Admin search with date string yields unexpected results or no result

When running an admin search request that includes a possible date within the query string, you get unexpected results if the date string is in a UK format (day/month/year). This doesn’t include the date property of the search query.

Examples:

Search-Mailbox -Identity User1 -TargetFolder SearchResults -TargetMailbox SearchUser -SearchQuery ‘attachment:”SEG 12 12 2019.txt”’

 

Search-Mailbox -Identity User1 -TargetFolder SearchResults -TargetMailbox SearchUser -SearchQuery ‘subject:”Born 12 12 2019 USA”’

This is a known issue in the word breaker.

Method 1:

Don’t use dates in the SearchQuery string.

Note You can still use dates for searchable date properties. 

Method 2:

Break up the date with a wildcard.

Here are two examples showing how to use the wildcard:

Search-Mailbox -Identity User1 -TargetFolder SearchResults -TargetMailbox SearchUser -SearchQuery ‘subject:”Born 12 12 * 2019 USA”’

 

Search-Mailbox -Identity User1 -TargetFolder SearchResults -TargetMailbox SearchUser -SearchQuery ‘attachment:”SEG 12 12 * 2019 txt”’