3792484 - Global Header Search failure - "An application error occurred. Please try again later or contact technical support if the problem persists."

When performing a Global Header Search for users or actions across the platform with Enhanced People Search enabled, the following error is displayed: 

"An application error occurred. Please try again later or contact technical support if the problem persists."

SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite

1. Use the global header search bar to search users/ actions 
2. Error shows up.

During a backend database maintenance activity, the Enhanced People Search search index was removed but was not automatically recreated. As a result, Enhanced People Search was unable to retrieve search results and stopped working. 

During a database operations activity involving tenant migration between database pools, an issue occurred in the activation/deactivation process, which resulted in the Enhanced People Search index being removed without being automatically re-onboarded.

To resolve the issue, Engineering triggered the required activation process for the affected tenant, which initiated the search re-onboarding and rebuilt the search index. The re-onboarding has now been completed successfully, and Enhanced People Search has been fully restored and is functioning as expected.

Workaround (ONLY IF Enhanced People Search is not functioning , perform the below steps and simultaneously log a support ticket for further checks to component - LOD-SF-PLT-SRH)

• Disable Enhanced People Search in the instance to use the Legacy Search, which functions correctly.
• Once the Enhanced People Search issue is resolved, you can re-enable it.

Note: Support Team - Refer Internal memo for more details

KBA 3728404 - Enhanced People Search Enablement and Re-indexing Schedule – SAP SuccessFactors 1H 2026

Search failure, Global search not working, application error , enhanced people search enabled, INC33292937 , KBA , LOD-SF-PLT-SRH , Search , Known Error