How does the search algorithm work to return the results?

Catalog query logic and structure

When P2P/GB sends a search to Arches, the search is broken into multiple parts and each part has its own logic. These parts of the search are:

• Keyword search
• Views/constraints
• Supplier visibility
• Root/core search

Keyword search

This is simply the search for the item you are looking for. There is some logic in this search, but is added at the time the search is built for Arches. This logic is mainly for breaking the search out by different string locales, as well as searching through different fields within the catalog item information. The keyword search functionality runs a search through the following fields:

• Keywords
• Supplier part number
• Supplier name
• Category name (catalog hierarchy leaf name)

Views/constraints

Catalog views are specific limitations that are placed onto a user or set of users by their group or cost center associated. This allows for certain catalogs to be filtered to specific users in a given region or job function. Item constraints are used much in the same way, however they are not at the overall catalog subscription level, but at the catalog item level. This allows for specific items to be filtered by user. For this to work, there needs to be a field at the catalog item level to place the filter on, which is why an extensible type must be created for utilizing item constraints.

Supplier visibility

Supplier visibility is controlled differently based on the variant of the customer's realm:

• SAP variant
• Generic variant
• PeopleSoft variant

Root/core search

The Root/Core search is the system's default behavior that is consistent across all variants and configurations. This adds in the logic to the search for:

• Expiration Date
• Kit Only Items
• GB Filtering
• Realm/Partition
• Filtered Items
  
  

Additional search configurations

Short name boost

This is controlled by the parameter "Application.Catalog.Search.ShortNameBoost." Specifies whether items whose short name contains keywords that match the catalog search term are considered as highly relevant and are boosted to display higher up in the catalog search results order. When set to Yes, catalog items that have matching keywords in their ShortName are boosted to display higher up in the catalog search results order.

Popular terms boost

This is controlled by the parameter "Application.Catalog.Search.PopularTermsBoost." Specifies whether to capture keyword search terms of popular items and index them as popular search terms. The items associated with these popular search terms are boosted to display higher up in the catalog search results order in subsequent catalog searches. When set to Yes, keyword search terms of highly popular items are indexed and saved a popular search terms and when users perform catalog search using these popular search terms, the associated items are boosted to display higher up in the catalog search results order.

Multi term split

This is controlled by the parameter "Application.Catalog.Search.MultiTermSplit." This parameter is in the process of being removed by engineering and should not be enabled for any additional customers.

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