List of AI Search indexed source field settings

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  • Updated March 12, 2026
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    Summary of List of AI Search indexed source field settings

    This document explains how ServiceNow customers can configure field settings to control the indexing behavior of fields within AI Search indexed sources. Adjusting these settings allows you to tailor how data from source tables is indexed, searched, and filtered in AI Search, ensuring that search results and filters behave as expected.

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    Key settings and their practical use

    • dotwalkfields: Enables indexing of values from fields on a referenced table for use in search source filters, facet filters, and search result configurations. Changes in referenced tables are automatically reflected after indexing. This setting does not make the referenced field searchable; for that, use searchabledotwalkfields.
    • searchabledotwalkfields: Indexes values from referenced table fields as searchable text but does not support filters. Changes require reindexing to update.
    • indexcalculatedfield: When set to true for a calculated field, enables special handling to index its values correctly. Calculated fields are ignored by default unless this is enabled.
    • mapto: Maps a source field to a specific AI Search index field, controlling where the field’s data appears in the search index. Only one mapping per source field is allowed.
    • notextindex: Disables indexing of searchable content for a given field, preventing search and filter matches. Changes take immediate effect on new index events but require reindexing to affect existing data. Caution: Do not disable this on system fields essential for retention policies.
    • notsearchable: Disables search matching on the field's content but still allows filters to apply. Requires reindexing to update search behavior.

    Important considerations

    • Changes to most field settings do not take effect until a full or partial reindex of the indexed source is performed.
    • Field settings are configured as records on the AI Search Configuration Attribute [aisconfigurationattribute] table with "Column" as the Applies To value.
    • Use of dotwalkfields and searchabledotwalkfields can be combined on the same reference field to support both filtering and searching needs.
    • Proper configuration of these settings impacts search relevance, filter accuracy, and indexing performance, directly affecting end-user search experiences.

    Next steps for ServiceNow customers

    • Review your indexed source tables and identify fields that require special indexing behavior.
    • Create or update field settings using the attributes described to align with your search and filter requirements.
    • Perform reindexing on affected sources after making changes to field settings to apply updates.
    • Follow retention policy guidelines, especially regarding critical system fields, to avoid unintended data retention issues.

    You can adjust indexing behavior for source record fields in an AI Search indexed source by configuring field setting attributes and values.

    For more information on creating field settings, see Create a field setting for an AI Search indexed source.

    Attribute Description
    dot_walk_fields Index reference and display values from fields on the selected reference field's source table for use in search source filters, facet filters, and EVAM search result configurations.

    AI Search automatically updates the indexed field values to reflect changes made to the referenced table's field values.

    For more information about search source filters, see Search sources in AI Search. For details on facet filters, see Create a facet in an AI Search application configuration.
    • Field: Name of the reference field on your indexed source table. As an example, if your indexed source table contains a company reference field that references the Company [core_company] table, and you want to index field values from that table's name and city fields, you'd set company as the field.
    • Type: string
    • Value: Comma-separated list of referenced table fields to index values from. As an example, if your indexed source table contains a company reference field that references the Company [core_company] table, and you want to index field values from that table's name and city fields, you'd set name,city as the value.
    Note:
    You can't search field values indexed with this field setting. To index field values from referenced tables for search, create a searchable_dot_walk_fields field setting. You can create both dot_walk_fields and searchable_dot_walk_fields field settings for the same reference field.

    If you change the value of this setting for an indexed source's field, the change doesn't take effect until you reindex content from the indexed source. For reindexing steps, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.

    index_calculated_field Option to enable indexing of searchable content from calculated field values.
    If your indexed source contains a calculated field, set this field setting to true for that field to correctly index its values. With a field setting value of false or no value, AI Search ignores values from the calculated field when indexing content.
    • Field: Name of a calculated field from the indexed source table. (If you specify a non-calculated field, the system rejects the field setting submission and displays a warning message.)
    • Type: true | false
    • Supported values:
      • true: Apply special handling to correctly index calculated field values from the selected field.
      • false: Don't apply special handling when indexing field values from the selected field. Calculated field values aren't indexed.

