In today’s dynamic digital environments, enhancing search functionalities can drastically improve user experience and operational efficiency. This case study explores how we integrated advanced search capabilities into a SharePoint site using PnP (Patterns and Practices) Search web parts, tailored to meet the specific needs of a client.

Challenge

The client was dissatisfied with the default SharePoint search capabilities, as it failed to deliver the desired look and feel, along with specific functionality filtering on managed metadata fields. They needed a solution that not only enhanced aesthetic appeal but also allowed for precise, metadata-driven filtering.

Solution

To address these requirements, we turned to SharePoint PnP Search web parts, a set of versatile components designed to extend and customize SharePoint’s out-of-the-box search features. PnP Search web parts are part of the SharePoint Patterns and Practices initiative, which provides open-source, community-driven solutions to common SharePoint challenges. These web parts are highly customizable and can be used to build complex search interfaces that go beyond the limitations of standard SharePoint search.

For this project, we employed two main components from the PnP Search suite:

Search Results Web Part: This component displays search results dynamically and can be configured to present information in a more visually appealing and intuitive format than the default SharePoint search results.

Search Refinables Web Part: This allows users to filter search results based on specific criteria. It was crucial for enabling the direct filtering functionality our client required.

Execution

We constructed a custom search page and redirected the default default SharePoint search box to this new page to ensure a seamless user experience. This customization was crucial for integrating specific search functionalities directly within the SharePoint list. The key to this direct integration was developing a special URL that auto-applies filters based on the managed metadata:

https://TENANTURL.sharepoint.com/sites/SiteName?q=QUERY&k=&f=[{"filterName":"RefinableString17","values":[{"name":"QUERY","value":"or(GP0|#TERMID,L0|#TERMID)","operator":0}],"operator":"or"}]#41TERMID,L0|#TERMID)"},{"operator":0}],{"operator":"and"}]#

This URL structure includes advanced filtering options that automatically refine search results according to predefined metadata, making it incredibly efficient for users to find relevant information with minimal effort.

Integration

To accommodate the complex URL within SharePoint’s interface, we utilized a multi-line text column with rich HTML formatting capabilities. This approach was necessary because a standard link field in SharePoint is limited to 250 characters, which would be insufficient for our detailed URL.

Outcome

The integration of PnP Search web parts transformed the client’s SharePoint site into a highly efficient, user-friendly platform tailored to their specific needs. Users can now perform detailed searches with just one click from the list, greatly enhancing their ability to quickly locate relevant information based on sophisticated metadata-driven queries.

This case study demonstrates the power of leveraging community-driven solutions like PnP Search web parts to enhance SharePoint’s native capabilities, providing a superior user experience and meeting specialized business requirements.