# Update index pattern to only add fields

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-index-pattern-to-only-add-fields/200489>\
**Category:** Kibana\
**Created:** [September 20, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-index-pattern-to-only-add-fields/200489 "2019-09-20T20:25:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![justinw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justinw/32/40277_2.png) [@justinw](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/justinw)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-index-pattern-to-only-add-fields/200489/1 "2019-09-20T20:25:04Z")

</div>

Hi,

Is it possible to refresh an index pattern and only add fields? We retire old logs somewhat aggressively, so if we refresh during a period where there are no logs with a given field, it will get removed from the pattern. This ends up breaking visualizations.

What's the best way to avoid something like this?

Best, Justin

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nickpeihl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nickpeihl/32/112622_2.png) [@nickpeihl](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nickpeihl)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-index-pattern-to-only-add-fields/200489/2 "2019-09-20T21:19:28Z")

</div>

Hi Justin,

Unfortunately, I don't see a way to avoid this with your current workflow. There is a [GitHub issue](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/35481) that covers this and some other pain points. You may wish to add your use case to that issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![justinw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justinw/32/40277_2.png) [@justinw](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/justinw)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-index-pattern-to-only-add-fields/200489/3 "2019-09-23T18:30:39Z")

</div>

Thanks, I'll leave a comment there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/update-index-pattern-to-only-add-fields/200489/4 "2019-10-21T18:30:42Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.