# How indexing works

Every Capable capability writes what it knows about a page into Confluence's search index. That write happens in the background, on a schedule, not the moment you save a page.

Understanding that explains almost every surprising search result.

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## What indexing produces

One stored summary per page, written to by every installed capability. That summary is what backs the Capable columns, filters and sorts.

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## When it runs

* On a background schedule, continuously.
* On demand, when an administrator runs it from global or space settings.
* A large site takes hours to days to converge from a standing start.

⚠️

**An unindexed page does not match, and does not appear as an empty row.** It is simply absent. That is why a filter on a fresh install can look like it is broken when it is only early.

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## Forcing it

Administrators can run indexing from the global settings Indexing tab, and space administrators from the space settings equivalent, which also shows coverage for that space.

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## A few things worth knowing

* Index coverage is the number to check before concluding a search is wrong.
* Re-indexing a space is the usual fix when one space looks wrong and others do not.
* Indexing is per page, so a page nobody has touched since install may still be missing.

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## Related

[Index coverageChecking where it has got to.](https://help.gocapable.com/search/index-coverage.html)

[Capable search fieldsWhat gets written.](https://help.gocapable.com/search/capable-search-fields.html)

[TroubleshootingWhen results look wrong.](https://help.gocapable.com/search/troubleshooting.html)

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_Indexed, then searchable. In that order._