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# Search

The search form is used to search the AyaNova database for objects that match the search terms entered.

## Authorization Roles required

This form is available to all user however results will be limited to objects that the user has rights to view based on their assigned roles.

## How to access search

- From the `Home` navigation drawer `Search` item
- By clicking on the `Search` menu item present in most AyaNova forms

## How search works

### Indexing

When a business object is saved the AyaNova server indexes text and other unique fields into the search system. Indexing is the process of breaking out all the unique words in a business object and recording them in a central "dictionary" with a key that indicates the record type and id of the business object that those words were entered on so that they can be searched for later.

In order for a word to be indexed for searching it must be 2 to 255 characters long and not be a Stop word.

All text in the business object is indexed including Addresses, phone numbers, email and web addresses, Tags, Wiki and custom fields.

The contents of file Attachments are not indexed for searching and can not be searched for, however the name and notes are indexed for searching. (Attachments can also be viewed in a central list of all attachments in the administration attachments)

#### Numbers

In some cases numbers are indexed but only if they are unique and directly useful for finding an object, for example Work order serial numbers or Unit meter readings. Currency values are never indexed as they are not typically useful for searching, change often and would take a significant amount of database space to index them all.

### Stop words

Stop words are words that are so common in each language that there is little point in indexing them for search purposes as they are not useful for uniquely identifying records. For example, in English some common stop words are `so` `to` `the` `be` `else` `did` `than` `that` `of` `only`.

AyaNova keeps a list of the most common stop words for each provided Translation under the translation key names of "StopWords1" to "StopWords7" to break them into smaller chunks for processing. Not all languages require all stopword keys to be used, for example Spanish uses all 7 stopword slots but German requires 3.

While we do not recommend it, except in specific exceptional circumstances, it is possible to view the list of stop words and even add your own or remove any that need to be indexed for your business by examining and editing the "StopWords*" keys in the translation form for the translations in use by your users.

### Searching

#### Seach terms

To search for a word or phrase enter one or more search terms into the Search text input control.

Search terms are one or more words, each separated by a single space character. Each search term word must be 2 to 255 characters in length. Shorter or longer words will be ignored.

A search phrase can be entire words to match exactly or wildcard terms.

##### Wildcard terms

The `*` asterisk wildcard character can be used in a search term to search for words that begin with, end with or contain a portion of a word.

Begins with searches look like this `mon*` which would match "monday", "Montana", "mongoose" etc.

Ends with searches look like this `*ay` which would match with "sunday", "tray", "spray" etc.

Contains searches look like this `*oul*` which would match with "would", "boulder", "outlook", "soul" etc. (Note that contains can match starts and ends as well as contained within words)

You can use multiple wildcard terms and mix and match with non-wildcard terms so, for example this is a valid search phrase: `*att* rain blue *spa ors*`.

##### Inclusive "AND" results only

Imagine search terms have the word AND between them so searching for "flush drain deburr" is the equivalent of asking for records that contain all the words "flush AND drain AND deburr" somewhere in them (they don't have to be in consecutive order or even in the same field of the business object to match).

Only results that contain all the search terms entered will be matched and returned so if you search for "unit wire blue" a record that contains unit and wire but not blue will not be returned.

##### Case sensitivity

By default AyaNova search is case in-sensitive. Case insensitive searching is influenced by the server locale settings

##### All fields are combined

When indexing and searching all fields are searched at the same time so, for example you can enter the search phrase "Awesome possum" and it will match to a Customer with the Name "Amy's Awesome pets" and the Notes "mind the possum" even though the entire search phrase is not in the same field.

#### Object filter

The `Object` select list can be used to only search for an exact type of object. When you come to the Search form via the Search menu option in a specific AyaNova object, the `Object` select list is automatically set to the type of object you came from.

You can change this to any type of object by selecting the `-` no selection option.

### Results list

The search results list contains the records that were found to match the search phrase.

They are grouped by type of object and list the object name which is a hyperlink to open that object and an information (i) icon which when clicked on will retrieve a short excerpt including the best matching text of the record so you can see if it's the one you want without opening it.