29 Jul 2019

Quick and Advanced search in iSheets

Search the contents of iSheets with the search box in the top-right corner of the module (not the search in the top navigation bar).

The search results are taken from records and columns currently displayed in the active View, with filters and custom views applied.

This also applies to all windows where you search in an iSheet, for example when creating a Lookup, Inserting a link, or when you select a record to generate a document from CE template.

To perform a wider search, change the filters and customisation, or use Advanced search.

Quick search

To run a quick search, enter your search terms in the box and press Enter. If you enter more than one search term in the quick search box, items that include any of those terms will be listed in the search results, based on the current view of the iSheet. 

Quick search summary:

  • The search queries the view and columns that are currently displayed
  • Quick search does not run until you have entered at least three characters
  • Always uses an OR search ('any of these words')
  • You may search for part of a word, including text in the middle of a word
  • You may use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase

To perform a precise search, including OR and NOT statements, use the Advanced search options (below)

You may clear a Quick search: click the x icon in the quick search box, or click the arrow next to the Save search button and select Clear search.

Advanced search

To run an Advanced search, click the down arrow next to the search field and select Advanced search:

Default text search fields

The three fields at the top of the list search the entire iSheet content with basic 'AND', 'OR' and 'NOT' statements:

  • All of these words - this includes an 'AND' search using the defined terms
  • Any of these words - this includes an 'OR' search using the defined terms
  • Exclude these words - this adds the terms as a 'NOT' statement

Search specific columns

iSheets contain two main types of column, default system columns that exist in all iSheets, and custom columns that are added to an iSheet.

When searching the system or custom column fields:

  • You may search for exact phrases by placing them in quotation marks, for example, "lorem ipsum".
  • All text search is case-insensitive.
  • Text searches will look for the text anywhere inside a word. For example, if a field contains the word 'scatter', a search for 'cat' will return that item.
  • The search combines all search fields with the boolean AND operator, so all search conditions must be matched for an item to appear in the result list.
  • Quick searches and default section text search fields will match text found in any searchable column in the iSheet, including lookup columns.
  • These column types have certain search restrictions:
    • Lookup columns cannot be searched directly, but values may be added in the default text search fields and the quick search, above.
    • Join and Image columns cannot be searched.
    • File link, Folder link, and iSheet link columns can be searched, but only the titles of the links are searchable.
    • Attachment columns can be searched, but only the filenames and extensions are searchable. The content of attachments cannot be searched.

In order to perform a search in a column, it must be both configured to allow search in its column configuration and the uset must have permission to view the column. Users in separate site groups with different permissions may see different advanced search forms.

Search system (default) fields

These fields search the system columns in each iSheet:

  • Created by - Search for the original author of the record
  • Created date - Select an option from the menu, then optionally define a range of dates, to filter the original creation date of the record 
  • Modified by - Search for the name of the last account to modify the record
  • Modified date - Select an option from the menu, then optionally define a range of dates, to filter the date the record was last modified

Search custom columns

Search fields for the created columns in the iSheet are available below the system search fields.

The type of search field shown (checkboxes, text boxes, date range, etc.) will depend on the type of column. If sections are enabled on the iSheet, they are included in the search display, allowing you to target specific columns in the search. Additionally, column descriptions will appear in the advanced search window, either inline or slide-in, depending on the iSheet configuration:

With an advanced search, you may combine as many search fields as needed to create a complex search filter,

Define the search results view

You can choose the results view from the list of views available to you:

The default view of the iSheet will be pre-selected as the results view of advanced searches.

Click Search to perform your defined search.

Edit a search

You may edit an advanced search from the results view, click Save search and select Edit search:

This will reopen the advanced search window where you can modify your existing search. To clear an advanced search, click Save search > Clear search.

Save a search

After you have run a quick search or an advanced search, you may save it for future use. To save a search, click the Save search button, enter a name for the search and click Save.  

The name of the saved search must be unique from any other saved searches by the user on the iSheet.

Open a saved search

To view your previously saved searches, click the filter arrow next to the quick search box. Up to five previously saved searches will appear in the list.

 

Saved searches are only visible to the user who created them.

You may click any of the saved searches to run them. To run any searches not included in the five saved searches listed, click View all saved searches:

A window will appear with all of your saved searches for the iSheet. You may click the name of a saved search to run it, or select More actions > Rename to rename the search, or select Delete to delete the saved search.  

You cannot update the search parameters of an existing saved search. Instead you may create and save a new search, then delete the old one.

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