# Search algorithm
### **Summary**
Search Algorithm is a menu item under the Basic settings section. In the default menu structure, it can be reached from More settings…
The **Search Algorithm** allows to specify and fine-tune FactFinder search algorithm settings.
Enter [Edit configuration](/docs/user-interface/editing-configurations-managing-transactions.md) mode to edit settings.
### **Minimum score**
The **Minimum score**  setting defines the minimum score (which measures the similarity to the search term) that any product must have to be included in the search results.
The similarity of the individual products of a search result can be easily calculated by the "Search term effect" value displayed in the [Cockpit](/docs/discovery/cockpit.md):
\|  | - The score for the product in the example screenshot is 100% + (-5.14%) = 94.86%.
* If the minimum score is set to 94% or lower, this product with the example search term "bike lock" will appear in the search result.
* If the minimum score is set to 95% or higher, this product with the example search term "bike lock" will not appear in the search result.
*
### **Percent from top (Result score spread)**
The **Percent from top**  parameter can also be seen as a form of dynamic minimum score, ensuring that only the best matches are shown:
* The **Percent from top** can also be described as a dynamic minimum similarity. This value determines at which similarity, measured against the best hit, the results should be cut off.
* For example, if the best hit has a similarity of 100% and the spread is set to 8%, all hits with less than 92% will be excluded.
* With a best hit similarity of 80% and a spread of 10%, all hits with less than 72% (= 80% \* (100%-10%)) will be excluded.
* This setting helps to "separate the wheat from the chaff" and thus ensures a consistent quality level of the results.
* Typical values are approximately 10% to 12%.
* The spread is applied to the scores resulting from the search term, and will thus not consider other effects on scores, like adjustments of ranking rules.
### **Performance vs. Quality**
**Performance vs. Quality**  controls the precision used to search for results:
* In general, the search quality improves as this value increases, but search speed decreases at the same time.
* Default value is 4.
* 3 or less significantly reduces the quality of the search result while it improves the overall speed
* 5 or more will improve the quality, but reduce the speed
The **Search timeout (in seconds)** parameter sets the maximum allowed time for a search.
### **Default Mode for Exact Search**
Exact Search 
is a new lookup function replacing Article Number Search (ANS). [Here you can learn more about exact search.](/docs/basic-settings/search-algorithm/exact-search.md)
### Max. Search Runtime
Maximum search runtime 
defines the upper limit for how long a search request can run. Setting this limit helps prevent timeouts on long-running queries.
{% hint style="info" %}
Save the transaction for your changes to take effect. See [Saving the transaction](/docs/user-interface/editing-configurations-managing-transactions.md).
{% endhint %}
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