[PeoplePicker] - some users don't receive suggestions

[duckdrone]

Category

[x] Bug
[x] Question

Version

Please specify what version of the library you are using: ["@pnp/spfx-controls-react": "^3.20.0"]

Expected / Desired Behavior / Question

Some of the users do not receive suggestions for PeoplePicker.

While analyzing it, I noticed, that for them /_api/SP.UI.ApplicationPages.ClientPeoplePickerWebServiceInterface.clientPeoplePickerSearchUser doesn't return any suggestions.
value:"[]"

But for others it returns valid suggestions. I tried to modify their permissions in entra portal, however, it didn't help.
Question is, is there any limitation/security requirements on who can see the suggestions?

Observed Behavior

Some users can only user PeoplePicker by providing full email address.

Steps to Reproduce

Add PeoplePicker to SPFx webpart as intended.
Type first 3-5 letters of user/group

Thank you!

[michaelmaillot]

Hi @duckdrone,

Thanks for raising this. I know that you're not the first to raise such an issue with this endpoint (which is called internally by the PeoplePicker).

But as this is out of our hands, the only thing we could provide is additional available parameters. In that case, did you try when enabling the useSubstrateSearch prop? We've added this optional parameter in order to allow deeper search in the tenant.

After a quick search, I found that you're not the only one who met an issue: SharePoint/sp-dev-docs#10096.

Let me know if your users still have an issue if you enable useSubstrateSearch prop.

[JLRishe]

@michaelmaillot Thank you for taking notice of the issue I filed and linking it to this one.

I encountered a new finding in this matter today.

I changed my app to use useSubstrateSearch, but I found that if I query the endpoint using an "app only" (non-delegated) token and enable useSubstrateSearch, I get the same results that I see when useSubstrateSearch isn't enabled. In other words, if I use an app only token, I am missing search results that I was getting until 2 weeks ago, and enabling useSubstrateSearch doesn't help.

I have also observed that the behavior is the same regardless of whether I use ACS (legacy SP tokens or Entra ID tokens.

There definitely seems to be a chance in behavior in the past 2 weeks, at least in our tenant, and it's a bit bizarre that the behavior differs when using an app only token.

What can be done about this? Would it be worthwhile to put together a minimally viable repro and submit a support ticket to Microsoft?