Performing Advanced Searches

You can search for work items based on the fields, custom fields, and multi-select fields listed under the Recent, Quick, and All tabs on the Advanced Search page:

• Recent — Displays a list of the work item fields that have most recently been used to perform advanced searches.
• Quick — Displays a list of some of the most common work item fields, such as account number, customer ID, and item type.
• All — Lists all of the work item fields available for use with searches, including custom fields and multi-select fields.

Advanced Search Rules

When setting up search criteria:

• At least one of the search fields must be indexed in the XTRAC database. If no indexed fields are included, the search fails.
• All custom fields are indexed.
• You cannot search by custom fields defined as external fields. These fields do not appear in the list of search fields.
• The following predefined fields are indexed:
• Account Number
• Create Node
• Create Operator
• Current Queue
• Customer ID
• Document ID
• Entry Date
• Item Type
• Last Name
• Node
• Organization
• Status

For more information about the fields and buttons on the Advanced Search window, see Advanced Search.

Custom Advanced Searches

You can create your own custom search by selecting specific work item fields, choosing a comparison operator (equals, is like, is between), and entering values.

Comparison Operators

When creating a custom advanced search you can use comparison operators to refine your search. Comparison operators are available from drop-down lists in the Comparison column. You can choose from:

• equals — Performs a one to one comparison. For example, Account Number equals 1234567.
• is like — Lets you insert wildcard characters into the search. Use the percent sign ( % ) in place of one or more characters in a string. The search will find all applicable work items that contain values that can be replaced by the percent sign. For example, if you enter %RK12% in an Account Number field, the search finds work items that contain the "RK12" string in the middle of the account number (such as ARK123, BRK123, ARK124, and so on)
• is between — Lets you enter a range of values. For example, if you enter 1234 in the Value 1 column and 1334 in the Value 2 column for an Account Number field, the search will find all work items that contain the account numbers between 1234 and 1334 inclusive.

Using Multi-Select Fields in Advanced Searches

The following rules apply for performing searches with multi-select fields:

• The Value 2 column and Sort Order are not available for multi-select fields.
• Multi-select fields can be included as a column in the search results. In each multi-select field cell, the total number of selected values is displayed. When you open the field, the selected values are displayed.

Understanding the AND/OR Logic in Advanced Searches using Multi-Select Fields

When performing searches sequentially using multiple, different multi-select fields in the same search, the system conjoins them with an “AND” statement.

The logic for the “equal” and “contains” comparators, also applies.

• Search:
• MSF_FieldA = X (AND)
• MSF_FieldB = Y
• This will only return results that contain both values (X AND Y) being searched for with MSF_FieldA AND MSF_FieldB, in a work item.

When performing searches sequentially using multiple, same multi-select fields in the same search, the system conjoins them with an “OR” statement. Also note that the logic for the “equal” and “contains” comparators, also applies.

• Search:
• MSF_FieldA = X(OR)
• MSF_FieldA = Y
• This will return results that contain one OR the other of the values (X OR Y) being searched for with MSF_FieldA, in a work item.

When performing searches and mixing multiple, same and different multi-select fields in the same search, the previously mentioned logics work together. Also note that the logic for the “equal” and “contains” comparators, also applies.

• Search:
• MSF_FieldA = ABC (OR)
• MSF_FieldA = BCD (AND)
• MSF_FieldB = XYZ (OR)
• MSF_FieldB = WXY
• This will return results that contain one OR the other of the values (ABC OR BCD), being searched for with MSF_FieldA, AND, one OR the other of the values (XYZ OR WXY), being searched for with MSF_FieldB, in a work item.

The order matters, as mixing it up will provide drastically different results.

• Search:
• MSF_FieldA = ABC (AND)
• MSF_FieldB = XYZ (AND)
• MSF_FieldA = BCD (AND)
• MSF_FieldB = WXY
• This will only return results that contain all of the values (ABCD AND WXYZ) being searched for with MSF_FieldA AND MSF_FieldB, in a work item.
• When performing searches using multiple values in a single multi-select field, the system conjoins each of the values with an “AND” statement. Also note that the logic for the “equal” and “contains” comparators, also applies.
• Search:
• MSF_FieldA = X;Y;Z
• This will only return Work Items that contain all of the values (X AND Y AND Z) in MSF_FieldA.

