Introduction to Search Scopes

Search scopes provide users with an easy way to narrow the scope of a search. For example, a user might choose to search only within the Marketing site, or only for images or only for people. Search & Preview presents users with a control (such as a drop-down list) for selecting a scope; this can be included in any Search & Preview search form, including the Search Box, simple search-center forms, and advanced search-center forms.

Figure: Example of a search-scope selector in a simple search form

Search & Preview integrates with the search scope implementation already built into Microsoft’s SharePoint crawler and database. In the Microsoft implementation, each record in the search database is associated with a specific scope, which is usually assigned based either on the site on which each document was found or the type of data represented by the record (e.g., pictures or people). Search & Preview scopes are mapped directly to SharePoint result source. All of the characteristics of a given SharePoint scope will apply for the Search & Preview scope to which it is mapped. You will, therefore, configure these scopes using the tools provided by the SharePoint search engine and then map them as required to Search & Preview scopes. Often, you will simplify the scope implementation in Search & Preview by mapping only a subset of SharePoint scopes.

The collection of scopes available in a given search form depends on where the user is when searching and which kind of Search & Preview Web Part or Control is creating the form:

• Search & Preview Search Box Web Control
For the Search Box, search scopes are defined by the Search Box Scopes settings that apply at the site where the user is when using the Search Box. This form is normally used while users are browsing content and are not in the Search & Preview Search Center site.

• Search & Preview Search Dialog Web Part
For search forms using the Search Dialog Web Part, search scopes are defined by the search-tab configuration that is in effect for the given search form. This type of form might be anywhere but is usually on a page in the Search & Preview Search Center site.
Like many types of Search & Preview settings, you can establish and configure search scopes at the farm, application, site collection and/or site level, with settings inherited along the lines of the SharePoint hierarchy and possibly overruled at any level. When you are configuring search scopes for Search & Preview, you must consider the feature type (Search Box or Search Dialog) and the areas of your SharePoint site hierarchy that should be affected.