As organizations increasingly rely on SharePoint for managing content and collaboration, having an effective search solution is critical.

Standard SharePoint search works well for basic needs, but many teams require more tailored and powerful options.

This is where PnP (Patterns and Practices) Search comes into play.

In this article, we'll cover:

• What PnP Search is

• Benefits of PnP Search for your org

• Pre-setup

• Seps to add PnP Search to your tenant

This article is part 1 of our PnP Search series! Parts 2 and 3 of this series cover how to configure your search PnP on a SharePoint site, and provide a comprehensive guide to creating custom filter columns.

What is PnP Search?

PnP (Patterns and Practices) Search is a customizable search solution designed to extend and enhance the default search capabilities in SharePoint. It allows users to fine-tune their search experience by incorporating custom layouts, filters, and search configurations, making it easier to find relevant content.

What are the Benefits of PnP Search?

Utilizing PnP Search in SharePoint offers several advantages for organizations. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Enhanced Search Customization: Tailor search experiences to specific business needs by configuring custom layouts, filters, and search rules.

• Improved Search Efficiency: Optimize search results, making it easier for users to find relevant content quickly.

• Better User Experience: Customize the search interface for a more intuitive and user-friendly interaction.

• Increased Productivity: By delivering precise search results, employees can save time and focus on critical tasks.

Pre-Setup:

Ensure you are assigned the Global or Application Administrator roles so you will be able to provide API access to the PnP app to your tenant.

Global Admins have almost unlimited access to your organization's settings and most of its data while an Application Administrator can create and manage all aspects of app registrations and enterprise apps.

While the Global Admin has broad, organization-wide control over all services and settings, the App Admin is more narrowly focused on managing apps and related permissions within the environment. Therefore, based on the RBAC model (Role Based Access Control) the App Admin would be the recommended role to set up PnP search for your tenant.

Additionally, ensure you are the SharePoint site owner or designer of sites where you want to add PnP search web parts.

Adding PnP Search to Your Tenant

To begin, we will first download the PnP package from GitHub: https://github.com/microsoft-search/pnp-modern-search/releases

Download the most recent version available to your desktop. You will not need to open the application on your desktop.

Now, go to the Admin Center and select the SharePoint admin center.

Within the SharePoint admin center, select More features and then select Apps.

Upload the app package you have downloaded here by clicking the Upload button.

When prompted, approve permissions for the app.

Optionally, add the PnP search app to all sites by default, or you can add individually to sites later on.

This will complete adding PnP search to your tenant.

Adding PnP Search to your SharePoint tenant is a powerful way to enhance your organization's search capabilities, providing more tailored and relevant results. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily integrate PnP Search into your sites.

Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3, where I’ll dive into configuring PnP Search and creating custom filter columns, and check out the Gravity Union Blog for more tips to boost your SharePoint search. If you need any expert support with SharePoint, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Gravity Union team—we're here to help!