# Configuring Search Box type-ahead suggestions

Type-ahead suggestions are an optional feature for the Search Box component.

Before configuring type-ahead suggestions, dimension search wildcarding must be enabled in the MDEX Engine.

For the Search Box component, you can specify that the MDEX Engine start offering suggestions before the user has typed a complete search term.

The Enable type-ahead suggestions dialog is where you configure this feature:

Note: This procedure assumes that you are editing an existing search configuration. However, the procedure can also be used for the creation of a new search configuration.

To configure type-ahead suggestions:

1. Access the Search Configurations edit view for a selected search configuration.
2. Check the Enable type-ahead suggestions checkbox to enable the type-ahead suggestions feature. Keep in mind that dimension search wildcarding must be enabled in the MDEX Engine in order for type-ahead to work.

3. In the Minimum characters to trigger suggestions field, set the minimum number of characters the user must type before type-ahead suggestions are offered.

4. In the Maximum suggestions per dimension field, set the maximum number of type-ahead suggestions the MDEX Engine will offer for each dimension.

5. In the Maximum total suggestions field, set the maximum total number of type-ahead suggestions the MDEX Engine will offer.

6. Check Show intermediate values to display the full path for hierarchical results.
7. In the Dimensions Configurations dialog, check Included to include all dimensions in the type-ahead results. Alternatively, you can search for a dimension, or select dimensions individually, to customize which dimensions are included.

8. Click Save Preferences to save your changes.