    If you change the value of this setting for an indexed source's field, the change doesn't take effect until you reindex content from the indexed source. For reindexing steps, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.

    map_to Map the selected field from the indexed source table to an AI Search index field. When indexing records from the source table, AI Search populates the specified index field with the value of the selected source field.
    For example, the base system's Knowledge Table indexed source maps the kb_knowledge.short_description source field to the title index field. When AI Search indexes a record from the Knowledge [kb_knowledge] table, it populates the indexed record's searchable title with the value from the source record's short_description field.
    • Field: Name of a field from the indexed source table.
    • Type: string
    • Value: Name of the AI Search field that you want to map the selected field's display values to. For details on AI Search index fields, see AI Search index fields.
    Note:
    You can only define one map_to field setting for an indexed source field. If you try to define multiple map_to settings for the same field, the system displays an error message.

    If you change the value of this setting for an indexed source's field, the change doesn't take effect until you reindex content from the indexed source. For reindexing steps, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.

    no_text_index Option to disable indexing of searchable content from the selected field on records from the indexed source.
    • Field: Name of a field from the indexed source table.
    • Type: true | false
    • Supported values:
      • true: Disable searchable content indexing for the selected field. Search and filters can't match the field's value. AI Search doesn't generate an index event when the field is updated.
      • false: Enable searchable content indexing for the selected field. Search and filters can match the field's value. AI Search generates an index event when the field is updated, adding the affected record to its indexing queue.
    • Default value: false

    If you change the value of this setting for an indexed source's field, the new value immediately affects index event generation for updates to that field, but it doesn't affect searches or filters for previously indexed records until you reindex content from the indexed source. For reindexing steps, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.

    Warning:
    Don't set this option to true for the sys_updated_on field on the Task [task] table, tables that extend Task, or any other tables that you've configured retention policies for. The retention policies for these tables rely on indexing of sys_updated_on field values. For more information on retention policies, see Indexed source retention policies and filter conditions.
    For Customer Service and Support guidelines on setting the no_text_index option for different field types, see KB0859922 on the Now Support site.
    not_searchable Option to disable search matching for content indexed from the selected field.
    • Field: Name of a field from the indexed source table.
    • Type: true | false
    • Supported values:
      • true: Disable search matching for content indexed from the selected field. Search can't match the field's value. Filters (such as those for content security, source facet buckets, and facets) can still match the field's value.
      • false: Enable search matching for content indexed from the selected field. Search and filters can match the field's value.
    • Default value: false

    If you change the value of this setting for an indexed source's field, the change doesn't take effect until you reindex content from the indexed source. For reindexing steps, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.

    searchable_dot_walk_fields Index reference and display values from fields on the selected reference field's source table as searchable text.
    AI Search doesn't automatically update the indexed field values to reflect changes made to the referenced table's field values. To update the indexed field values, you must reindex the indexed source. For details on this procedure, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.
    • Field: Name of the reference field on your indexed source table. As an example, if your indexed source table contains a company reference field that references the Company [core_company] table, and you want to index searchable text from that table's name and city fields, you'd set company as the field.
    • Type: string
    • Value: Comma-separated list of referenced table fields to index as searchable content. As an example, if your indexed source table contains a company reference field that references the Company [core_company] table, and you want to index searchable text from that table's name and city fields, you'd set name,city as the value.
    Note:
    You can't use field values indexed with this field setting in search source filters. To index field values from referenced tables for use in search source filters, create a dot_walk_fields field setting. You can create both dot_walk_fields and searchable_dot_walk_fields field settings for the same reference field.

    If you change the value of this setting for an indexed source's field, the change doesn't take effect until you reindex content from the indexed source. For reindexing steps, see Perform a full table index or reindex for a single AI Search indexed source.

    Note:
    Field settings are records on the AI Search Configuration Attribute [ais_configuration_attribute] table that have Column as their Applies To field value. Records on this table that have Table as their Applies To field value are Indexed source attributes for AI Search.

    This example shows how the base system's Catalog Item Table indexed source maps short_description field values from the Catalog Item [sc_cat_item] table to the AI Search index's text field for indexed records.


    AI Search Field Setting form showing source Catalog Item [sc_cat_item], attributemap_to, fieldshort_description, and valuetext.