Searching › Object Searching › Search Tips

Search Tips

Use the following information and techniques to help make your searches more effective:

• Keep it simple. For example, if you are looking for a specific asset or model, and you have the name available, enter the name. If you have additional information to identify the object, such as the serial number for an asset, enter that number. This additional information increases the chance that your search returns the object you want.
• Expand your search with a wildcard. Use the asterisk (*) or percent sign (%) wildcard character as a substitute for any number of characters in your search string to return search results. Use as many wildcard characters in your search string as you want. For example, enter S* or S% when searching for contacts by last name to find contacts having the last name Sanders, Shelley, Smith, Spencer, Solomon, and so forth. Enter Dell *" Monitor when searching for assets by name to find any size Dell monitor; Dell 19" Monitor, Dell 21" Monitor, Dell 30" Monitor, and so forth.
• Searches are not case-sensitive. You can ignore capitalization in your searches. For example, a company search for Document Management Company returns the same results for document management company.
• Search titles are unique in a tenant. When you save a search and specify a title, the title must be unique within a tenant. You cannot save a search with the same title in a single tenant.
• If you receive too many, or too few, search results and cannot find an object, try the following suggestions:
  • Use different search criteria. For example, instead of searching for a contact by last name, search for their first name, department, user ID, or location.
  • Use operators and connectors to increase or decrease the objects returned in the results.
  • Verify that you have spelled the name of the object correctly, and have entered any additional search criteria correctly.
• Expand your search with check box criteria. Include check box fields such as Inactive in your searches. For example, search for all inactive assets and generate a report for management analysis. You can also search for all inactive assets to make them active again.
• Expand your search within multiple asset families and legal template types. Search within one or more asset families and legal template types. For example, search for a specific model under both hardware and software, or search for a legal document under a service contract and software addition.
• Invalid Searches. You can use the Invalid drop-down list when you manage searches to display or hide invalid searches. A search becomes invalid when your CA APM administrator configures the user interface and restricts access to any field that a search uses, or deletes an extended field that a search uses. If you have a search that you cannot use because of security restrictions, contact your CA APM administrator for assistance.
• Sort the search results to help make it easier to find information.
• Save a search you frequently use so that you do not have to enter the search criteria each time you use the search.
• Copy a search and use the search as a template for creating another search that is similar.
• Export search results for use in spreadsheet applications or reports.
• Configure your searches.