Accessing & Understanding Global Search Functionality

The Search module will let the user enter specific search criteria, select specific search options and then based on the entered text & configured search options fetch search results. User will be able to search for specific Collection information, Files, Specific file content, Albums, Forms and also Email Archives.

The application will search for the keyword within file name, meta-data (title, description) as well as within file content (content search using Solr engine). Also, application will search for the keyword in name & meta-data of collections, photos, forms & email archive Search results churned out by the application contains the entered search string and falls within the purview of the selected or entered custom attributes. Also, the searched out content will be highlighted on the line of text it is present, along with the page number of the document on which it is present.

 

Follow the given procedure to access Global Search module:
 

  • Click [Global Search] button present at the top menu bar to open the search options pop-up screen. This screen is highlighted below,

Search functionality can be implemented on four different types of search methodology on four different types of documents. These are described in brief below,

  • Module-level Content-based Search: The search functionality will go through, extract and fetch contents from the Collection documents, attachments in Communication module & Communication message Content according to the search string entered and search criteria selected.
  • Easily Readable File Search: Common files like DOCX, XLSX, TXT, CSV, PPT, HTML files etc. are easily readable by the Solr engine and hence will require less response time to be searched out.
  • OCR Search: Failure to read files using normal methods will subject the files to OCR methodology. Contents of the files searched out using the OCR methodology are PDF, Tiff, JPEG, BMP, PNG, CAL etc. 
  • Compressed File Search: Files which are in compressed format are searched with combination of self retractable on OCR. Files falling under this category are PST, ZIP & MSG files.

 

Salient Features of the Search pop-up box:

  • Global Search textbox: User will be able to enter any alphanumeric search string as keyword within this textbox.

  • Module selection drop-down: User can select all or select specific modules by ticking the checkbox beside each module name. The keyword entered will be searched and results will be retrieved from within the meta-data and content present in the selected module. The Module Selection drop-down where all modules are selected is shown in the screenshot below,


What are custom attributes & how are they used during search?

The Custom Attributes are dynamic in nature, user-specific and generated from the back-end of the application. These custom attributes are associated automatically with all files uploaded inside a specific collection (the collection within which custom attributes are present). The Custom Attribute selection criteria are used to increase the accuracy of the search as well as condense the search results.


After uploading a file, these system & user-created custom attributes are automatically associated with a file. User can click the [File information] button [present before file name on the file grid on Documents (Folders & Files) screen] and on the File properties tab enter/select values of these custom attributes. The values entered/selected will be specific to that particular file only.


Screenshot below displays the custom attributes associated with an uploaded file (specific values of custom attributes can be entered/selected which will only impact this file): 

The Custom Attributes are created in the back-end of the application (hard coded) by the super-admin (ARC internal user) based on consultation with customers. 

Some custom attributes created from back-end have input type fields where user can enter values (values could be string, numerical or date). User can enter specific values of a custom attribute for a specific file from the File information screen under File properties tab of that file. This value might be different for different files. During conducting search, user can select that custom attribute and enter a specific value to search for files which have the specific value for the associated custom attribute.

Other custom attributes created from back-end are selection-based i.e. the custom can create the values and associate these values with the custom attribute from Settings > Custom Lookup Fields. Now, user can select specific values (which they themselves created) of a custom attribute for a specific file from the File information screen under File properties tab of that file. During conducting search, user can select that custom attribute and select a specific value to search for files which have the specific value for the associated custom attribute. 


Manipulating Custom Attributes to narrow down search results:

During search conduction through Global Search textbox, user will do the following:

  1. Enter the search keyword
  2. Select all modules within which the application will search for the entered keyword or specific modules like Collections, Files, Photos, Email Archive & Forms.
  3. Press  [Search] button to conduct search and the application will fetch search results (items) matching the search keyword inside the selected modules.

The search can end here but if you wish to use the custom attribute values for search to narrow your search result then do the following (for 3 types of search attributes).

  • Tick the checkbox beside a selection type custom attribute called ‘With File Type’ field.
    • Select the appropriate option from the Operator drop-down. For this example, select the ‘Equal To’  operator
    • Select the appropriate conjunction radio-button (and/or). For this example, select ‘and’ radio-button
    • Select a specific custom lookup fields (which is associated with the custom attribute and entered by the user from the Settings > Custom lookup fields screen) by clicking the[Plus] button

  • Tick the checkbox beside a date type (input type) custom attribute called ‘With Date of Expiration’ field.
    • On the opened up pop-up box you will have to scroll up or down to select the suitable date. After scrolling to the appropriate date, you will have to click the on the date to complete the date selection procedure

  • Tick the checkbox beside a string/numerical (input type) type custom attribute called ‘With Currency Amount’ field.
    • Select the operator as 'containing' or 'equal to'
    • Enter alphanumeric text or numbers within the specified textbox

The operator selection, the selection of the custom field, entering data within the Custom Attribute textbox depends on the type of the Custom Attribute (string, numerical, date or Boolean)


The operator drop-down can consist of the following criteria:

  • String type Custom Attribute (Example: With Author (Name)) – Equal To, Containing
  • Numerical type Custom Attribute (Example: With Amount) – Equal To, Greater than, Less than
  • Date type Custom Attribute (Example: With Date of Issue) – Equal To, Greater than, Less than, Between
  • Boolean type Custom Attribute (Example: With Is Collection) – Equal To (including Radio-button – ‘Yes’ / ‘No’)

Hence, after entering the search keyword, then selecting or entering appropriate Custom Attribute(s) values you will have to click on the (Search button) to view the search results fetched by the application.