Faceted Search widget

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated August 11, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Faceted Search widget

    The Faceted Search widget in Service Portal allows end users to view and refine search results dynamically using facets linked to a defined search source. It provides an interactive way to filter results, making search outcomes more relevant and meaningful by allowing users to select specific categories or sources such as knowledge articles.

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    Facets reflect only the values present in the current search results and update dynamically as users apply or clear filters. Selected facets are shown as pills in the Filters panel, and switching between source facet buckets retains existing facet selections. Entering a new search term resets the previous facet filters, enabling users to refine new searches with fresh facet selections.

    Key Features

    • Dynamic Facet Filtering: Facets update based on current search results, enabling precise filtering.
    • Typeahead Search Box: Supports quick searches with configurable placeholder text, icon, font size, and visibility.
    • Facet Persistence: Maintains selected facets when changing source buckets to preserve filtering context.
    • Search Result Limits: Configurable maximum results for combined and single search sources.
    • Did You Mean: Suggests alternatives when searches yield no results to improve user experience.
    • AI Search Integration: Optional placeholder text and behavior for AI-enabled search portals.

    Instance Configuration

    The widget offers instance options to tailor its behavior and presentation on portal pages, including:

    • Facet component title and typeahead search box appearance (title, icon, color, size, visibility).
    • Behavior controls such as maximum search results displayed and typeahead result limits.
    • AI Search placeholder text, applicable when AI Search is enabled in the portal.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    ServiceNow customers can leverage the Faceted Search widget to enhance user search experiences by providing intuitive filtering options directly within the portal. This enables faster access to relevant knowledge articles, records, or other data by narrowing down search results based on dynamic facets.

    Administrators can configure the widget’s appearance and behavior to align with portal design and performance needs, ensuring an efficient and user-friendly search interface. For configuring facets themselves, customers should refer to creating facets within AI Search application configurations.

    The Faceted Search widget displays search results and search facets defined for a search source. The Faceted Search widget enables end users to filter search results for a more meaningful result set.

    Using the widget

    You can use facet filters to refine your search in Service Portal. For example, you can view only knowledge article search results by selecting the Knowledge source facet bucket. Or, to filter search results by certain knowledge categories, you can select one or more facets.
    Figure 1. Filter for Faceted Search widget
    Filter for faceted Search widget showing "email" search results with available facet filters

    The available facets are dynamic, showing only field values that are included in your current search results. As you select facets, the search narrows and the number of available facets decreases. You can broaden your search by clearing an individual facet selection.

    To see which facets you've selected, view the pills in the Filters panel. If you select a different source facet bucket, your other selected facets are carried over and applied to your modified search.

    You can initiate a new search by entering a new search term in the typeahead search box. After you enter the new search term, the system clears your facet filter selections from the previous search. You can refine your new search by selecting new facet filters.

    For more information on configuring the available facets, see Create a facet in an AI Search application configuration.

    Instance options

    Use the instance options to configure the Faceted Search widget for a portal page.
    Field Description
    Presentation
    Facet List Title Display title for the facet component.
    Typeahead Search - Title Default text in the typeahead search component.
    Typeahead Search - Color Whether the glyph in the typeahead component is filled in.
    Typeahead Search - Glyph Icon that appears in the search field beside the widget. The search icon is the default. To use a different icon, type the name of the icon in the field, for example search-plus. For a list of icons to choose from, open the instance options for the Icon Link widget.
    Typeahead Search - Size Determines the font size and height of the widget. Choose from xs, sm, md, and lg.
    Show Typeahead Search Box Option to show or hide the search box on the portal page.
    Behavior
    Max results for All search Maximum number of results that display for all search sources when viewed together.
    Max results for single search source Maximum number of results that display for a single search source.
    Show Did You Mean Displays suggestions when a search produces no results.
    Typeahead Search - Limit Number of typeahead search results displayed. The default is 15.
    AI Search
    Placeholder

    Text that appears in the search box before the user enters anything. By default, the placeholder text is Search.

    Note:
    This instance option applies only if AI Search is enabled in your portal. For more information on enabling AI Search for Service Portal, see Enable and configure AI Search in Service Portal.