SharePoint online search result return incorrect modified date.

Question

I am wonder if anybody have encounter similar issue.

For a document in SharePoint online library modified date is incorrect in search result and correct in document library.  What is interesting, user claimed that same document was uploaded couple of weeks before but mysteriously disappeared. 

I checked user activity through compliance center but I couldn't find any log to confirm that document was uploaded to SharePoint.

I tried to remove document url from search and re-index the library. Event after waiting 48 hours document didn't show up in search. So I modified document's property to  see if incremental search pick-up the same and it did but modified date is still old in search result and modified by was updated.

Any suggestion?

Thanks in advance,

Regards,

Navi

Answer 1

Dear Navi,

Sorry for the delayed reply.

After doing some tests, it seems to be a crawl issue with the PDF files in SharePoint Online and the PDF files’ properties seem to be unable to be crawled when using the site search box in SharePoint Online.

 

Based on my test, the library search box seems to get the right result. I also suggest you use the library search box in SharePoint Online to search the PDF files to see the result in your environment.

 

Moreover, to check if the PDF files can be searched correctly with more resources and fix the issue in your environment, I suggest you contact the administrator in your environment if you aren’t the administrator and follow the steps in the articleto open a ticket as soon as possible.

To help you in speeding up in opening a ticket in your environment, I have send you a summary in the private messagefor your reference.

Thanks for your understanding.

Cliff

Answer 2

Dear Navi,

Thanks for your updates.

I need some time to do a test again. I'll update here as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Cliff

Answer 3

Dear Cliff,

Thanks for your response,  the issue only happens in a specific file and the result is same in modern and classic search. I found the cause of the issue the modified property value is coming from pdf document properties. (These are pdf files)

Is this normal behavior? 

Thanks & Regards,

Navi

Answer 4

Dear Navi,

I’d like to confirm whether the issue only happens in a specific file or a specific site in your environment.

Meanwhile, if you search the file with the search box in the library where the affected files are, will the issue happen?

Moreover, I’d like you to confirm whether the issue happens when using the classic SharePoint search experience.

To improve the search experience on the modern page, I suggest you use the Search box web part for the modern site page to see if the issue goes away when using the web part in your environment.

If you are using the  Office 365 group site, first enable custom script with SharePoint Online Management Shell on the site via the steps in the article. Then go to the new SharePoint admin center>Classic features>Apps>App Catalog>create an app catalog and then upload the Modern Search Box web part there. After doing that, you can add the web part app in Site contents.

 

To get the package, you can follow the similar steps in the article. I have sent the package in the private message for your deployment. If you can’t deploy it to your environment, follow the steps in the articleand deploy the package to your environment.

Best Regards,

Cliff