Global Search
Note: this article discusses search in the context of Salesforce Classic; search within the Lightning Experience is discussed in the Chatter section.
Global Search is automatically enabled when Chatter is enabled. It cannot be enabled otherwise. As you can see, the position of the search bar is above the tabs. Global Search returns personalized results, based on which records a user views most (opportunities are placed at the top if the user views opportunity most frequently).
Global Search will return more search results than sidebar search, as it indexes most custom fields and additional data (including articles, documents, products, and more).
Sidebar Search
When Chatter is disabled, sidebar search is present. Sidebar search does not return personalized results. It also returns fewer search results than Global Search, as it indexes only select fields (name, address, phone, email, custom fields that are either unique or an external id).
Example
Here’s an account with a unique value populated in custom field “SLA Serial Number”:
Global Search
Global Search indexes custom fields, therefore search results are returned:
Sidebar Search
Disabling Chatter changes the org to sidebar search, which does not index most custom fields. Therefore the same search using sidebar search returns no results:
Comparison Summary
Limitations for Search in Salesforce Classic
[Should / Long / Salesforce.com]
| Global Search |
|---|
| Chatter Enabled |
| Menu Above Tabs |
| Personalized Results |
| More Results Returned |
| Sidebar Search |
|---|
| Chatter Disabled |
| Menu in Sidebar |
| Static Results |
| Fewer Results Returned |
Is now possible to enable Global Search without having to enable Chatter?
I think this is now possible with Lightning? I can’t seem to find a specific answer. These ideas are delivered, without any specifics on how to “turn on” global search.
https://success.salesforce.com/ideaview?id=08730000000JKDuAAO
https://success.salesforce.com/ideaview?id=08730000000JJuoAAG
You can indeed enable global search without chatter in Lightning UI.
You cannot, unfortunately, uncouple chatter from global search in classic UI.
Awesome – glad I was reading that correctly 🙂
Is there any way to disable/suppress Chatter while having global search enabled in Salesforce classic?
Yep – check this out for details: https://success.salesforce.com/ideaview?id=08730000000JKDuAAO
I believe that it is now possible to enable Global Search without having to enable Chatter as of the Winter 16 release.
Thanks – will investigate and update as needed.
Hi john,
It’s as it is, no change..you need to have chatter enabled to get global search ON.
Thank you .
Tejal.
It looks like the Lightning Experience uses Global Search even if Chatter is not enabled. Outside of Lightning Experience (classic), you still need Chatter enabled.
hi john,
just felt to share little more detail regarding sidebar search and global search in lightning exp.
http://docs.releasenotes.salesforce.com/en-us/winter16/release-notes/lex_gaps_limitations_search.htm
I hope it will sure clear our confusion.
Thank you
Tejal.
What could cause search results in a Global search to not display records (or even have them show up in the record count for an object) that you know for a fact are there? I’ve had this happen on more than one occasion.
Not having access to the record (from a security standpoint), having the tab where the record is stored hidden from the user – there are probably other reasons this would occur, but those are the first places I would check.
Could Role Hierarchy come into play?
Not directly -but as it impacts security, yes
Once the Global Search is enabled can it be disabled by if i disable chatter?
Got the Answer , Once i un-check enable checkbox in chatter settings and save , Global search is disabled and Sidebar search and Advanced search are available.
I’m a bit confused about the relationship between “Chatter” and “Global Search”. Your information seems to indicate if you DO NOT have Chatter enabled you DO NOT have access to Global Search. Is this correct?
Correct
Somewhat confusing because under Sidebar Search you state that you can search custom fields that are either unique or an external id. Then you give an example of a field that is a unique number, and state that a Global Search would find it, a Sidebar Search would not. Seems contradictory.
Ah I see what you mean – “unique” is a field-level specification (similar to an external ID).
If you specify a field as “unique” then all values in that object MUST have unique values – AND search results are returned with sidebar search.
However if you simply create a field (not required as unique) and all values in the field happen to be unique – then sidebar search would not search this field (as requiring unique values is what makes the field indexed).
Hi All,
I want search by contact name and also display the related Accounts as well.
Please help on the above.
Thanks,
Ramesh
If you are using contact roles (e.g. a contact can be related to many accounts), then you would need to a use a trigger to copy the related contact names to a text field on the account.
By default you should be able to search for a contact and see the related (single) account.
so the assumption for the example is that “SLA Serial Number” field is configured such that both Unique & External ID checkboxes are set to false, correct?
Correct