metadata from attachments linked to source records, supporting various common file formats such as HTML, Microsoft Office files, PDFs with searchable text, and plain text files. The maximum file size for binary files is 25 MB, with keyword indexing processing up to 1 MB of text, and semantic search supporting larger text sizes. Encrypted attachments have limited indexing support, only extracting metadata but not searchable content. Attachment indexing is controlled by the **indexattachments** attribute on the indexed source. ## Indexing Tags Tags on source records can be indexed, but this is disabled by default. You can enable tag indexing per indexed source and choose to index either all shared and globally visible tags or only globally visible tags. Indexed tags appear in search results based on the visibility of the associated record, not the tag itself. ## Special Considerations for the Task Table When indexing the Task table or its child tables, specifying a retention policy is required to manage the indexed data lifecycle. ## Reindexing Content * A full table reindex is necessary after modifying indexed source attributes or field settings, or when updating fields from referenced tables to reflect those changes in the search index. * Reindexing can be performed on a single indexed source or multiple indexed sources to ensure existing records and child tables are properly indexed. ## Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers This indexing framework allows ServiceNow customers to customize and optimize their AI Search experience by: * Ensuring all relevant record data, including referenced table fields, attachments, and tags, are searchable according to business needs. * Maintaining up-to-date search results by leveraging automatic indexing for record changes and performing manual full indexes as needed. * Applying retention policies to control data lifecycle for task-related records. By configuring these indexing options thoughtfully, customers can enhance search accuracy, relevance, and performance across their ServiceNow instance. AI Search indexes records on indexed source tables to make their content searchable. After you define an indexed source, AI Search begins automatically indexing to reflect changes to records in the selected source table and its specified child tables. The results of all record create, update, and delete operations in these tables are reflected in the search index. AI Search doesn't index content from unmodified records in these tables until you perform a full table index. ## Indexing content from referenced tables {#indexing-content-ais__section_okb_vhr_gnb} When an indexed source table includes a reference field that stores a reference to another table, AI Search defaults to indexing values for the reference field but not for other fields on the referenced table. For example, the User \[sys_user\] table includes a company reference field that stores a reference to the Company \[core_company\] table. When indexing records from the User table, AI Search indexes values for the company reference field, but doesn't index values for other Company table fields such as city or website. To index additional fields from referenced tables, you can configure dot_walk_fields and searchable_dot_walk_fields field settings for reference fields on your indexed source table. * To use field values from referenced tables in search source filters, facet filters, and EVAM search result configurations, create a dot_walk_fields field setting. * To make field values from referenced tables searchable, create a searchable_dot_walk_fields field setting. {#indexing-content-ais__ul_cb4_xs4_v5b} You can create both dot_walk_fields and searchable_dot_walk_fields field settings for the same reference field. For instructions on configuring dot_walk_fields and searchable_dot_walk_fields field settings, see [Enable indexing of referenced table fields for an AI Search indexed source](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8cUX1LLVvqayNPcIDSxXYQ "Configure an indexed source to index field values from tables referenced by fields in the source table. You can index these field values for use in filters and EVAM search result configurations, index them for search, or both."). For more information on field settings, see [Field settings for AI Search](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/chu9xz3ePPnXNF5dQMEGzg "A field setting controls indexing behavior for a specified field (column) on all records from an indexed source."). To learn about search source filters, see [Search sources in AI Search](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/u3Ox_VuYesIbdgpDCQSOfA "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."). For details on facet filters, see [Create a facet in an AI Search application configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3NKghfrg3zrj9NULn84NgQ "Define facets to refine your searches using categories dynamically generated from the current search results."). To understand EVAM configurations, see [Entity View Action Mapping](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=exploring-entity-view-action-mapper&version=zurich&pubname=zurich-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US). ## Indexing content from source record attachments {#indexing-content-ais__section_ol1_5hr_gnb} By default, AI Search indexes searchable content and metadata (such as file size and date) for attachments found on source table records. Indexing supports the following attachment file formats: * Active Server Page Extended (.aspx) * Hypertext Markup Language (.html, .htm) * Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx) * Microsoft PowerPoint (.pot, .potx, .ppt, .pptm, .pptx) * Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx, .dot, .dotx) * Plain Text (.txt) * Portable Document Format (.pdf) with searchable text {#indexing-content-ais__attachment-formats-ul} Note: The maximum file size for binary files is 25 MB. Keyword indexing processes up to the first 1MB of text. Use semantic search to index data containing between 1MB and 25 MB of text. AI Search provides limited support for encrypted record attachments: * When indexing an encrypted attachment, AI Search extracts metadata such as file size and date, but doesn't extract searchable content. * The encrypted attachment's MIME type is detected as application/octet-stream. * No feedback for the encrypted attachment appears in ingestion log messages. {#indexing-content-ais__ul_w4y_hvy_2nb} Attachment indexing is controlled by an indexed source's index_attachments attribute. To verify that attachment indexing is enabled for an indexed source, see [Enable indexing of attachments for an AI Search indexed source](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/4yYTlqpm86niplQ2Ht~sYw "Configure an indexed source attribute to enable indexing of content from attachments found on records from an indexed source."). ## Indexing content from source record tags {#indexing-content-ais__section_m5q_5hr_gnb} AI Search can index tags found on source table records. Search results display indexed tags based on the visibility of the result record instead of the visibility of the tag. By default, indexing ignores tags from source records. You can enable indexing of tags for each indexed source. Choose whether you want to index all shared and globally visible tags or just globally visible tags. For details on enabling tag indexing for an indexed source, see [Enable indexing of tags for an AI Search indexed source](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/SwT4SBWEd4KkOgGwH1ODbw "Configure an indexed source attribute to enable indexing of content from tags found on records from an indexed source."). ## Indexing content from the Task table and its child tables {#indexing-content-ais__section_fmv_ntm_hrb} When defining an indexed source that indexes records from the Task table or any of its child tables, you must specify a retention policy. For details on retention policies, see [Indexed source retention policies and filter conditions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/WlmYUuk1IlpdDh2VuW7eyg "To limit the set of records indexed from source tables, you can configure retention policies and filter conditions for your indexed sources. AI Search also uses these settings to automatically purge stale records from the index, optimizing search performance."). ## Reindexing content {#indexing-content-ais__section_q4d_qfh_knb} You must perform a full table reindex for an indexed source under the following circumstances: * After you add, modify, or delete an indexed source attribute or a field setting for the indexed source. * If you want to update indexed values for fields on tables referenced by source table records. As an example, the company field on the User \[sys_user\] table stores a reference to the Company \[core_company\] table. If you configure indexing for values for fields on the referenced Company table, such as city or website, you must reindex the User table to update those indexed Company table field values. For details on configuring indexing of referenced table fields, see [Enable indexing of referenced table fields for an AI Search indexed source](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8cUX1LLVvqayNPcIDSxXYQ "Configure an indexed source to index field values from tables referenced by fields in the source table. You can index these field values for use in filters and EVAM search result configurations, index them for search, or both."). {#indexing-content-ais__ul_u2y_3ch_knb} * **[Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ODekhkNc2DzQ7AL74VF9HA)** Make content from an internal indexed source searchable by performing a full table index. This procedure indexes existing records from the source table and any child tables configured for indexing. You can manually reindex content from an internal indexed source by repeating this procedure. * **[Perform a full table index or reindex for multiple AI Search indexed sources](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/mCG4DsJ4lz1eBaUTxs8NAw)** Make content from multiple internal indexed sources searchable by performing a full table index. This procedure indexes existing records from the source tables and any child tables configured for indexing. You can manually reindex content from internal indexed sources by repeating this procedure.