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Question

Search content of entire app

  • April 4, 2018
  • 0 replies
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I would like to have a search field that will look through all of the fields in the entire app. I also need to be able to search multiple values. 

I have parent records based on Basic Profile info.(name, email, address) and multiple child tables linked to one parent table (experience and skills)

For example: I want to be able to search for users in a specific department AND "this" skill AND 3 years of experience. 

Is this possible and if so how?
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    • ChrisChris
    • Registered
    • April 4, 2018

    Hi,

    Your reporting is most likely to be done in the least of the child tables. I would allow experience and skills to reside in the same table as use of skills spawns experience.

    Pull lookup fields into your child table from the main parent table << those you're likely to search.

    Customize the dedicated search box to search the least child for all the attributes you're likely to search for.


    Another approach is to create an "Ask The User" report, which when run, asks you for values to enter for the search criteria.

    Where Years of experience is equal to _______

    AND

    Where skill set is equal to ______

    AND

    Where Department is equal to _______

    After entering the criteria, you'd click the go button or search button and it pulls according to what you've entered.


    • AylinNazlim
    • Author
    • Registered
    • April 4, 2018
    Hi Chris, 

    Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I am familiar with the "Ask the User" report.

    Just to confirm I understand, you recommend to be able to search all the fields in the entire app, bringing each one into a child table and directing the "Search Profiles" button to direct the users to the report on the child table with all the look up fields?

    In order to have this table act as a back up and not require our users to create additional records, would I set up a QuickBase action to record the records automatically?

    Thanks,
    Aylin
    • ChrisChris
    • Registered
    • April 4, 2018

    It is not recommended that you perform one search action and search all fields in your entire app.

    What I'm suggesting is configuring your custom search box to search only the fields that contain, for example, "years of experience", "Department", "Skills". You can use AND and OR logic in your custom search boxes.

    You can input 10 AND Information AND Tech AND javascript

    I believe your logical operators have to be in upper case.

    I'm afraid I do not understand where Quick Base Actions come into this.

    A Quick Base Action is usually for automatic record creation in another table, or, in another app upon the creation or modifying of a record that meets a certain criteria to perform that QB Action.

    Can you help clarify for me?


    • AylinNazlim
    • Author
    • Registered
    • April 5, 2018
    Yes,  my apologies you are correct this solution should not use a QB action. 

    In regards to your suggestion on the custom search box, does this work when you search across multiple tables?
    • ChrisChris
    • Registered
    • April 5, 2018
    Each custom search box will only be configured for one table. So, no, not across multiple tables. It was for this reason I suggested bringing lookup fields from the parent into the child table. Then, the custom search box would be configured to search the child table you specify, but for up to five fields.
    • AylinNazlim
    • Author
    • Registered
    • April 5, 2018
    Understood. Why is it not recommended to do an entire app search with multiple key fields containing the content searched?
    • ChrisChris
    • Registered
    • April 5, 2018

    Essentially -- performance, although there may be more technical reasons. But, if it could be accomplished, and perhaps it can, such a demanding search would cause performance issues to arise such as long wait for results and ultimate time out. So you're limited to searching one table using the customizable boxes.

    Now, while on the Home page, you can click the magnifying glass icon at the top right and perform a broad search across the entire app. Try it out and see how performance goes. You will be presented with links to tips on how to improve your search.

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