Introduction
This all started as a request from a client to hide only certain users from the people search. I’ve decided on this route because the management interface already exists to update user profiles and it would be very little work to add a user profile property, get it crawled and use that as the filter in the people search results webpart. Below I will explain how I was able to accomplish this in Office 365 but the same would work for a SharePoint 2013 on prem.
Update 1/28/2017 – I was able to test and in order for Office 365 search to pick up a newly created user profile property you must set the value of that property in at least 1 user profile. Running the reindex-user.sp1 script located here https://github.com/wobba/SPO-Trigger-Reindex will also ensure that that a full crawl happens (relatively soon somewhere between 0-8hrs possibly?)
Update 1/25/2017 – There have been many comments about Office 365 not picking up the new field. I am still evaluating the exact steps but this takes time. I recently was able to get Office 365 to pickup the custom field last night using https://github.com/wobba/SPO-Trigger-Reindex > reindex-users.ps1 script. I believe that this is what made it happen but i need more time to test.
How To
In Office 365 -> SharePoint Administration -> User Profiles
Click “Manage User Properties” under the People Group
Click “New Property”
Set the following properties (everything else leave be)
Name: HideFromPeopleSearch
Display Name: HideFromPeopleSearch
Policy Setting: Optional
Default Privacy Settings: Everyone
Search Settings -> Alias [checked]
-> Indexed [checked]
Click “OK”
Wait some amount of time for O365 to index the User Profiles and retrieve this new field.
!!! for O365 users !!! – You must set this property on at least 1 user profile before it will be picked up by the crawl. I also recommend running this script ‘reindex-users.ps1’ > https://github.com/wobba/SPO-Trigger-Reindex will also ensure that that a full crawl happens (relatively soon somewhere between 0-8hrs possibly?)
** for on prem users – kick off a FULL search crawl of your people content source**
You’ll know it’s ready when you can find the new Property in the Search Schema, Crawled Properties.
From the Admin Center click “search” in the left hand menu
Click “Manage Search Schema”
Click “Crawled Properties”
Enter “Hide” in the Crawled properties search box, then click the green arrow
You will see the property appear in the search results when the property has been successfully crawled.
Next you will need to create a “Managed Property”, Click On the “Managed Properties” link
Click “New Managed Property”
Enter the following information:
Property Name: HideFromPeopleSearch
Type: Text
Queryable: Checked
Retrieveable: Checked
Add Property Mapping -> People:HideFromPeopleSearch
Click Add A Mapping
Enter “Hide” in the search box, click the Find button
Select “People:HideFromPeopleSearch”, click the OK button
Leave all the other properties as-is, click OK
You will now have to wait until Office 365 runs a full crawl on your site for the property to become available in search. When this action takes place is unknown. (I’ve head 4 hours)
** for on prem users – kick off a FULL search crawl of your site content source**
Next go to the people search page
Edit the page and Edit the Web Part Properties of the People Search Core Results
Click Change Query
In the Property Filter drop down select –Show all managed properties–
Select HideFromPeopleSearch
Select “Not equals” then “Manual Value”
Enter “True” for the Manual Value
Next Click Add property filter
Click OK
Click OK in the People Search Core Results, Web Part Properties pane
Save, Check-In & Publish your page – All Set!
To manage users it’s as easy as using the User Profile Service Application, searching for a user’s profile and checking a box to save. Watch the video if you are note sure about that – http://screencast.com/t/5VGSLCt5N
Remember it won’t be instantly removed – it will take a crawl of the people source for those changes to make it to the site!!!
[…] https://thomasdaly.net/2016/01/16/hiding-people-from-people-search/ […]
User error, but my default “Type” was string, not boolean. I was following the steps to create the property and you say, “Set the following properties (everything else leave be)”, but I missed seeing the type being boolean in the pic. Not a big deal, but if you miss it, you’ll have to recreate the property…
Hi Tom, I was just given a link to this post. Were you ever able to determine if the process you presented in your post still works and/or if modifications need to be made?
This worked last time I tried. You could also use an existing field in the profile to filter by.
Hi Tom, has there been an update since you last posted your comment? I just followed your instructions (except for running the script). Wondering if anything adhttps://thomasdaly.net/2016/01/16/hiding-people-from-people-search/?replytocom=1489#respondditional needs to be done? I am hoping the HideFromPeopleSearch In Build your query window/Property Filter shows up.
Yes actually, good thing you bring this up. In Office 365 you are not able to use custom properties in the search queries. You will have to use a property that already exists. In the search schema you could map your custom property to an existing boolean field. In the search query webpart you would filter by this a Refinable property.
it seems like it does not work with SharePoint 2016, SharePoint 2016 uses ADI by default and once you crate a property it does not add it in to crawled properties after full crawl. need to figure out how to add and crawl it as crawled property.
Never mind , I had to go and enter Yes in one of the user profile property and it showed up as crawl property after full crawl.
All,
Im not sure if any of you had already found the answer but i found a question on answers.microsoft. Basically its says to use one of the refinable string properties. Im testing mine at the moment, I will let you know if i get it working.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_o365admin-mso_dep365/custom-managed-property-not-showing-up-in-the/6174ad2d-9874-448d-845b-27cbd6145f96
FYI – This did work
Tristan, thanks for taking the time to look into this and provide feedback. This one has been back and forth a few times with the changes that are happening in Office 365. I’ll give your suggestion a shot this week and post an update.
You are 100% right… they no longer let you do anything with search properties. You must use one of the exist refinable properties and map your custom property to it. They provide a bunch of generic properties for the different property types. I will update the blog posting and provide you with a credit for your effort! thanks for sharing!
Hello Tom, Looks like this solution does not work. I checked on 2 tenants and can’t follow last steps. Do we have any other options ? https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/beyondsharepoint/2016/11/11/restrict-disabled-users-in-search-results/
Can you be more specific on what’s not working?
can fallow your instruction till “Next go to the people search page
Edit the page and Edit the Web Part Properties of the People Search Core Results” i do not see HideFromPeopleSearch In Build your query window/Property Filter.
I’m encountering the same problem. I’ve tried with two different mapped properties, tried changing the settings of the properties, but I can’t get the property to show up
Did you set at least 1 users’ profile with the new property? and run the re-index as suggested?
!!! for O365 users !!! – You must set this property on at least 1 user profile before it will be picked up by the crawl. I also recommend running this script ‘reindex-users.ps1’ > https://github.com/wobba/SPO-Trigger-Reindex will also ensure that that a full crawl happens (relatively soon somewhere between 0-8hrs possibly?)
I’ve set it on multiple users, and waited over a week so far.
did you also run that script?
I have not, due to the time that I’ve waited. I can try that tomorrow.
Please let me know if it appears after you run that script. I was not able to test just waiting for it to come through because I don’t have patience. I assumed eventually it would come through (never assume anything O365). The script made it appear for me within a few hours.
I ran the script yesterday and just checked, the managed property is still not showing up. I noticed in another of your comments (below) you said that O365 is no longer picking up custom properties. Do you know if this is the case? I’ve never had this much trouble with on-prem SP instances
I believe that I wrote that before I found the script. I will run another test tonight and record it.
damn, it’s no longer working as it once was. I verified it multiple times before making changes to this article. I will continue over the weekend and see what I can come up with.
have you found a way to hide from autocomplete with out rebuilding it with JS?
Hi Thomas, I followed the above steps. It has been more than 24 hours and I still cant see the managed property in wep part properties.
Yes O365 seems to no longer pick up custom properties. Perhaps I have something wrong in the article.. not sure yet. My current suggestion is to use a pre-existing property. Looking into the real answer on why the properties are not showing up.