Search Improvements, Syntax and Tips

We recently have been making updates to the search functionality. Below are some technical details as well as some tips to get search return meaningful results.

Search syntax

All searches contain support for boolean operators AND, OR and NOT. For example you can search for:

dashboard AND screenshot AND png

If you plan on using multiple operators, make sure you set a correct order of operations so the search groups your query correctly:

screenshot AND (dashboard OR homepage) AND (png OR psd)

To narrow down a search to only one specific field, use one of the field names below the "what's indexed" section and format your search in the form field:{fieldvalue}. For example, to search for documents with the title screenshot:

title:screenshot

Or to retrieve only documents containing screenshot in any of the indexed fields and is also a photoshop document (the asterisk character enables partial word matching.):

screenshot AND filename:*.psd

To search an exact phrase (finding words in a specific order), wrap the search in double quotes. For example:

"status hilight"

Advanced search page

When searching tasks, the advanced search page auto formats your query when you specify these options:

• Match any keywords - auto inserts OR in between all your search keywords


• Match all keywords - auto inserts AND in between all your search keywords


• Match exact phrase - wraps all your keywords in double quotes; for example, mod pdf becomes "mod pdf"


• Wildcard search - wraps each keyword in asterisks and inserts OR between them; for example, mod pdf Q1 is turned into *mod* OR *pdf* OR *Q1*

Stemming

Task searches will take search terms and use the "stem" of the term as the search term, like screenshot from screenshots or walk from walks, walking, walked. Also note that the addition of wildcard automatically disables stemming. Stemming and wildcard search cannot be performed at the same time.

A note on sorting. By default, sorting is based on relevancy when searching from the footer. When searching from the task list filter on the sidebar, it is based on the last sort column you clicked. When using the advanced search, the sorting is based on what you select for the sort dropdown.

What's indexed
Each resource type has different fields that can be searched on. Below are each of the supported fields per resource:
Clients

• name:{client name}


• description:{client description}


• localid:{client localid}


• email:{client email}

Projects

• name:{client name}


• client:{client description}


• localid:{client localid}


• description:{client email} - searchable only by managers and administrators

Tasks

• title:{task title}


• summary:{task summary}


• queuetitle:{request queue title} - the request queue item title that originated the task


• queuedescription:{request queue description} - the request queue item description that originated the task


• tasknotes:{task comment} - searches public and private task comments; executive users cannot search this field


• tasknotespublic:{private task comment} - only searches comments marked as public

Milestones

• title:{milestone title}


• description:{milestone description}


• localid:{milestone localid}


• milestonenotes:{milestone comment} - searches public and private milestone comments; executive users cannot search this field


• milestonenotespublic:{private milestone comment} - only searches comments marked as public

Project Invoices

• title:{invoice title}


• description:{invoice description}


• localid:{invoice localid}


• addressfrom:{address}


• addressto:{address}


• purchaseorder:{po number}


• invoicenotes:{invoice comment} - searchable only by managers and administrators

Person

• firstname:{first name}


• lastname:{last name}


• client:{client}


• personcontact:{contact info}


• notes:{person note} - searchable only by managers and administrators


• username:{user name} - searchable only by managers and administrators

Document

• title:{document title}


• notes:{document note}


• notesversions:{document notes for previous versions}


• filename:{document file name}


• filenameversions:{document file name for previous versions}


• tags:{tag name}

Project Note

• title:{note title}


• note:{project note} - encrypted notes cannot be searched