Sort Option form

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated August 5, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Sort Option form

    The Sort Option form in the ServiceNow AI Platform allows users to define and manage search result sorting options within AI Search application configurations. This is essential for customizing how search results are displayed based on user preferences or requirements.

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    Key Features

    • Label: Displays the name of the sort option in the search application's sort menu.
    • Sort Field: Specifies the source table field or common index field used for sorting. It can be a date, number, or string field. Ensure the field type is supported to avoid errors upon saving.
    • Qualified Sort Field: Allows sorting based on a specific indexed source table's field (e.g., kbknowledge.author).
    • Unqualified Common Index Field: Sorts using a common AI Search index field (e.g., title).
    • Sorting on Parent and Child Tables: Supports sorting by fields in both parent and child tables within indexed sources, provided the correct qualifiers are used.
    • Application Scope: Automatically assigned to the sort option.
    • Ascending/Descending Order: Options to display results in either ascending (a-z) or descending (z-a) order.
    • Active Option: Enables the sort option for use in the search application.

    Key Outcomes

    By effectively utilizing the Sort Option form, ServiceNow customers can enhance search functionality, allowing for more relevant and user-friendly search results tailored to specific needs. Proper configuration ensures a seamless experience and minimizes errors during the setup process.

    The Sort Option form contains information about search result sort options defined in your AI Search application configurations. Use this form when creating or modifying a search result sort option for a search application configuration.

    For details on creating or editing search result sort options, see Search result sort options in AI Search application configurations.

    Table 1. Sort Option form
    Field Description
    Label Label displayed for the search result sort option in the search application's sort menu.
    Sort Field

    Name of a source table field or common index field that the sort option uses to sort search results.

    The sort field can be a date, number, or string field.
    Note:
    If you specify a sort field of an unsupported type, an error message appears when you attempt to save the sort option.
    Supports the following formats:
    Qualified [indexed_source_table_name].[field_name] entry

    Sort search results on their values from the specified table's field.

    For example, enter kb_knowledge.author to sort search results by their Author field values.
    Note:
    The parent search application configuration's linked search profile must include a search source derived from the specified indexed source table. If this condition isn't met, an error message appears when you attempt to save the sort option.
    Unqualified common index field name

    Sort search results on their values from the specified common AI Search index field.

    For example, enter title to sort search results based on their titles, or language to sort search results based on their language.

    The [indexed_source_table_name] qualifier must be the name of a table specified in an indexed source. Don't specify indexed source child table names for this qualifier.

    Special cases include:
    Sorting on parent table fields

    If you specify an indexed source parent table's field in a sort option, AI Search includes values from the same field on child tables from the indexed source.

    For example, suppose you create an indexed source for custom table Parent [u_parent] which is extended by custom table Child [u_child], and then specify u_parent.author as the field for a sort option. When a user applies the sort option, AI Search uses both u_parent.author and u_child.author field values to sort the search result list.

    Sorting on child table fields

    You can specify a field that's unique to an indexed source's child table as a sort option field.

    Continuing the previous example, if your Child [u_child] table includes an Editor field that's not present on the Parent [u_parent] table, you can define u_parent.editor as a sort option field to sort search result s using this field's values.
    Note:
    Be sure to specify the parent table's name as the qualifier, not the child table's name.
    Application Application scope for the search result sort option. This field is automatically set.
    Ascending Option to make the search result sort option display results in ascending order (a to z). Clear this option to make the search result sort option display results in descending order (z to a).
    Active Option to activate the search result sort option for use in the search application.