Configure the index

Start indexing

Universal Search finds nothing until the index is built. Choose Start Indexing to turn indexing on and schedule the background job that updates it every minute.

updated: Oct 8, 2026applies-to: 1.0.0.1

This page applies to version 1.0.0.1; the current product version is 1.0.0.0.

Universal Search keeps a search index of the tables and fields you choose, and that index is only kept current once an administrator starts indexing. After installation, indexing is off and no background job exists. This page turns indexing on with a single action and shows you how to confirm the background job is scheduled.

Prerequisites

The BAA SEARCH ADM permission set, or SUPER. Start Indexing creates a job queue entry, which needs the job queue permissions in that set. See Assign permissions.

Turn indexing on

In Tell Me, search for Universal Search Setup and open it. In the General group, Indexing Enabled is off.

Universal Search Setup card with Indexing Enabled off and the Actions menu that holds Start Indexing — *Step 1: Universal Search Setup before indexing is started.*

Choose Actions, then Start Indexing. Business Central confirms: "Indexing runs in the background. Tables added to the configuration later start updating for sessions opened after the change; use Rebuild to index existing data."

Message after Start Indexing saying indexing runs in the background — *Step 2: the confirmation message.*

Close the message. Indexing Enabled is now on.
To confirm the background job, search for Job Queue Entries in Tell Me. The entry Universal Search background indexing is listed.

Job Queue Entries showing the Universal Search background indexing entry in status Ready — *Step 4: the recurring job that keeps the index current.*

What Start Indexing does

Start Indexing does two things:

It turns on Indexing Enabled. From then on, every insert, change, rename or delete in a table that has a row on Search Index Configuration is queued for indexing.
It creates one recurring job queue entry, Universal Search background indexing, if one does not exist yet:

Setting	Value
Object to run	Codeunit BAA Search Index Builder
Recurrence	Every 1 minute
Days	Monday through Sunday
Maximum number of attempts	3

Each run of the job first applies the queued changes, then builds every table whose rows are in status Pending rebuild. The six starting rows are in that status after installation, so the first run builds them.

TIP

You do not have to wait for the first run. Choose Process Now on Search Index Configuration to build the index straight away. See Build the index now.

Run Start Indexing again

Start Indexing is safe to run more than once. If the job queue entry already exists and is ready or running, the entry is left as it is. If the entry is On Hold or in Error, Start Indexing sets it back to Ready. That makes it the quickest fix when the background job has stopped. See Monitor indexing.

For the full description of every field on Universal Search Setup, see the field reference.

What's next

Decide what people can find: Choose what to index.