Refiners aren't showing values in advanced searcher

Question

Refiners aren't showing values in advanced searcher

Charlie Martharper 385

Hi!

I have different columns created from terms store management, where it contains hundreds of words. Then I create columns into libraries but when uploading files and giving them tags, when creating the refiner in the seracher, it shows no values:

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Answer 1

Matthew-P 11,235 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Charlie Martharper,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Have a good day and I hope you're doing well!

Based on my research, since you uploaded the files and tagged them before mapping the crawled property to RefinableString21, the Search Index still holds the "old" version of the file data. The system does not automatically retroactively apply new schema mappings to existing content until a full re-processing occurs.

To fix this and populate the values in your refiner, please follow these troubleshooting steps:

I. This is the effective way to force SharePoint to update the schema for all items. (Recommended if you have Admin access)

1. Go to Central Administration > Application Management.

2. Select Manage service applications > Search Service Application.

3. Click on Content Sources.

4. Open the context menu for your content source (e.g., "Local SharePoint sites") and select Start Full Crawl.

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5. Wait for the status to change from "Crawling" back to "Idle".

II. If you cannot access Central Admin, you can mark the specific library to be picked up during the next scheduled crawl. (If you are a Site Owner)

1. Go to the Document Library containing your tagged files.

2. Click on Library Settings > Advanced settings.

3. Scroll down and click the button Reindex Document Library.

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4. Click Reindex Document Library again to confirm.
(Note: You will still need to wait for the system's scheduled crawl to run for the changes to appear).

After the crawl is complete, refresh your search page, and the RefinableString21 values should display correctly.

I hope this helps partially! If the issue still persists, or if I misunderstood anything or was unclear in my explanation, please feel free to reach out anytime.

Regards.

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Charlie Martharper 385 Reputation points

2026-02-13T12:34:01.7966667+00:00

I made it, but it doesn't get any values yet thats why I am confused. Did both things no results. What do you need to show you to know whats going on?
Matthew-P 11,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-16T06:43:07.6766667+00:00
Hi Charlie Martharper,

Thanks for the update. Since you have already performed a Full Crawl and the issue persists, let's look closer at your Search Schema Mapping from your screenshot.

From your screenshot, I can see that RefinableString21 is currently mapped to multiple Crawled Properties:

ows_Tipus_x0020_de_x0020_Document (Text Value)

ows_taxId_Tipus_x0020_de_x0020_Document (Taxonomy ID)

ows_Tipus_x0020_de_x0020_Document_x0

For Managed Metadata refiners to function correctly, the system expects only the property containing the Taxonomy ID (the one starting with ows_taxId_).
By mapping the text versions (ows_...) alongside the ID, the refiner cannot properly interpret the hierarchical data structure, resulting in "No values found".

Here is the fix:

1. Check Internal Name: Ensure that Tipus_x0020_de_x0020_Document is indeed the correct Internal Name of your column. (It looks correct, as spaces are encoded as _x0020_).

2. Clean up the Mapping:

Go back to Search Schema > RefinableString21.

Remove all mappings except the one starting with ows_taxId_....

Do not map the ows_Tipus... (text version) here.

3. Run a Full Crawl: Since you are changing the schema again, a Full Crawl is required to apply this cleanup.

Hope this helps. Please try removing the extra mappings and let me know the result!
Matthew-P 11,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-18T08:00:03.09+00:00

Hi Charlie Martharper,

We’d love to hear back from you whenever you're ready.
If there’s any update, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Charlie Martharper 385 Reputation points

2026-02-18T08:16:50.0866667+00:00

Did the steps you told me in how to fix it, letting only the taxID and still remains the issue... :(.

I am trying to add now more files, reindex again the library, full crawl, mapp, reindex again and incremental crawl... Lets see if that works.
Matthew-P 11,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-18T11:17:05.7166667+00:00
Hi Charlie Martharper

That sounds like a solid plan. Testing with new files and a fresh Full Crawl/Re-index cycle is often the best way to clear out any "stale" indexing states. Please go ahead and finish that process.

However, if the refiner is still empty after this new attempt, it likely means the issue is not with the "update timing" but with the data accessibility itself. In that case, please double-check these specific points for your environment:

1. Before checking the Refiner Web Part, verify if the data actually made it into the Search Index.

In your Search Box, type: RefinableString21:*

If you get results: The mapping is correct! The issue is strictly with the Refinement Web Part settings (e.g., Display Template or "Sample Values" mode).

If you get zero results: The index is empty. The crawler failed to read the tags.

2. Check File "Publishing" Status

Ensure your files are Checked In and published as a Major Version (e.g., 1.0, not 0.1).

The Search Crawler (by default) cannot see Drafts or Checked-out files. If the new files are drafts, the Refiner will remain empty.

3. Verify the Crawled Property Name: In the Search Schema, double-check the property name you selected.

Sometimes SharePoint generates multiple variations like ows_taxId_YourCol and ows_taxId_YourCol_0.

Try mapping the other variant if the current one fails.

Fingers crossed that your current re-indexing job solves it. Let me know the outcome.
Matthew-P 11,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-20T14:34:24.5433333+00:00

Hi Charlie Martharper,

I wanted to follow up on the troubleshooting sequence you mentioned earlier: Reindexing the document library > Running a Full Crawl > Mapping the column in Search Schema > Reindexing again > Running an Incremental Crawl.

Have you completed this process yet? Is everything working as expected now?

Any updates would be greatly appreciated. Knowing the outcome will give me better insights to provide the most appropriate next steps if you are still facing issues.

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Refiners aren't showing values in advanced searcher

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