FHR - How to: Add new search attributes - Step by step

You want to expand Fredhopper's search capabilities by including a new product attribute, but the end-to-end process for adding it isn't all in one place. This guide gives you a clear, step-by-step walkthrough so the new attribute starts appearing in search results as expected.

For Crownpeak Technical Support, please create a ticket. 

Steps 

1. The first thing to ensure is that the attribute you wish to use has been added to the data (If it is an existing attribute, you can skip this step).
   
   From the Merchandising studio - select the "system" tab and then select "Navigation"
   
   
   You can then enter the name of the new attribute into the search box to check it is present.
   
    
2. Now you can add the attribute to the search index.
   
   Goto --> System --> Search --> Search index
   
   
   
   Now you will need to click the "add" button in order to create the new entry.
   
   
   Once clicked --Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
   
   You should see a new line has appeared 
   
   
   Click the line to select the attribute you wish to use.
   
   
   
   Once selected, you need to name the attribute (use the same name as the attribute).
   
   
   Leave the Linquistic analyser set as "English Default" for this line. 
   
   We now need to create another entry for the stemmed version of the attribute.
   
   Click the "Add" button again for a new line. 
   
   
   
   You should select the same attribute, but this time change the linguistic analyser to "English stemmed" and set the search field name as ({attribute}_stemmed) so (Collection_stemmed) in this case.
   
   Save the search index 
   
   
   You will see this message.
   
    
3. The last part of the configuration is to include the new attribute in the search passes configuration.
   
   Click on the "search passes" option to be take to that screen.
   
   
   
   Now you will see the search passes currently setup.
   
   
   Click on the name of the pass to see the configuration. First the "Exact" pass.
   
   From the configuration screen, click the (Red) radio button for the new attribute to turn it on (Green).
   
   
   Only tick the "collection_stemmed" attribute, and leave the "collection" attribute. 
   
   
   Now save the search pass.
   
   Select the "search passes" option again.
   
   
   Now select the "Exact Description" pass
   
   
   
   Follow the same procedure for the exact pass. --> enable "collection_stemmed" and save 
   
   
    
4. The final step is to include the attribute in the spelling index to facilitate spell corrections.
   
   Select the "Spelling index" option 
   
   
   
   
   You should see that these have been enabled automatically and are green.
   
   
   
   Click the radio button of the attribute "collection_stemmed" to turn it red so it is off.
   
   
   
   Now, save and send for publication.
   
   
   Once you have published, a reindex must be completed before the changes become effective.