Global Search Bar Not Showing Up on the Home Page

You might have seen it in PeopleSoft demo or in PeopleSoft training – the global search bar, which sits at the top of the PeopleSoft page and gives you the ability to search from anywhere in PeopleSoft.

 There are multiple factors that determine whether the Global Search Bar gets displayed. Lets have a look at each one of them:

Global Search Bar Not Showing Up on the Home Page

1. Make sure that the Global Search Bar is enabled. Global Search bar can be enabled. Do this as follows:
   a. Navigate to PeopleTools -> Portal -> General Settings
   b. In the “Portal Search Options”, check: Display Global Search in Header
   c. Save change
2. Make sure that at least one search definition is deployed (eg PTPORTALREGISTRY). 
3. Make sure that the user has necessary permissions to view at least one search definition.  For example, to give users necessary permissions needed to view search definition PTPORTALREGISTRY, do the following
   a. Navigate to PeopleTools, Security, Permissions & Roles,  Permission list
   b. Bring up Permission List PTPT1000 (“PeopleSoft” user)
   c. Go to the “Search Groups” tab (tab is on far right)
   d. Add new entry. Example:
   Search Group Name = PTPORTALREGISTRY
4. Validate that the “Search Group” option is enabled for search category that you wish to make searchable. For example, to verify that search definition PTPORTALREGISTRY is searchable:
   a. Navigate to PeopleTools, Search Framework, Designer, Search Category
   b. Bring up search category ‘PRPORTALREGISTRY  (note that the ‘Search Category’ and the ‘Search Definition’ are typically the same name)
   c. Make certain that the “Search Group” box is checked.

   5. Make certain that at least one deployed search definition is configured to be available from the “Home Page”. Do this as follows:
   a. Navigate to PeopleTools, Search Framework, Administration, View Search Contexts
   b. Check the list of Search definitions and verify that the appropriate search definitions are listed.
   For example, if you deployed search definition ‘PTPORTALREGISTRY’, it needs to be on this list. If it is not, do the following:
   i.  Click the ‘Edit Context’ hyperlink
   ii.  Add a new entry. Example:
   Search Category Name = PTPORTALREGISTRY

   6. After making the above changes, log out and then log back in.  Then verify that the Global Search bar is being displayed