SharePoint Search for Documents: Modified Date and Title of Results

Introduction

Have you ever encountered a situation where the search results in SharePoint show incorrect document titles and modified dates? This can be frustrating, especially when you rely on accurate metadata for document management. In this blog post, we’ll explore why this happens and how to resolve it.

Problem Statement

A business user reported that the search results for a particular document displayed the wrong name and modified date. Upon investigation, we found that the title and modified date were being pulled from the document properties rather than the metadata shown in the SharePoint library.

Why This Matters

Accurate search results are crucial for efficient document management. Incorrect metadata can lead to confusion, making it difficult to find the right documents quickly. This issue can affect productivity and lead to errors in document handling.

Solution

The solution involves updating the document properties to ensure that the title and modified date reflect the correct information. Here are the steps to resolve this issue:

  1. Open the Document: Navigate to the document in the SharePoint library and open it.
  2. Update Title: Update the document title to reflect the correct name.
  3. Save and Close: Save the changes and close the document.
  4. Re-index Document: Optionally, you can re-index the document to ensure that the search index is updated with the new metadata.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Navigate to the Document:

    • Go to the SharePoint library where the document is stored.
    • Locate the document that needs updating.

  2. Open the Document:

    • Click on the document to open it in the appropriate application (e.g., Microsoft Word).

  3. Update the Title:

    • In the document properties, update the title field to reflect the correct name.

  4. Save and Close:

    • Save the changes to the document.
    • Close the document to return to the SharePoint library.

  5. Re-index the Document (Optional):

    • Go to the document library settings.
    • Under “Advanced Settings,” click on “Reindex Document Library.”
    • This will update the search index with the new metadata.

Conclusion

By updating the document properties, you can ensure that the search results in SharePoint display the correct title and modified date. This simple yet effective solution can significantly improve the accuracy of your search results, making it easier to manage and find documents.

Additional Tips

  • Regular Audits: Periodically audit your document properties to ensure they are up-to-date.
  • User Training: Train users on how to update document properties to maintain accurate metadata.
  • Automation: Consider using Power Automate to automate the updating of document properties.