What is Enterprise Search and what’s the best software?

Information is the heart of every organization. However, with the sheer volume of data, it is becoming increasingly difficult to search for and find information in a targeted manner. Enterprise Search offers specialized capabilities to query even large and unstructured data in seconds. In this article, we will explain the functionality, advantages, and applications of Enterprise Search.

a person looking at different document types on the notebook

Enterprise search refers to software solutions that search internal company data across documents and immediately provide employees with relevant information.

Enterprise search is a technology used to efficiently search, organize, and provide access to large amounts of internal company data. Typically, different documents or even different databases/platforms are searched. This technology allows employees to access relevant information needed for their daily work, regardless of the storage location or file format of the data.

Enterprise search is often also referred to as corporate search software or company search solution.

How does enterprise search work?

The technology works similarly to a web search engine, but with a focus on internal content of a company.

Employees accumulate a large number of documents, policies, reports, etc., over time – on a single platform or even across multiple platforms.

When specific information is needed, employees previously had to navigate chaotic folder structures and long documents to find the relevant spot.

Enterprise search takes over this search process: it searches the storage for the required information and immediately provides it to employees.

image shows how important documents have been stored and lost in the past, and how they are easy to find with AI.

Why enterprise search? Benefits of implementing an enterprise search tool

Implementing enterprise search software offers numerous benefits:

The term “Enterprise Search” is used for very different software solutions that vary in several ways. Two important distinguishing factors are how they handle different platforms and how the search function is structured.

Platforms

One platform, many filter options

One type of enterprise search is the use of a central platform that offers a variety of filtering options. This platform allows users to refine their search queries through criteria such as file type, creation date, author, department, or specific keywords. By applying these filters, users can narrow their search results and quickly find the information they need. This method improves the efficiency and accuracy of the search by hiding irrelevant data and highlighting the relevant information.

Many platforms, one hub

Another type of enterprise search is federated search, where a central hub is used to search multiple platforms/data sources.

In many companies, information is spread across different platforms and systems, making it difficult to find relevant data.

A central hub integrates these various data sources and provides a unified search interface. This reduces the need to search multiple systems individually and saves valuable time. This method improves clarity and makes it easier to access company-wide information, which greatly supports collaboration and decision-making.

Enterprise search tools are relevant in many different moments of enterprise life:

Documents and reports in the workplace
Enterprise search allows employees to quickly and efficiently access important documents and reports required for their daily work.

Instructions and guidelines, e.g., in production
With enterprise search, production employees can easily access current instructions and guidelines to ensure all processes are performed correctly and safely.

Emails, e.g., in customer support
Enterprise search helps customer support teams quickly find relevant emails and respond to them, improving efficiency and the quality of customer service.

Website, e.g., in large online magazines
Enterprise search allows readers to quickly and easily search for articles and content on large online magazines that match their interests.

Enterprise search functions

Keyword-based enterprise search tools

Keyword search is a traditional method of enterprise search where users enter specific keywords to find relevant information. The search engine searches the index for these keywords and returns results that contain those terms. This method is particularly useful for simple and direct information requests when specific terms are known. However, keyword search may overlook relevant information if the exact keywords are not used or if the query is ambiguous.

Semantic search uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand the meaning and context of search queries. This method analyzes the relationships between words and sentences to capture the user’s intent and deliver more relevant results. Semantic search recognizes synonyms, related terms, and contextual information, making the search results better aligned with the user’s needs. This method is especially useful for complex and ambiguous queries, where context and intent are important factors.

This data can be both structured and unstructured, such as product images or internal business data metrics.

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into enterprise search is revolutionizing how information is found and utilized. AI-driven search technologies use advanced algorithms and machine learning to improve the relevance and accuracy of search results. These technologies allow search queries in natural language to be understood and semantic relationships to be identified, providing more relevant results tailored to the user’s needs.

This method goes beyond simple keyword matching and provides deeper insights and more relevant results by understanding the meaning behind the search queries and considering contextual information.

AI for enterprise search is especially useful for complex and ambiguous queries where context and user intent are crucial.

This advanced technology helps businesses boost productivity and make informed decisions by facilitating access to relevant information.

How to choose the best enterprise search tool for your business

If you’re about to select the ideal enterprise search solution for your business, there are several important factors to consider:

  1. Information sensitivity: How sensitive is the information you’d like to query? Ensure you choose software that is free from hallucinations and provides accurate results.
  2. Access rights: How detailed do you need access rights to be? Consider the granularity of permissions required for different users.
  3. Type of information: What kind of information do you primarily want to query? Some enterprise search tools are more suitable for numbers, some for text, and others for documents.
  4. Existing IT landscape: What is your existing IT landscape? The more established your IT infrastructure, the more carefully you should ensure that the enterprise search solution integrates seamlessly with your current stack.
  5. Information complexity: How complex is the information? If you need to query complex documents—such as those containing tables, numbers, and images—make sure your solution can accurately read all elements, even from screenshots.
  6. File types: What file types do you need to query? Not every software can handle every kind of file type (e.g., .doc, .pdf, .xls). Ensure the solution supports all your important files.

By considering these factors, you can choose an enterprise search tool that best fits your business needs and enhances your information retrieval capabilities.

Customizing enterprise search software is useful because it ensures the solution aligns perfectly with your specific business needs, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in information retrieval.

Learn more

ONTEC AI develops customized enterprise search tools for businesses with sensitive and complex data – fully reliable, GDPR-compliant, and with hosting options of choice.

Challenges and key features of enterprise search tools

Like any software, enterprise search comes with the usual challenges such as implementation phases, training, and costs.

This section focuses on how certain features of enterprise search tools can counteract these challenges.

Handling sensitive and complex data
Enterprise search tools must keep sensitive and complex data structured and organized, ensuring no mix-ups or confusion. They should ensure that information from different sources is clearly separated and indexed correctly to deliver precise and relevant search results.

Hosting
Enterprise search can either be hosted in the cloud, offering flexibility and scalability, or on-premises, ensuring full control and security over the data.

Relevant connectors
Connectors are components that establish connections to various data sources and synchronize data. Not every solution provides all connectors, so companies should analyze which ones are essential for them.

Data security
Strict access control features and compliance with security policies ensure GDPR compliance.

User interface
An intuitive and easy-to-use search interface provides a pleasant user experience and encourages long-term adoption by employees.

Especially in sensitive areas such as healthcare, banking, and the public sector, a completely reliable enterprise search is essential.

Summary and key takeaways

Enterprise search is a specialized software technology that allows companies to efficiently search, organize, and provide access to large amounts of internal data.

Key takeaways