Working With Saved Searches

Configurable search enables you to save your search criteria in the database for later use. You can then select any of the saved searches to auto populate the search criteria field values from the stored values and perform the search.

For more information about entering and saving search criteria, see Entering and Saving Search Criteria.

You can group your saved searches based on your business requirements and access them from a centralized list in the My Favorite Searches page.

The Favorite Searches feature is enabled by default. This feature can be disabled by a user with an administrator role using the PeopleTools Options page. For more information, see PeopleTools Options.

Note: The maximum number of saved searches that a user can add to the My Favorite Searches page is set to 10 by default. Administrators can configure the maximum number of saved searches for a user using the PeopleTools Options page. For more information, see PeopleTools Options.

Adding a New Saved Search to Favorite Searches

You can add a new search to favorites while saving the search using the Save Search dialog box. For more information about entering and saving search criteria, see Entering and Saving Search Criteria.

Select the Save Search button on a configurable search page to access the Save Search dialog box. To add the new search to favorites, select the Add to Favorite check box. You then have the option to add the search to an existing group or to create a new group for the search.

This example illustrates the properties for the Save Search dialog box. Descriptions of the properties appear after the example.

 Save Search dialog box

Field or Control

Description

Name

Enter a name for the new search. You must enter a unique name for the search.

Criteria

Displays the criteria that you had specified for the search.

Add to Favorite

Select this option to add the search to favorites and then select one of the following options to add it to a group:

  • Add to existing group – Select this option to add the search to an existing group. The existing groups are available in a drop-down list.

  • Create New Group – Select this option to create a new group and add the search to the group. You must enter a unique name for the new group.

Adding an Existing Saved Search to Favorite Searches

You can add an existing saved search to favorites using the Manage Saved Search dialog box.

From any configurable search page, use the pencil icon for the Save Search edit box to display the Manage Saved Search dialog box. From this dialog box, you can add an existing saved search to favorites, rename a saved search, or delete a saved search.

On the Manage Saved Search dialog box, select the Add to Favorite check box to access the Save Search dialog box. Then add your existing saved search to favorites using the Save Search dialog box. For more information, see the previous section in this topic, Adding a New Saved Search to Favorite Searches.

This example illustrates the properties for the Manage Saved Searches dialog box. Descriptions of the properties appear after the example.

 Manage Saved Searches dialog box

Field or Control

Description

Display By

Use this drop-down list to select the display order of the saved searches. Select one on the following options:

  • Alphabetically – Select this option to display the saved searches in alphabetical order.

  • Newest on top – Select this option to display the saved searches by their creation dates, with the newest saved search displayed on top.

  • Oldest on top – Select this option to display the saved searches by their creation dates, with the oldest saved search displayed on top.

Delete All

Select this link to delete all the saved searches for the search page.

Saved Searches

Displays the name of the saved search.

Add to Favorite

Select this option to add the saved search to favorites. When you select this option, the Save Search dialog box appears. For more information, see the previous section, Adding a New Saved Search to Favorite Searches, in this topic.

Favorite Search Group

Displays the name of the favorite search group in which the saved search is saved/stored.

Rename

Select to open the Rename dialog box where you can rename the saved search.

Delete

Select to delete the saved search.

The My Favorite Searches page is a centralized page that lists all your favorite saved searches and groups. You can also use this page to refresh the search result count of the saved searches.

To access the My Favorite Searches page, select the Favorites icon on the banner and then select the My Favorite Searches link.

This example illustrates the My Favorite Searches link that is available under Favorites in the banner.

 My Favorite Searches link accessed via Favorites icon

You can also access the My Favorite Searches page from the NavBar. To access this page from the NavBar, select the Favorites tile on the NavBar, and then select the My Favorite Searches link. For more information, see Working with Favorites.

The maximum number of saved searches that can be added to the My Favorite Searches page for a user is set to 10 by default. Administrators can configure the maximum number of saved searches for a user using the PeopleTools Options page. For more information, see PeopleTools Options.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the My Favorite Searches page. Descriptions of the fields and controls appear after the example.

