Searching for Records

To search for records while using My Desktop use one of the following methods:

• Click the button on the toolbar.

• Select Open from the File menu.

• Type a search string in the Find record field and press RETURN.

• Click the ellipsis button at the right-hand end of the Find record field.

The Search form is displayed. Some customer results will be displayed in bold, reflecting previous contacts with the branch and department. It consists of:

• Four tabs for performing different searches:

  • Word Search: Simple keyword searching for finding all records (company, customer and vehicle) containing, in any order, the combination of keywords entered in the Search for field. In other words, there is an implicit AND in operation when multiple keywords are entered. Stems can be used, where a stem is the first part of a word (for example, MOT is a stem of MOTorcar, but not autoMOTive). Wildcards and Boolean logic labels cannot be used. The word search can include up to three components but each component must contain between 3 and 8 characters. The search is not case-sensitive and includes the following fields:

    Company records	Customer records	Vehicle records
    Company name Short name Post code Address lines 1-5 Main telephone Other telephone Fax Misc	Title / Initial / Surname First name Short name Post code Address line 1-5 Home phone Work phone Mobile phone Fax Company name	Registration Description Colour Trim Fleet number Service model Chassis number Commission number

    The other three tabs provide searches targeted on specific fields in specific record types, as follows. The same rules apply as described above.

  • Company: Advanced search for company records using any combination of:
    • Short name
    • Postcode
    
    
  • Customer: Advanced search for customer records using any combination of:
    • Short name
    • Initials
    • Postcode
    • Phone
    
    
  • Vehicle: Advanced search for vehicle records using either:
    • Registration number, or
    • Chassis number, or
    • Commission number

    Note: To use one of the above vehicle search fields the corresponding option (radio) button must but be selected.

• The Search results area, which displays the results of searches sorted by record type. Records to which the user does not have access are prefixed with an asterisk and cannot be loaded.

  Warning: The maximum number of results that are displayed for each record type is determined by a setting in System Parameters. If more records are found an additional line reading More results... is displayed, indicating that you should try to narrow your search terms.

• The Detail area, which displays data from selected records unless the Sensitive customer field has been selected in a customer record.

  Tip: If a customer record is attached to a company record the name of the company will be displayed. To view the address and telephone number of the company, click the button.

Buttons:

Create: Allows new records to be created if searching is unsuccessful.

Load: Displays the selected record.

Cancel: Return to the previous form.

To find and load a record, enter search terms in the appropriate tab, as described above, select the record from the list subsequently displayed in the Search results area, check the details displayed in the Detail area, and finally click the Load button. A case file may be displayed prior to the record itself, see the next section.

Finding Records by Magic Numbers

The search form cannot be used to find a record by its magic number. To do so, return to My Desktop and select the record type by clicking one of the Company, Customer or Vehicle shortcut icons. Then enter the magic number in the Find record field and press Return.

The magic number of a record is displayed in the status bar (at the bottom of the form) while the record is being viewed.