Text search views control format of global search results for tables

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Text Search Views Control Format of Global Search Results for Tables

    The textsearch view for a table in ServiceNow dictates how global search results are formatted. This affects how the system presents search results from various tables, showcasing multiple elements derived from the table's textsearch list view.

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    Key Features

    • Title: The title appears as the first line in the search result, linking to the corresponding record. It is derived from the first non-number string field in the textsearch list view. If no suitable field exists, "No title" is displayed.
    • Field List: This is the second line of the result, showing up to 10 field name-value pairs, separated by a pipe character. These fields must not match those used for the title or description.
    • Description: This optional third line includes the first string field over 100 characters long that is not the title. If no field meets this criterion, it is omitted from the results.
    • Default Formatting: If a textsearch view is absent, the default form view formats the search results. Administrators can customize the view using the glide.ui.textsearch.view system property.

    Key Outcomes

    By correctly configuring the textsearch view, ServiceNow customers can enhance the visibility and relevance of search results. This functionality allows users to quickly find the information they need, streamlining workflows and improving overall efficiency in navigating records.

    The text_search view for a table determines how global search displays results from that table.

    Results displayed by global search include multiple elements. For each search result, the system populates these elements with values of fields included in the table's text_search list view.

    Figure 1. Sample search result listing in Next Experience UI
    Sample search result listing in Next Experience UI showing title, field list, and description.
    Figure 2. Sample search result listing in Core UI
    Sample search result listing in Core UI showing title, field list, and description.
    Table 1. Search result elements
    Element Description Matching criteria
    1. Title The title is the first line of the search result block. It links to the matching record of the search result. Global search uses the first string field in the table's text_search list view that is not the number field. If there is no matching string field or the contents of the field is empty, the system displays the text "No title" in the session language.

    For example, in the default text_search view for the Incident table, the short description field satisfies the title criteria. Global search uses this field as the search result title.
    2. Field list The field list is the second line of the search results. It displays field name-value pairs, separated by the pipe character, for up to 10 fields. Global search uses the first 10 fields in the table's text_search list view that don't match the title or description criteria.

    For example, in the default text_search view for the Incident table, the number, opened, caller, priority, state, category, and assignment group fields satisfy the field list criteria. Global search displays the names and values for these fields in the search result field list.
    3. Description The description is the third line of the search results. This line is optional and may not appear for all search results. Global search uses the first string field in the table's text_search list view that is not the title and is over 100 characters in length. If no field matches these criteria, the search results omit this line.

    For example, in the default text_search view for the Incident table, the description field satisfies the description criteria. Global search uses this field as the search result description.

    By default, the system uses the text_search list view for a table to format global text search results for that table. If a text_search view doesn't exist for the table, the system instead formats search results using the table's default form view. Implementers can specify which view the system uses to format search results by modifying the value of the glide.ui.text_search.view system property.