HOW TO SEARCH FOR RECORDS USING ONE
CRITERION (SIMPLE SEARCHES)
Record searches in Content
Manager may be simple searches with just one criterion, or they may be
“advanced” searches with multiple criteria.
Simple searches can be refined
to narrow the results, for example,
to display only certain record types, or only Active (or Inactive) records.
This how-to sheet covers simple searches and how to refine them. Adding
additional criterion is covered in a separate how-to, titled How to Search for
Records Using Multiple Criteria.
If you are searching for records with only one criterion in mind, you will most likely want to conduct
a Simple Search using the Quick Search Bar.
1.
Use
the
dropdown
menu
in
the
“Search
For”
field,
select
Search
For
“Records”.
Note that this dropdown
menu can also be used to search
not only for Records, but also for other items, such as classifications,
saved searches, or user labels.
2.
Now
go
to
the
Search
By
field,
and
clear
the
field
so
that
it
is
blank.
3. With the “Search By” field cleared,
use the magnifying glass icon next to the field to see all search methods available to you. Do
you want to search for your record looking for its Classification, Record
Number, Date Registered, Title Word, or something else?
a.
Once you have used a search method
once, it will be available
for future use in the dropdown history of this field.
4.
Once that field is populated with your search method, go to the
next field to enter your “matching criteria”. The entry for this field will vary depending on the search
method you are using (i.e., Title Word,
Classification, Date Registered, etc.
a.
Use the icons to the right of the field to help define your entry format.
Depending on the search
method selected, you may see one or more of these icons, which are explained
below.
i.
This icon allows you to enter your criteria
in a format appropriate to that particular search method. For example, a
date can be entered as a single date, a specific date, or a “floating range” (i.e., last month). This icon allows you to access those options.
In another example,
the criterion for a classification search must match a specific
classification title recognized by CM. Clicking on this icon for a
classification search will help identify the classification as it is recognized
in CM.
ii.
The calendar icon appears for
date field entries. It allows you to enter dates using a calendar, or date
phrases such as: today, previous week, year to date.
5. 
Hit enter, or click the search
icon shown here, to run the search
once all fields have
been entered. This will display the results of your search. This completes your
Simple Search.
6. 
If you then decide
to add more criteria to your search,
you can refine
the search using F7. Or you may use the Refine Search icon on the MatSu Records or
Search ribbons.
Refining Your Search:
What if You Don’t Get the Expected
Results?
If you didn’t get the expected results, click F7 (or click the Refine
Search icon on the MatSu Records or Search Ribbon). This will allow you to
review your search parameters and alter them or add to them if needed. The paragraphs below cover how to filter
your searches. To add additional search criteria, please
see the How-To sheet titled
How To Search for Records Using Multiple Criteria.
The Refine Search window
includes two tabs that can help you narrow your search results:
Filter Tab. Use this tab to:
a. Narrow your results to include only certain file extensions.
b.
Narrow your results
to include only those registered within a certain
number of days.
c. Narrow your results to include only certain dispositions (i.e., active, inactive, archived, destroyed).
Record Types.
Use this tab to specify which record types should be included in your
search. By default, all record types
are included in a search, but you can change that to suit your needs. (If all record types are selected, you may see more records than you want to
see – perhaps many more. On the other
hand, if some record types are not selected, those will not be included
in the search results.)
NOTE: When looking for an electronic document, people often
prefer to set the filters
to search only for yellow
folders. This creates a shorter “results” listing. Once the folder with the
correct subject matter is identified, the electronic documents can
be accessed by simply expanding the folder.
NOTE: An easy
way to select only a few record types
is this: Right-click in the window and select “untag all”. Then click to the
left of each record type you want to
select. You can also “untag all”
and then right-click to select options like “tag every folder” or “tag every
box”.
For further information
or assistance, email the Records Division at Borough.Records.Division@matsugov.us
or submit a Help Desk Ticket using the CM Assistance selection.