 My Favorite Searches page

Field or Control

Description

Item Display Order

Select one of the following options from the drop-down list to specify the display order of the saved search items:

  • Alphabetical – Select this option to display the saved search items in alphabetical order.

  • Recently Updated – Select this option to display the saved search items according to their last updated dates, with the most recently updated saved search displayed on top.

  • User Defined – Select this option to display the saved search items in the same order that they are specified in the Manage Favorite Searches page. See Managing Favorite Searches.

    Note: User defined ordering of the items is not available in a cluster environment.

Manage Favorite Searches

Select this link to open the Manage Favorite Searches page. See Managing Favorite Searches.

Refresh Count button

Select this button to refresh the search result count for the saved search.

The Manage Favorite Searches page lists all the saved groups and saved searches that are available in the My Favorite Searches page and enables you to reorder them. The User Defined item display order in the My Favorite Searches page displays the saved searches and groups in the same order that they appear in the Manage Favorite Searches page.

You can also use this page to create new groups, move your saved searches to a different group, and delete groups and saved searches.

Note: The Manage Favorite Searches page only displays local search items; that is, saved searches and groups that are stored in the local content system or database. This page does not have access to remote search items. To manage such items, you must access the content system or database where the remote items reside.

This example illustrates the properties for the Manage Favorite Searches page. Descriptions of the properties appear after the example.

 Manage Favorite Searches page

Field or Control

Description

New Group

Select this link to open the Add New Group dialog box and create a new group. You must enter a unique name for the new group.

Group Actions menu (Group Actions)

Select this menu to perform one of the following actions for the group:

  • Rename – Select to open the Rename dialog box and rename the group.

  • Move to the Top – Select to move the group to the top of the page. This option is not available for the group that appears at the top of the page.

  • Move to the Bottom – Select to move the group to the bottom of the page. This option is not available for the group that appears at the bottom of the page.

  • Move After Group – Select to move the group after another group.

  • Delete Group – Select to delete the group.

Item Actions menu (Item Actions)

Select this menu to perform one of the following actions for the saved search item:

  • Move to other Group – Select to move the saved search item to another group.

  • Delete Item – Select to delete the saved search.

Move Down button

Select this button to move the saved search item down one row within the group.

Move Up button

Select this button to move the saved search item up one row within the group.

The Refresh Favorite Searches page enables you to refresh your favorite saved searches in a batch.

Access the Refresh Favorite Searches page by selecting PeopleTools > Utilities > Refresh Favorite Searches.

This example illustrates the properties for the Refresh Favorite Searches page. Descriptions of the properties appear after the example.

 Refresh Favorite Searches

Field or Control

Description

Run Control ID

Displays the Run Control ID for the batch process.

Report Manager

Select this link to open the Report Manager page. See Viewing Reports in Report Manager.

Process Monitor

Select this link to open the Process Monitor page. See Viewing the Status of Processes.

You can use the Message Log link in the Process Monitor page to review the execution time for the batch process.

Process all Favorite Searches

Select to refresh the search result count for all favorite searches.

Process Favorite Searches created in last 'x' days

Select to refresh the search result count for all favorite searches created within a specified number of days in the past.

Process Favorite Searches not refreshed in last 'x' days

Select to refresh the search result count for only those favorite searches which were not refreshed within a specified number of days in the past.

Delete Invalid/Inactive Searches

Select to delete all invalid and inactive saved searches.

Saved search items are considered invalid or inactive if:

  • User does not have access to the transaction component.

  • Search Type of the component is different from the saved search item search type.

  • User permission has been revoked for the My Favorite Searches component for this user. In this case, all the items for this user will be deleted.

  • The search criteria for a saved search item becomes invalid.

Note: Saved search data is not deleted if you select this option.

Run

Select this button to run the batch process.