---
title: Change the crawling root of an index
slug: '2159'
canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/2159/
collection: coveo-for-sitecore-v5
source_format: adoc
---
# Change the crawling root of an index
By default, Coveo for Sitecore indexes all items under `/sitecore/content`, as well as all items under `/sitecore/media library/Files`.
You may want to change the crawling root of your indexes, most often to prevent indexing undesirable items in specific indexes.
This can be particularly useful in multi-site installations, or if you have indexes dedicated to certain content.

By changing the crawling root, you can focus the indexing on an item and its content tree, which can accelerate your indexing time.

## Modifying a crawling root

To change the crawling root of a crawler

. Open the **Indexes** page of the Command Center.
You can access it at `\https://<INSTANCE_HOSTNAME>/coveo/command-center/index.html#indexes/`.

. Expand the index you want to reconfigure by clicking anywhere on its row.

. At the end of the applicable crawler row, click **Edit**.

. In the `root` row, in the `Value` column, specify the new content tree path.

. Click **Save**.

. Back on the **Indexes** page, click **Apply and Restart**.

> **Note**
>
> Behind the scenes, the `Coveo.SearchProvider.Custom.config` file is updated.

To test your new crawler configuration

. In the **Indexes** page, expand the related index by clicking anywhere on the index row.

![Screenshot of the Indexes page showing the Coveo web index line expanded](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/c4sc-v5/crawler-root-changed-index-rebuild.png)

. Click **Rebuild**.

> **Note**
>
> A crawler _refresh_ doesn't delete existing indexed items that don't match the new crawler root.
> A _rebuild_ deletes those old items.

. If your new crawler is properly configured, no error message appears and your browser developer tools show a successful `rebuild` API call.

![Screenshot of the browser tools Network tab showing a successful POST rebuild call](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/c4sc-v5/crawler-root-changed-successful-rebuild-call.png)

. A short time after rebuild completion, the Command Center **Indexes** page displays the remaining number of indexed documents for the related index in the `Content` column.

> **Note**
>
> A Command Center process polls your Coveo organization on a periodic basis to get the number of items in your indexes.

. You can also view your remaining indexed items in the Coveo Administration Console [**Content Browser**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/)).

## Adding a new crawling root

You might also want to add a new crawler to an index and define its root.

To add a new crawler on an index

. Open your `Coveo.SearchProvider.Custom.config` file in a text editor.
It's located under `<SITECORE_INSTANCE_ROOT>\App_config\Include\Coveo`.
. Locate the following code block.

```xml
<contentSearch>
  <configuration>
    <indexes hint="list:AddIndex">
      <index id="Coveo_master_index">
        <locations hint="list:AddCrawler">
          <crawler name="ContentCrawler">
            <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to change the crawling root to a smaller part of your site. -->
            <!--<root>/sitecore/content/YOUR_PATH</root> -->
          </crawler>
          <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to crawl a different section of your site. -->
          <!--
          <crawler name="SubSiteCrawler" type="Sitecore.ContentSearch.SitecoreItemCrawler, Sitecore.ContentSearch">
            <database>master</database>
            <root>/sitecore/YOUR_PATH</root>
            <stopOnError>true</stopOnError>
          </crawler>
          -->
        </locations>
      </index>
      <index id="Coveo_web_index">
        <locations hint="list:AddCrawler">
          <crawler name="ContentCrawler">
            <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to change the crawling root to a smaller part of your site. -->
            <!--<root>/sitecore/content/YOUR_PATH</root> -->
          </crawler>
          <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to crawl a different section of your site. -->
          <!--
          <crawler name="SubSiteCrawler" type="Sitecore.ContentSearch.SitecoreItemCrawler, Sitecore.ContentSearch">
            <database>web</database>
            <root>/sitecore/YOUR_PATH</root>
            <stopOnError>true</stopOnError>
          </crawler>
          -->
        </locations>
      </index>
    </indexes>
  </configuration>
</contentSearch>
```

. Locate the `<index>` element associated with the Sitecore database you want to target.
For the sake of this example, we assume we want to add a new crawler in the `Coveo_web_index` index.
. As indicated in the configuration file, uncomment the `+<crawler name="SubSiteCrawler" ...>+` element.

```xml
<index id="Coveo_web_index">
  <locations hint="list:AddCrawler">
    <crawler name="ContentCrawler">
      <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to change the crawling root to a smaller part of your site. -->
      <!--<root>/sitecore/content/YOUR_PATH</root> -->
    </crawler>
    <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to crawl a different section of your site. -->
    <crawler name="SubSiteCrawler" type="Sitecore.ContentSearch.SitecoreItemCrawler, Sitecore.ContentSearch">
      <database>web</database>
      <root>/sitecore/YOUR_PATH</root>
      <stopOnError>true</stopOnError>
    </crawler>
  </locations>
```

. Change the name of the crawler to one you deem appropriate.

```xml
<index id="Coveo_web_index">
  <locations hint="list:AddCrawler">
    <crawler name="ContentCrawler">
      <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to change the crawling root to a smaller part of your site. -->
      <!--<root>/sitecore/content/YOUR_PATH</root> -->
    </crawler>
    <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to crawl a different section of your site. -->
    <crawler name="Staff" type="Sitecore.ContentSearch.SitecoreItemCrawler, Sitecore.ContentSearch">
      <database>web</database>
      <root>/sitecore/YOUR_PATH</root>
      <stopOnError>true</stopOnError>
    </crawler>
  </locations>
```

> **Note**
>
> Only use alphanumeric characters for your crawler names.

. Set the `<root>` element text content to your desired crawling root.
Add a trailing slash to your path.

```xml
<index id="Coveo_web_index">
  <locations hint="list:AddCrawler">
    <crawler name="ContentCrawler">
      <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to change the crawling root to a smaller part of your site. -->
      <!--<root>/sitecore/content/YOUR_PATH</root> -->
    </crawler>
    <!-- Uncomment this node if you want to crawl a different section of your site. -->
    <crawler name="Staff" type="Sitecore.ContentSearch.SitecoreItemCrawler, Sitecore.ContentSearch">
      <database>web</database>
      <root>/sitecore/Content/Home/Staff/</root>
      <stopOnError>true</stopOnError>
    </crawler>
  </locations>
```

. Save and close your file.
. The **Command Center** now displays your new crawler.

![Screenshot of the Command Center showing the Coveo web index row expanded and the its list of crawlers](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/c4sc-v5/add-crawler.png)

. Test your new configuration.
 .. In the **Command Center**, in the **Indexes** section, click the **Refresh** button associated with your new crawler.
 .. If your new crawler is properly configured, no error message appears and your browser developer tools show a successful `refresh` API call.

![Screenshot of the browser developer tools showing a successful refresh request | Coveo](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/c4sc-v5/successful-refresh.png)