Indexing SharePoint 2013 List Columns

Question

I have sharepoint list which has more than 40,000 item. Now the performance was very slow, So I planned to try Indexing to improve performances.

When I try to add the Indexing it's returning the following error.

I got this error details from ULS Log

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: 0x80131904, StackTrace: at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPField.UpdateCore(Boolean bToggleSealed) at Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationPages.EditIndexPage.CreateIndex(Guid primaryField, Guid secondaryField) at Microsoft.SharePoint.ApplicationPages.EditIndexPage.BtnCreate_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button.RaisePostBackEvent(String eventArgument) at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest() at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context) at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) at System.Web.HttpApplication.PipelineStepManager.ResumeSteps(Exception error) at System.Web.HttpApplication.BeginProcessRequestNotification(HttpContext context, AsyncCallback cb) at System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr rootedObjectsPointer, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr rootedObjectsPointer, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.UnsafeIISMethods.MgdIndicateCompletion(IntPtr pHandler, RequestNotificationStatus& notificationStatus) at System.Web.Hosting.UnsafeIISMethods.MgdIndicateCompletion(IntPtr pHandler, RequestNotificationStatus& notificationStatus) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr rootedObjectsPointer, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags) at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr rootedObjectsPointer, IntPtr nativeRequestContext, IntPtr moduleData, Int32 flags)

Pelase help me on this

Answer 1

It's normal behavior, you can't add indexes to columns if the total number of items is more than 20,000 in SharePoint Server.

Workaround to manage large lists

• Create views with a filter that only shows items less than 5000 items.
• Using folders to organize data but it should also hold items less than the List View Threshold.
• Move the exceded list items to another list to make the main list less than 20,000 items. so
  • you can add indexes to the columns then
  • use the indexed column to filter your view. then
  • move the moved items back to the main list.

For more details, check

• Manage large lists and libraries in SharePoint
• Overview of lists and libraries with many items