It’s been a known fact that Microsoft favorizes “modern” Microsoft Search over Classic Search in Microsoft 365. And while they have been improving Microsoft Search in the last years, it’s still short of many important (and business critical) features (for example, customizations) – therefore cannot be a full replacement for Classic Search.
A few days ago, Microsoft announced major changes in Classic Search in SharePoint Online. Beginning on Feb 1, 2021, they will be making changes to the following areas:
- Retiring several FQL conditions in SharePoint Online search. Instead they recommend the utilization of KQL, which is where Microsoft will continue to invest.
- Introduction to Keyword Query Language (KQL)
- Learn more about KQL here: Keyword Query Language (KQL) syntax reference.
- Updating search query rules and removing specific conditions from SharePoint Online and recommend using answers in Microsoft Search.
- Learn more about answers in Microsoft Search here: Plan your content.
- Removing the ability to configure authoritative pages in SharePoint Online and recommend using Microsoft Answers.
- Learn more about answers in Microsoft Search here: Plan your content.
- Removing personal favorites and recommend using personal query history in Microsoft Search.
- Learn more about personal favorites here: Change settings for query suggestions, people suggestions, and personal favorites results.
- Custom rank models and Manage Query Client Types were inherited from the on-premises version(s) of SharePoint Server and are not supported in SharePoint Online. These capabilities and related settings will be retired from SharePoint Online.
- Learn more about how to leverage these capabilities in SharePoint Online review:
Have you invested into Classic Search in Office 365? – It’s better to re-consider. Microsoft Search can be a replacement in some cases. However, it still cannot be customized (no custom verticals, refiners, display templates, etc.), therefore the only way to deploy custom search applications in Microsoft 365 is using PnP Modern Search.
Microsoft’s recommended steps are quite poor: “Review the changes and documentation to assess the impact for your organization.”
I know it’s going to be more complex than that for many organizations. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to sign up to our workshop “Mastering Microsoft Search” – we still have a few open seats left for Jan 18-22, 2021. Or, feel free to contact us – we’re always happy to help.
More details about the classic search features to-be-retired on the Microsoft Search blog.
Great share! Thank you for sharing.