Can we search large lists using calculated columns, even that we cannot add calculated columns as index inside lists?

Question

Inside SharePoint online we cannot index calculated columns at the list level, so we cannot filter large lists based on the calculated columns inside list views. but what about Search? can we search large lists using calculated columns and sort the search results based on the calculated columns? In other words, is there a relation between index at list level and the ability to search calculated columns?

As I have large lists which might contain 100,000 items in the future for each, and i am using PnP Modern search web part to show data from those lists. i want to be able to filter the PnP Search result using the calculated column, so is this achievable? or since we cannot add calculated columns inside list indexes then this also mean that we will not be able to filter and sort Search Results using this calculated column? or this is not the case?

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi @john john Pter ,

Calculated columns cannot be indexed at the list level in SharePoint Online, which means that filtering large lists based on calculated columns inside list views is not possible. However, it is possible to search large lists using calculated columns and sort the search results based on the calculated columns. The ability to search calculated columns is not related to the index at the list level. Therefore, it is achievable to filter PnP Search results using a calculated column, even if it cannot be added to the list index.

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