Custom Searching

The custom search feature allows you to develop complex searches of ILLiad requests, users, and events as well as save the custom search queries, re-load previous searches, and export results. When building a custom search query string, the parameters are constructed through the use of filters and conditions. Additional parameters can be added to refine the search results through the use of groups.  

Adding Filters 

The filter options act as a logical operation that combines conditions to compare and narrow down the results. To add a filter to your query or to change the default filter, click the red And and choose from the list of filters. The filter rules apply to each condition listed under the filter option.

Adding Groups

Groups allow you to add more refined search conditions to the previous results. They are subset filters from the main results filter. Groups allow you to use a separate filter from the main filter. For example, if the main filter is an And filter, you can add a group that uses the Not And filter. 

1. To add a group to your query, hover over a red filter option (such as the red And) and click the plus sign (+) button, then select Add Group from the menu:

   

2. Remove a group by hovering over the filter for the group and clicking the X button:

   

Using Groups to Filter Results

For an example of how to use groups to narrow down search results, see the image below:

1. The first group will apply the And search filter using the first two conditions ([Transactions.TransactionNumber] Is less than 50 and [Transactions.TransactionNumber] Is greater than 5) so that the results of the group include only those transactions with transaction numbers between 5-50
2. The next group will then take the results of the first group (all transactions with a transaction number less than 50 but greater than 5) and apply the Not And search filter using the final condition ([Transactions.RequestType] Contains Loan) to exclude any transactions with a request type of "Loan" from those results
3. The final results will then display in the grid below and will only include transactions with transaction numbers between 5-50 whose request type is "Article" (i.e., not "Loan")

Adding Conditions

Once the filter options have been set, the conditions will help determine what information is being pulled in and what it's being compared to. Custom searches can contain several conditions to define search results.

Conditions are made up of three elements; the Database Field, the Value Designator, and the Value.

1. To add conditions to your custom search, hover over a red filter option (such as the red And) and click the plus sign (+) button, then select Add Condition from the menu:

   

2. Click on the database table field (e.g., Transactions.TransactionNumber) to view a list of possible values in the format DatabaseTable.DatabaseFieldName. These fields are pulled from the ILLiad Database Tables. Select a new field, then click Accept. See table options below:

   Transactions Users Tracking History

   Notes LenderAddresses ShippingAddresses CustomFlags

3. To the right of the database field is a value designator. Click the designator to select a new value, then click Accept.
   

   Equals Does not equal Is greater than Is greater than or equal to Is less than Is less than or equal to Is between Is not between Contains

   Does not contain Begins with Ends with Is like Is not like Is any of Is none of Is blank Is not blank

    
4. To the right of the value designator, is the value field titled <Enter a value...>. To add a value, click on the field and type in a value. When applicable, you can also select from available drop-down values.

Removing Conditions

• To clear a condition from your search, hover over the condition and then click the X button to the right of the line:

  

• To clear the entire query (including both groups and conditions), click the Clear button in the Search ribbon: 

  

Working With Custom Request Search Results

The data returned from the search is displayed in the grid below the query creation area. The grid columns can be reordered to your preference by clicking and dragging the column headings to the appropriate positions. Column width can be adjusted by clicking and dragging the lines that separate the columns. 

Ribbon Processing Options

Several processing options for creating the search query and working with the query results are located on the ribbon above the filter control area. The ribbon options may vary based on the type of custom search you are performing (request, lender address, or user). 

Options for All Custom Searches

• Search: Click Search to perform the custom search using the query you have created.
• Preview: Click Preview to display the SQL syntax of your query without actually searching against the database. The code is read-only and cannot be edited. For Shared Server sites, the results will automatically be restricted to the requests and users associated with the site to which ILLiad is currently logged into.
• Clear: Click Clear to clear all search information from your custom search. This will remove all conditions, groups, values, SQL query code, and search results.

• Save: Click Save to save the conditions, descriptions, and the format of the results from your custom searches. The search will be saved as an .irrp file and can be opened later for reuse or to be shared with other ILLiad libraries. Local custom searches default to a Searches folder that lives under the currently logged in user's My Documents folder (My Documents\ILLiad\Searches).

  You can also configure these files to save by default to another location (such as a network folder) by setting the SharedCustomSearchesPath customization key, located in the ILLiad Customization Manager under System | General.
• Load: Click Load to open any existing .irrp files (the file format custom searches are saved in).
• Search Description: You can use this area to name/describe your custom searches. This will be saved along with all other information for the custom search when you use the Save button.
• Export: Click Export to export one or more search results to Excel, PDF, HTML or Text format.

Custom Request Search Options

The following additional options are available for working with transactions/requests returned in the search results grid for custom request searches:

• Open: Click Open (or double-click the request in the list) to view, edit or work with an individual request selected in the grid.
• Route: Click Route to move one or more requests selected in the grid to a different status. See Routing Requests to Other Queues for more information.
• Send Notification: Click Send Notification to use Email Routing options for the selected request(s). See Email Routing for more information.
• Add Flag: Add a custom flag to the selected transactions in the grid. See the Flagging section of the ILLiad documentation for more information on using custom flags.

Custom Lender Address Search Options

The following additional options are available for working with lender addresses returned in the search results grid for custom lender address searches:

• Merge Lenders: This button will be enabled if two lender address records are selected in the search results grid and will open the Merge Lenders form when clicked.
• Delete: Delete the selected address record(s) from the database.