You can use Filters or keyword Searches to make it easy to find an entry or to restrict the entries displayed in a List.
In this Article we'll learn about:
- What the difference is between Filters and Searches
- How Search and Filter functions influence each other
- How the Filter bar is structured in the workflow
- How the Search bar works.
You can find out how to effectively use the Filter and Search function in the following article.
1. General Overview
Filter bars as a general rule are located above Lists. The settings in the filter bar filters the results you see in the list. Filtering can be done either by setting a filter or by entering values in the search field – or by combining these two methods. Let's take a look at both elements separately:
1.1. Filters
Filters are complex, "reusable" selections within a dataset. You can combine several criteria to display only those entries in the list that match your specific criteria. For example, a list of all print-ready labels from a specific customer that need to be produced on a specific Substrate can be permanently saved as a filter. In this example, the filter would comprise three criteria:
- Status: which is "ready for printing"
- Customer: contains the Customer name
- Substrate: assigned Substrate
Filters can:
- contain multiple criteria
- be reused
- be saved under a new name.
1.2. Search
With the Search function you interactively restrict entries in the list. Searches are only active in the context of a currently displayed page or list and are applied to the entire dataset - or to entries that correspond to an active filter.
Searches and filters complement each other. If both functions are combined, even the most extensive databases can be searched comfortably and logically.
2. How the Filter bar is structured
Filters can generally be set, saved and searched in the filter bar. The filter bar consists of two sections:
- Filter – consists of Set Filter [1], Save, Apply and Delete Filter [2], Active Filter [3] and the Remove All button [4], the update icon [5] of the list.
- Search – consists of the search field [6] and the selection option [7] of the fields to be searched.
Figure 1: The Filter bar
2.1. Filter
Set Filter [1] – By clicking on Set Filter the user can define a filter consisting of one or more criteria.
Save, apply and delete filter [2] – If a filter has been created, the user can save the current filter. If several filters have already been saved, the user can apply the saved filter in the pop-up menu or delete an existing filter.
Active filters [3] – one label [8] is displayed per selected criteria in the Set filter dialog. Within the label, the parameters for the selected criteria are displayed, allowing the user to see which criteria are currently being used to filter the list. The user can delete individual criteria or all criteria, which in turn displays all data records in the list (unfiltered view).
Figure 2: The figure shows two selected filters, one of which is the Customer filter and the other being the Order Status filter which will display all corresponding entries in the list.
Refresh [4] – Given the high likelihood that new entries have been or will be created or altered in between applying Filters, we've created the update function which updates the list to see the current status of all records in the list.
2.2. Search
Search field [5] - Enter the text to search for entries in the current list being filtered.
Selection options - Depending on the context, users can select the criteria to be used for text entered in the search field of the pop-up menu [6]. When fewer criteria are selected, search results will be more accurate.
Figure 3: The picture below shows the pop-up menus which are available for the Production Job list [9] and the Order List [10].
How to set, apply and delete a filter, as well as further information regarding the effective use of Filters as well as how the search function works, are explained in the next Article.
3. Search bar
If the user interface contains smaller listings, in some cases a complete filter bar will not be available. Smaller listings never the less have to be searched, and therefore a search bar is offered in the user interface.
Figure 4: The figure shows an example of what a search bar looks like using the example from the menu Administration > File Management.
This is essentially the same as the search function in the filter bar, the search field [11] and the drop-down menu for the selection options [12] are also available here. Performing a search in the search bar is handled the exact same way as the search function of the filter bar.