ChilliDB Basics Quick Start: Search

Looking to find a record in ChilliDB that meets search criteria based on data/fields you have in your system? Want to set up a recurring search that automatically updates with the most recent information in your system and displays this for your users? Want to be able to search for a record, and if it isn't in your system, create it on the spot?

ChilliDB offers its users a multi-functional search option for all of the key modules in the system, including Contacts, Organisations, and Notes. This search functionality allows users to find data held against records in any of these modules, and includes the ability to search for data against any field that you have added to the system as well as the system base fields.

Note: While users are able to search against almost any field that they have created in the system, they are not able to search against fields that are held in a 'Grid'-type section. This is also something to keep in mind when setting up your fields in your system.

The search functionality in ChilliDB includes the ability to build searches, share saved search filters with other users and create new records. The overview below helps users get started with the ChilliDB search function. The Contacts module is used to demonstrate the basic functions available in a ChilliDB search.

Searching in ChilliDB

Step 1: Navigate to the Search Section in the Relevant Module

To conduct a search in ChilliDB, click on the menu item you would like to search in - e.g.: to do a contact search, click on the Contacts menu item, and then choose 'Search'.

Step 2: Use One of the Filters to Search for Data

When clicking on 'Search' in a module, the last filter used is initially selected by default. To conduct a different search, either click on one of the presets - for Contacts these are 'By Name'; 'All'; 'My Contacts', or create your own search terms by clicking on 'New Filter'.

Note: Creating searches using the 'New Filter' option is covered in our 'ChilliDB Basics: ChilliDB Search - Creating Your Own Filters' article.

The preset filters are as follows (in the 'Contacts' module):

i. By Name: this functions much like the simple 'Search' previously featured in ChilliDB modules. If users start typing the name of the contact they are looking for, they will be prompted with any records that match the contact name once they have entered 3 or more letters. If the contact is in the system, you can click on the name in the suggestion dropdown and then select 'Search' to look for their record in your system.

Once search has been clicked, the record(s) matching the search terms are displayed in the search list.

ii. All: this filter lists all of the contacts available to users in your database.

iii. My Contacts: this filter lists the contacts that you have interacted with in some way in your ChilliDB system.

Custom Search Filters

As well as the 3 system-provided search filters named above, users are also provided with the option to create their own search filters so they can extract the data they require from a module in their system.

To create a custom filter, click on the 'New Filter' option underneath the system filters on the upper-left hand side of the screen.

After clicking on 'New Filter', users can create a custom simple filter, which allows the addition of extra filters to narrow down the search, without access to filter groups; operators and so on.

However, if needing greater functionality in a custom search, clicking on the 'Show Filter Options' link in the top right-hand corner of the window reveals extra filter choices, such as filter joining phrases; filter groups; operators (options depend on field type); and 'Prompt for Value'. These options are explained further in the 'Creating Custom Filters' article linked to below.

After setting the parameters for the search, users have 2 choices as to how the search is run:

1) Click 'Apply Filter': this simply runs the search and produces the applicable results.

2) Click 'Save': this allows users to save the search filter for later use. If this option is selected, a 'Filter Name' is required, and users also choose whether they want to save the filter as 'My Filter' (i.e.: their own filter - other users can't see it in the system); or a 'Shared Filter' (i.e.: a filter that an user with access to ChilliDB can see and use).

Once saved, the filter appears in the relevant saved filter list and the search results are also listed.

To see more in-depth information about how to create your own search filters in ChilliDB, and the various options available while doing so, please follow the link to our 'Search - Creating Custom Filters' article

Adjusting the Search View Filters

In the top left-hand corner of the search page sits an option that allows users to adjust their search view based on whether a record is 'Current'; 'Expired'; or 'Both'.

i) The 'Current' view displays all records that are 'live' at the moment - i.e.: not expired.

ii) The 'Expired' view displays any records in the system that have been expired.

Note: When looking to unexpire a record, this is the option users would choose to locate the record; click 'edit'; and then hit the 'Unexpire' button.

iii) The 'Both' view combines the current and expired records in the one view.

Adding a New Record from the Search Screen

If users conduct a search for a record they think is in the system and find out it isn't there, they are able to easily add the new record to their system by simply clicking on the blue button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Clicking on this button opens the record creation screen for the module that users are in at the time (in this case, Contacts).

One created, the record will be visible in future searches.

Further Information

i) To find out more about the options available to you in the 'Actions' menu on the Note Details screen see our 'ChilliDB Searches - Interacting With Search Results' article.

ii) If you're looking for more information about the search operators available to users when creating a custom search filter, the 'Search - Filter Operator Glossary' provides an overview.

iii) Our 'Creating Grouped Fields in ChillDB Search' article gives more information on how to link fields together into groups in a search filter.

We hope you have found this Search Quick Start article useful. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch, either through our Help Desk or by contacting us at info@chillidb.com