SharePoint Online Search Connector prerequisites

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of SharePoint Online Search Connector Prerequisites

    The SharePoint Online Search Connector (SPOC) in ServiceNow provides an enhanced search experience for accessing Microsoft SharePoint content. As of the Yokohama release, this connector is not activated for new instances and is being prepared for deprecation, but it remains supported. It aims to boost productivity by enabling efficient information retrieval through various channels, including Employee Service Management and Virtual Agent.

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    Key Features

    • Search Experience: Improves search and discovery for SharePoint content, ensuring quick access to information.
    • Channel Support: Works across multiple platforms like Service Portal and Now Mobile app.
    • Integration: Connects with ServiceNow® AI Search for enhanced relevance and personalization.
    • Content Compatibility: Supports various file types (e.g., DOCX, PDF) and has a file size limit of 25 MB.
    • Language Support: Available in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and German.
    • Permission Management: Supports SharePoint groups (Members, Owners, Visitors) with defined access levels.
    • Flexible Permissions: Admins can set permissions during configuration for better control.
    • Selective Indexing: Allows for indexing only certain sites and documents, excluding confidential information.
    • Version Control: Enables indexing of only published files to ensure access to finalized documents.

    Key Outcomes

    By implementing the SharePoint Online Search Connector, ServiceNow customers can expect improved information retrieval and productivity. Admins gain flexibility through selective indexing and permission settings, ensuring effective governance of content. To successfully set up the connector, ensure required plugins are activated and that the Microsoft Entra ID spoke is configured properly. Remember that only one SharePoint instance can be connected to a ServiceNow instance at a time.

    The ServiceNow SharePoint Online Search Connector offers a consumer-grade search configuration to manage your information resources.

    Important:
    Starting with the Yokohama release, SharePoint Online Search Connector is being prepared for future deprecation. It is hidden and no longer activated on new instances but continue to be supported. For deprecation details, see the Deprecation Process [KB0867184] article in the Now Support knowledge base.
    As search is the key to productivity, SharePoint Online Search Connector (SPOC) helps your employees to search and discover content from the ServiceNow employee experience.

    How SharePoint Online Search Connector works

    Here’s an overview of how SharePoint Online Search Connector works:
    Figure 1. SPOC overview
    SharePoint Online Search Connector flow
    Use the SharePoint Online Search Connector to:
    • Create better search and discovery experiences for the Microsoft SharePoint content, confirming that your employees can quickly find the information they need.
    • Enable support across multiple channels like Employee Service Management, Service Portal, Now Mobile app, and Virtual Agent.
    • Integrate with the ServiceNow® AI Search for improved relevance and personalization.
    • Search and find relevant information and drive business outcomes.

    Required plugins

    Activate the following plugins and apps:
    • Employee Center Pro
    • Microsoft SharePoint spoke
    • AI Search spoke
    • Microsoft Entra ID spoke
    Verify that the AI Search engine is enabled. External Content for the AI Search plugin (com.glide.ais.external_content) must have a ServiceNow subscription.

    For more information, see Setting up SharePoint Online Search Connector.

    Things to remember

    • The SharePoint Online Search Connector is only compatible with the AI Search engine, not with the Zing search engine.
    • The content types supported by the AI Search engine, such as, DOTX, HTM, XLSX, DOT, PPTM, DOCX, PPTX, TXT, PDF, POT, PPT, POTX, DOC, HTML, and XLS are supported in SharePoint Online Search Connector along with ASPX.
    • The AI Search file size up to 25 MB is applicable.
    • The languages supported are English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and German.
    • SharePoint Online Search Connector supports SharePoint groups The groups are Members, Owners, and Visitors. The groups have different permission levels.
      • Members: Can edit a document residing in the site.
      • Owners: Can create, edit, and delete documents residing in the site.
      • Visitors: Can read a document residing in the site.
    • SharePoint Online Search Connector is enabled to read users from the Microsoft 365 groups.
      Note:
      It only reads and pulls data from the Microsoft 365 Members group.
    • SharePoint Online Search Connector doesn’t read users from your Active directory.
    • SharePoint Online Search Connector supports Everyone except external users site permissions.
    • As an admin, you can use the following enhancements for more flexibility and control:
      • Flexible permissions: Select the Sites.FullControl.All, Sites.Read.All, or Sites.Selected permissions while configuring the connector.
      • Selective indexing: Index sites and subsites selectively by excluding some URLs and subsites, which have confidential information.
      • Index published versions: Control and limit the indexing only to the published files, confirming employees access the verified and finalized versions and not the drafts or unfinished documents.​
        Note:
        If you have an existing connector without these enhancements, delete the existing connector, create a new connector, specify the URLs for indexing and exclusion, and define the site permissions for more effective content control and governance.
    • Two SharePoint instances cannot be connected to one ServiceNow instance simultaneously.
    • The Microsoft Entra ID spoke setup is required along with the Graph and REST connection setups to connect your ServiceNow instance to a Microsoft SharePoint tenant.