Advanced Search

If you are looking for more in-depth information - or certain contacts that all fall under the same Custom field - then Advanced Search is where you need to go. This is also where you will find the duplicate search function.

Advanced Search can be found next to the contact and organisation search box - as a blue link - once you click on that you will be taken to a screen showing you the Duplicate Search criteria as a default. At the top of the page there are blue links that will take you through to the other Advanced Search Sections.

Duplicate Search:

A duplicate search needs to be done every now and then on your CRM to make sure that there are no duplicates on your system. Duplicates cause all manner of complications on a database and are best avoided. To run a duplicate search within the entire database, leave the drop down at the top of the screen on All - and select your criteria - so check Email, uncheck the rest and click on Search. You will then be returned to a screen where all the duplicates are listed that have the same email address.

To merge the duplicates - check the check boxes next to the two duplicate contacts and then click on the icon that has four green arrows pointing inwards. This can be found at the top of the screen. This will show you the two contacts side by side - and compares the details for you. Wherever there is a difference - there will be a button between the two that says - < Replace, the details will then be moved from the right hand contact to the left. Once you have finished working through the contact - you can click on the save button. The contact on the left is saved, the duplicate deleted, and you are taken back to the list to work through the next contact.

You need to work through all the different combinations possible, ie Mobile, Firstname etc, and make sure that you do this often, as duplicates do creep in.

Summary Search:

The summary search will show you the total number of contacts in your databse, as well as the number originated by specific users, owned by users, and also last saved by specific users.

To see the entire database, click on the button at the top of the gray block which says Show ALL X contacts. This will list the entire database for you.

To see all the contacts originated by a specific user - click on the Originated by: dropdown and select the users name, the list that appears will contain the names of the people who they originated.

To see all the contacts marked as owned by a specific user - click on the Owned by: dropdown and select the users name, the list that appears will contain all the contacts that the user has marked as owned.

To see all the contacts last saved by a specific user - click on the Last saved by: dropdown and select the users name, the list will show all the contacts last saved by that specific user.

You can also search according to specific dates, just check the by date check box, set the date, and then select the criteria.

Contactability Search:

The contactability search allows you to search for all contacts (either within the entire database, or seperate groups, events etc) who do have an email address, mobile number, or postal address. Click on the dropdown, or combination you are looking for - and then click on search. The list that you see will have contacts that comply to the criteria you set.

Custom Fields:

The custom fields search function allows you to search through either the entire database, or certain groups, events etc for contacts with specific information in their custom fields. So you can decide to look for either one custom field, for instance province, or a combination - for instance province and status, and then click on search. The resultant list will contain contacts that match the requirements that you stipulated. This is one of the many reasons why the correct capturing of data is so very important. Please note that to be able to search for a custom field, it must exist on your database.

There is a partial match check box at the bottom of the block, just above the search button. This turns the regular search, which is an and search (so all the prerequisites must be met in the search return) into an or search (so the results can contain either one or the other of your requested fields.)

Combination Search:

The combination search allows you to search either the entire database, or specific groups, events etc for a combination of custom fields and contact fields, for instance you can search for Gender and Province, and the contacts in the resulting list will fulfill the criteria set in the search.

Phone & Email Search:

The phone and email search allows you to search either the entire database, or groups or events etc for a specific email string (ie @openn) which will give you a list of all contacts with that search string in their email address somewhere. You can also search for an entire phone number, or just part of a number, and the results will give you all the contacts who have those digits in their Phone number fields. To search for an area code (ie 011 for Johannesburg) type the number into the Number field, and check the Starts with check box to the left of the Search button, this will look through all the contacts for numbers that start with 011. You can also use both fields - so search for all contacts with 021 in their numbers and @openn in their email field.

Exclude Search:

The exclude search allows you to see which contacts are not in groups, events etc. So you can search and see who you have mobile numbers for, but are not in groups, and then add them to the 'All with Mobile' group for instance.

Advanced Search is a very useful way of narrowing searches down, and creating very specific searches. But as with all databases, what you put in is what you are going to get out, so make sure that you capture all contacts completely and accurately, so that you can get the full benefit when you run any of the various searches.