# Backoffice Search

The search facility of the Umbraco Backoffice allows the searching 'across sections' of different types of Umbraco entities, for example Content, Media, Members. However 'by default' only a small subset of standard fields are searched:

| Node Type    | Propagated Fields      |
| ------------ | ---------------------- |
| All Nodes    | Id, *NodeId* and *Key* |
| Media Nodes  | UmbracoFileFieldName   |
| Member Nodes | email, loginName       |

An Umbraco implementation might have additional custom properties that it would be useful to include in a Backoffice Search. For example: an 'Organisation Name' property on a Member Type, or a 'Product Code' field for a 'Product' content item.

## Adding custom properties to backoffice search

To add custom properties, it is required to register a custom implementation of `IUmbracoTreeSearcherFields`. We recommend to override the existing `UmbracoTreeSearcherFields`.

Your custom implementation needs to be registered in the container. For example in the `Program.cs` file or in a composer, as an alternative.

```csharp
builder.CreateUmbracoBuilder()
    .AddBackOffice()
    .AddWebsite()
    .AddDeliveryApi()
    .AddComposers()
    .Build();

builder.Services.AddUnique<IUmbracoTreeSearcherFields, CustomUmbracoTreeSearcherFields>();
```

or

```csharp
using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Composing;
using Umbraco.Cms.Core.DependencyInjection;
using Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Examine;
using Umbraco.Extensions;

namespace Umbraco.Docs.Samples.Web.BackofficeSearch;

public class BackofficeSearchComposer : IComposer
{
    public void Compose(IUmbracoBuilder builder)
    {
        builder.Services.AddUnique<IUmbracoTreeSearcherFields, CustomUmbracoTreeSearcherFields>();
    }
}
```

{% hint style="warning" %}
`ILocalizationService` is marked as obsolete and will be removed in a future verison. `ILocalizationService` is intended to be replaced by `ILanguageService` and `IDictionaryItemService`.

The example below reflects the current implementation and therefore continues to use `ILocalizationService`.

For new development, you should evaluate whether `ILanguageService` or `IDictionaryItemService` better fits your use case.
{% endhint %}

```csharp
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Services;
using Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Examine;
using Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search;

namespace Umbraco.Docs.Samples.Web.BackofficeSearch;

public class CustomUmbracoTreeSearcherFields : UmbracoTreeSearcherFields, IUmbracoTreeSearcherFields
{
    public CustomUmbracoTreeSearcherFields(ILocalizationService localizationService) : base(localizationService)
    {
    }

    //Adding custom field to search in all nodes
    public new IEnumerable<string> GetBackOfficeFields()
    {
        return new List<string>(base.GetBackOfficeFields()) { "nodeType" };
    }

    //Adding custom field to search in document types
    public new IEnumerable<string> GetBackOfficeDocumentFields()
    {
        return new List<string>(base.GetBackOfficeDocumentFields()) { "nodeType" };
    }

    //Adding custom field to search in media
    public new IEnumerable<string> GetBackOfficeMediaFields()
    {
        return new List<string>(base.GetBackOfficeMediaFields()) { "nodeType" };
    }

    //Adding custom field to search in members
    public new IEnumerable<string> GetBackOfficeMembersFields()
    {
        return new List<string>(base.GetBackOfficeMembersFields()) { "nodeType" };
    }
}
```

{% hint style="warning" %}
You cannot use this to search on integer types in the index, as an example `parentID` does not work.
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.umbraco.com/umbraco-cms/extending/backoffice-search.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.