Understanding Sitecore Solr Dynamic Fields and How to Identify Conflicting Fields

Sitecore and Solr are often used together to deliver robust search functionality. By default, Sitecore uses dynamic fields in Solr to store content fields without requiring explicit schema changes for each field. These dynamic fields rely on suffixes tied to data types—_t for text fields, _s for strings, _dt for dates, and so on. While this approach offers flexibility, it can lead to unexpected conflicts if multiple templates define fields with the same name but different data types.

This guide explains why these conflicts occur, how they affect search indexing, and how to automatically detect and review them using PowerShell.

What Are Dynamic Fields in Solr?

Dynamic fields let Solr handle a broad range of fields without requiring you to manually define each one. Sitecore converts template fields into dynamic fields by appending type-specific suffixes. For instance, a text field named CustomField might become customfield_t, whereas a date field named CustomField would become customfield_dt. The difference between _t and _dt indicates the data type expected by Solr.

Common Dynamic Field Suffixes

• _t – Text (e.g., Single-Line Text, Rich Text)
• _s – String (exact match)
• _i – Integer
• _dt – Date/Time
• _b – Boolean

These suffixes ensure that Solr interprets and indexes content correctly. However, conflicts arise when two fields share the same base name but differ in their defined data types.

Causes and Symptoms of Conflicting Fields

Cause: If one Sitecore template defines CustomField as a Single-Line Text field and another defines a CustomField as a Date field, both fields attempt to map to different dynamic field types (customfield_t and customfield_dt). This inconsistency can cause Solr to misinterpret data, reject documents, or produce unpredictable search results.

Symptoms:

• Indexing errors logged by Solr or Sitecore
• Queries returning incomplete or incorrect results
• Inability to filter or sort by a field that should be consistent across templates

Steps to Identify and Resolve Conflicts

1. Audit Template Fields: Review template definitions regularly, looking for fields sharing identical names. Confirm that these fields are intended to share a name and that their data types align.
2. Use a PowerShell Script to Automate Detection: Rather than manually reviewing every template, use a PowerShell script to quickly scan templates and find conflicting fields. The script below iterates through Sitecore templates, captures field names and their types, and reports any conflicts.
3. Resolve Conflicts: Once identified, unify the data type for fields that are meant to be the same. If the fields truly differ in meaning or usage, rename one to avoid overlap. After adjustments, re-index your search indexes so Solr accurately reflects these changes.

PowerShell Script for Detecting Field Conflicts

Use the Sitecore PowerShell Extensions (SPE) within the Sitecore environment. This script identifies templates with fields of the same name but different data types, helping you pinpoint where changes are needed.

# This script identifies templates with fields having the same name but different types

# Initialize a hashtable to store field name and data type mappings
$fieldMappings = @{}
$conflicts = @{}

# Iterate through all templates
$templates = Get-ChildItem -Path "master:/sitecore/templates" -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.TemplateName -eq "Template" }

foreach ($template in $templates) {
    Write-Host "Processing template: $($template.Name) (ID: $($template.ID))" -ForegroundColor Green

    try {
        # Get all fields in the template
        $fields = Get-ChildItem -Path $template.ID -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.TemplateName -eq "Template field" }

        foreach ($field in $fields) {
            $fieldName = $field.DisplayName.ToLowerInvariant() # Normalize field name
            $fieldType = $field["Type"] # Get the data type of the field

            # Check for conflicts
            if ($fieldMappings.ContainsKey($fieldName)) {
                $existingMapping = $fieldMappings[$fieldName]
                # Compare data types
                if ($existingMapping.Type -ne $fieldType) {
                    if (-not $conflicts.ContainsKey($fieldName)) {
                        $conflicts[$fieldName] = @(
                            @{
                                TemplateName = $existingMapping.TemplateName
                                TemplateID = $existingMapping.TemplateID
                                FieldType = $existingMapping.Type
                            }
                        )
                    }
                    $conflicts[$fieldName] += @{
                        TemplateName = $template.Name
                        TemplateID = $template.ID
                        FieldType = $fieldType
                    }
                }
            } else {
                # Add field to the hashtable
                $fieldMappings[$fieldName] = @{
                    Type = $fieldType
                    TemplateName = $template.Name
                    TemplateID = $template.ID
                }
            }
        }
    } catch {
        Write-Host "Error processing template: $($template.Name). Details: $_" -ForegroundColor Red
    }
}

# Output the results
Write-Host "`nConflict Summary:" -ForegroundColor Yellow
if ($conflicts.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Host "No conflicts detected." -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    foreach ($conflict in $conflicts.GetEnumerator()) {
        Write-Host "Field Name: $($conflict.Key)" -ForegroundColor Cyan
        foreach ($entry in $conflict.Value) {
            $paddedFieldType = ($entry.FieldType).PadRight(25) 
            Write-Host "    -  Field Type: $paddedFieldType in Template: $($entry.TemplateName)($($entry.TemplateID))" -ForegroundColor Red
        }
    }
}

After Identifying Conflicts

1. Rename or Unify Fields: If the field is supposed to represent the same data, align their data types or rename them to avoid overlap.
2. Re-index Solr: After resolving field conflicts, run a full search index rebuild in Sitecore so that Solr reflects your changes.