Typo handling
AI Search replaces misspelled search query terms with auto-correction terms derived from indexed content. Configure typo handling dictionary settings to control derivation of auto-correction terms.
To define auto-correction terms for a search profile, modify settings in the profile's linked typo handling dictionary. The typo handling dictionary derives a list of auto-correction terms from indexed content found in search sources linked to its search profile. Update the typo handling dictionary to save its settings. Publish the linked search profile to make auto-correction terms available for searches that use the profile.
AI Search automatically creates a typo handling dictionary for a search profile when you link search sources to that profile. You can't delete a typo handling dictionary, unlink it from its search profile, or link it to any other search profile.
To disable typo handling auto-correction for a search application, deselect the Enable Typo Handling option in the search application configuration. For more details on search application configuration settings, see Create a search application configuration for AI Search.
Conditions for auto-correction term eligibility
- The term includes at least 3 characters and no more than 255 characters.
- The term appears at least once in indexed records from the search profile's linked search sources.
Auto-correction of search query terms
When a search query includes a term not present in the typo handling dictionary, AI Search looks for terms in the dictionary with similar spelling. If it finds a good match, it automatically replaces the original search query term with the dictionary term.
For example, a search for emial, which isn't present on any indexed record, might auto-correct to the similarly spelled term email which exists on multiple indexed records and thus appears in the typo handling dictionary.
A notification message displays the auto-corrected term. Users can select the link in this message to repeat their search with the original query term.
Terms excluded from auto-correction
Auto-correction ignores search query terms that satisfy any of the following conditions:
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Search query term includes only 1 or 2 characters | Auto-correction ignores search query terms below 3 characters in length.
For example, AI Search doesn't auto-correct the search query term gi. |
| Search query term includes only uppercase letters | To enable search for abbreviations, auto-correction ignores search query terms that contain only uppercase letters.
For example, AI Search doesn't auto-correct the search query term PINN, even if it auto-corrects the lowercase form pinn to pin. |
| Search query term includes one or more numeric digits | To enable search for numbers and alphanumeric identifiers, auto-correction ignores search query terms that include numeric digits.
For example, AI Search doesn't auto-correct the search query term 402K. |
| Search query term excluded from typo handling dictionary | Auto-correction ignores search query terms excluded from the typo handling dictionary.
For instructions on excluding terms from a typo handling dictionary, see Exclude a term from a typo handling dictionary. |
Automatic refresh of auto-correction term lists
Each typo handling dictionary automatically refreshes its list of auto-correction terms after a set interval. The refresh operation has the same effect as republishing the dictionary's linked search profile.
By default, typo handling dictionaries refresh every 24 hours. If you want the term list refreshed less frequently, you can increase this interval in the dictionary settings.
Language dependence
Typo handling is language-dependent. AI Search derives a separate list of auto-correction terms for each supported language found in the search sources' indexed content.
AI Search supports derivation of auto-correction terms for Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French - Canada, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. Typo handling auto-correction term derivation isn't supported for Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, or Traditional Chinese.
Interaction with other search features
The following table describes interactions between typo handling and other search features.
| Feature | Interaction with typo handling |
|---|---|
| Genius Results | Auto-corrected search query terms can't trigger Genius Result configurations with Term trigger conditions.
When computing Q&A Genius Results for a search query, AI Search corrects terms in the query. |
| Lemma and Unicode normalization | AI Search performs lemma and Unicode normalization on auto-corrected search query terms. |
| Result improvement rules | An auto-corrected search query term can trigger a result improvement rule if it matches the rule's Query trigger. |
| Stop words |
If a misspelled search query term is defined as a stop word, AI Search auto-corrects that term normally instead of removing it. AI Search ignores terms defined as stop words when determining an auto-correction for a misspelled search query term. For example, if you define email as a stop word, AI Search doesn't offer email as an auto-correction when you search for emial. |
| Synonyms | If a misspelled search query term is defined as a synonym, AI Search expands that synonym without auto-correcting it. |