---
sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/platform-administration

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration

ft:clusterId :

    - platadm

bundleId :

    - platadm

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Build a search provider for your instance

# Build a search provider for your instance {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated August 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

ServiceNow Search Providers allow you
search and our
Forums from the IE and Firefox search bar.

## About this task

In Firefox 3.x you can also assign a keyword to each Search Provider and access them
from the address bar. For example, assign w to the wiki search provider and you can
search the wiki for Business Rules by typing: <kbd class="ph userinput">w business rules</kbd> in the address bar.  
Figure 1. Search Bar

## Procedure

1. Create an opensearch description document. You can review the OpenSearch standards for details on additional attributes of this document such as including an icon.  

       <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
       <OpenSearchDescription xmlns="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/">
       	<ShortName>Demo Search</ShortName>
       	<Description>Demo Search provider</Description>
       	<InputEncoding>UTF-8</InputEncoding>
       	<Url type="text/html" template="https://www.service-now.com/demo/nav_to.do?
       	uri=incident_list.do?sysparm_query=active%3Dtrue^123TEXTQUERY321%3D{searchTerms}"/>
       	</OpenSearchDescription>

2. Save the file to a web server with xml extension. The method used to install doesn't allow local file calls.
3. Create a simple html page to install the provider.  

       <a href="javascript:window.external.AddSearchProvider('http://yourServer/yourFile.xml');
       " title="MySearch" name="ServiceNow Custom Search">Add ServiceNow Custom Search Provider</a>

   You could try running the JavaScript command from the browser location box
   instead of using the html file. This works with FF not IE.