Searching is now easier and more versatile than ever with the updated ChilliDB search pages for various modules, including contacts, organisations, and notes. This includes the ability to build your own searches, share your searches with other users and create new records. 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'.
When you click on 'Search' in a module, the last filter you used is initially selected by default. To conduct a different search, either click on one of the presets (e.g.: for Contacts these are 'By Name'; 'All'; 'My Contacts') or create your own search terms by clicking on 'New Filter'.
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.
ii. All: this filter lists all of the contacts available to users in your database.
ii. My Contacts: this filter lists the contacts that you have entered into your ChilliDB system.
Clicking on 'New Filter' allows a user to define the parameters for the Fields and Values they would like to use to limit their search. Users can choose to add as many filters as they would like to narrow down their search.
When you have finished creating the filter, you can view your changes without saving via the the 'Apply Filter' button, or save it using the 'Save' button. When saved you will be asked to provide a name, and to choose whether your filter will be visible only to yourself, or to every other user who has access to your system.
If a user wants to save a filter they have applied without saving, they can do so by clicking on the edit icon next to that particular filter in their 'My Filters' list. However, they can only do so with filters they have just applied. Once they navigate away from the results screen related to that search, this option will no longer be available.
Note: Users need to be in a role with the ‘Shared filters modify’ ticket in order to add and edit shared filters. Without this ticket all filters are created under my filters and the option to create a shared filter doesn’t appear.
A user-created saved filter can be edited or deleted by selecting it from the list and using the buttons next to the filter name.
The cog icon located at the top right of the search results can also be used to view the edit popup; change the order the search columns are displayed in; or choose how the columns are sorted.
Advanced
If you want to create a more complex filter, you can click the ‘show filter options’ link at the top right to show more options for filters. This will enable you to create parameters, choose from different operators and use OR joins (See Appendix at end of document for an explainer of the different operators):
The prompt for value checkbox shows the field at the top of the page as a parameter so a different value can be used each time the search is run.
Users can also select which columns of data they need to have displayed. For example: Full name, Type, Primary organisation, Business mail, Business Fax, Business mobile etc. In this way, simple reports can be designed in conjunction with the filters above that can then be exported in a variety of file formats.
Or use 'Sort Columns' to select how your data will be sorted based on the columns you have chosen.
The search results list also features an 'Action Menu' which allows users the option of choosing a variety of different methods to interact with the displayed results.
Note: the number of methods available differs between modules.
Appendix: Show Filter Options Operators
“Starts With”: If we want to search for the people in an organisation, who have a surname that starts with M. Firstly, in the Field section, choose “Surname” and in the Operator value choose “Starts with”. Then, enter “M” as the Value. After that click on Apply Filter and it will show the results for all those surnames that start with M. An example of this filter can be seen in the screen shot below:
Is Equal: The Is Equal operator is used to search for data based on a specific value that has been entered in a field. For example, if we want to search for specific Contact Types, such as Staff, then in the Field, choose Type, put 'Is Equal' as the operator and in the value choose Staff. Then click on the 'Apply Filter' button. The screenshot is displayed below:
Is Not Equal: This operator is used when we want to exclude certain data from our searches. For example, we may want to exclude a particular type of contact.
Is Null: The Is Null operator is used when searching for records that have data missing. This is useful when reviewing data to check, for example, client records that are missing a phone number. The screenshot below shows how to set up the Is Null operator as a filter. Notice that the Value field should be blank.
Is One Of: This operator is used when you want to include a number of options to filter on rather than just one. For example: If we want to search for business mail addresses from multiple states, for example QLD and NSW, in the Field choose Business Mail State, select the Is One Of operator then, in the 'Value' field, multiple states can be selected.
Note: Clicking on the Contact name reveals each of these results are from QLD - one of the states included in the "Is One Of" search.
Does Not Contain: The Does Not Contain operator is another way of excluding certain data when running a search. For example, if the user wants to search for postcodes that do not contain “75”, this operator helps to locate such data. In the Field, select Business Mail Postcode and for the operator, select “Does Not Contain”. Finally, enter a value of '75' and click on the 'Apply Filters' button. The results will contain all postcodes that do not contain the number 75 in them.
Note: Clicking on the Contact name reveals each of these results feature postcodes without the number '57'.