Predefined Advanced Searches

You can also choose to search for a work item using predefined search criteria created by your XTRAC administrator. To use a predefined search, make a selection from the Predefined Searches drop-down list. If your XTRAC administrator has not created predefined searches, the Predefined Searches drop-down list is empty.

To perform a predefined search:

1.

Open the Search window. Do one of the following:

• On the toolbar, click the Search icon (  ).
• On the toolbar, tab to the Search icon and press the SPACEBAR.
• On the Sidebar, click Home > Search.
• In the Dashboard Search Work Item widget, click the Advanced Search tab near the lower left corner.

2.

In the Search window, click Advanced Search.

3.

In the Advanced Search page, from the Predefined Searches drop-down list, select the search you want to use.

4.

Click Load.

The fields and values associated with the selected predefined search are displayed in the grid below the Predefined Searches drop-down list.

Note: When you click Load, XTRAC removes any previously entered criteria and replaces it with the search criteria defined in the selected predefined search.

5.

Click Search.

Creating a Custom Advanced Search

You can select any of the available fields, custom fields, and multi-select fields to create a custom advanced search.

1.

On the Advanced Search page, select the fields you want to use from the Recent, Quick, and All tabs.

The available fields are listed in the grid below the tab. You can select multiple fields by using the CTRL+Click and SHIFT+Click methods.

Note: XTRAC Workbench displays a warning icon ( ) next to fields that are not indexed and includes a message that indicates that at least one field without the warning icon should be included in the search.

2.

To add the selected fields to the search, click or drag and drop the selected fields to the search fields list.

Note: If you select the Customer Name field, enter the value entered in the Organization field or the value entered in the Last Name field.

If you immediately add the same field again, XTRAC searches for work items with both values. For example:

• Last Name Kelly
• Last Name Kelley

XTRAC searches for work items that include the last names Kelly and Kelley.

The fields must be added in consecutive order. If another field separates the fields, XTRAC does not find the work items.

3.

Enter the values for each search field.

The fields you select need valid values or XTRAC will not know what to search for. If no valid value is specified, XTRAC displays the warning message, "Valid search parameters need to be specified" when you click the Search button.

Enter values in the following columns for the selected search field:

• Click n the Comparison column next to a field name and select a value from the drop-down list. Comparisons include equals, is like, contains, and is between. The default comparison selection is equals.
  
• In the Value 1 column, enter the value you want to search for.

The Value 1 column lets you enter one specific value for the selected search field. Depending on which type of field is selected, the Value 1 column displays a drop-down list or a text box.

For example, if you select the Last Name field, the Value 1 column gives you a text box in which you can enter a name. If you select a Node field, the column gives you a drop-down list from which you can select the name of the node you want to search.

Note: If you select a multi-select field, the Value 1 column gives you a drop-down list from which you can select one or more values. A multi-select drop-down list is identified by double down arrow icons ( ). From the drop-down list, click the values you want to add to the search, as shown below:

• (Optional) If you want to search on a range of values, enter the starting value in the Value 1 column and enter the ending value in the Value 2 column.

For example, if you select the Account Number field and select the is between comparison, you would enter the starting number in the Value 1 column and the ending number in the Value 2 column.

Note: In a range of values, if you enter a value in the Value 2 column that is less than the value in the Value 1 column, or a start date that is later than the end date, XTRAC swaps the two values.

• (Optional) Click in the Sort Order column to select ascending or descending.

XTRAC uses the sort order to sort the search results.

Note: The search on the values you enter is not case sensitive. XTRAC will search for and find work items with values entered in mixed case, upper case, and lower case.

Note: You can remove a selected search field and its values by clicking . You can remove all search fields and their values by clicking .

4.

(Optional) Select Search all parties to search every party associated with a work item.

5.

(Optional) Select Include resolved items to search for work items that have already been resolved.

Note: Selecting this option may make the search take longer.

This option is not selected by default. A business unit configuration file can set this option to be selected by default. When you select this option, XTRAC retains the setting until you change it.

(Optional) Select Search for process instances to search for work items that represent an entire business process.

When a business process is implemented by a split hierarchy, XTRAC returns the top-most split parent in that split hierarchy. If the entire business process is represented by a single work item, then XTRAC returns that one work item.

6.

Click Search.

XTRAC initiates the search using the specified criteria. When XTRAC completes the search, the results are displayed. The Search Criteria page continues to display the fields involved in the search.