Skip to main content

Use Global Search

Updated

Global Search is a centralized search utility that enables users to find records across the SmartSimple platform from a single entry point. It queries across all key record types simultaneously and surfaces related records together so users can understand how data connects without navigating between UTAs/modules.

Global Search queries across these record types:

  • Users
  • Organizations
  • UTAs/modules
  • Grants
  • Funding submissions
  • Activities
  • Tasks
  • Events

Who: Global Search is for all SmartSimple users who need to locate records such as organizations, users, grants, activities, and events across the system.

When to Use Global Search

Use Global Search to:

  • Locate a record without knowing which module it is in.
  • Find related records, such as UTAs/modules linked to a specific organization, without manual cross-referencing between modules.
  • Reduce time spent navigating between modules to find connected data.
  • Access records quickly in a high-volume environment where data is distributed across users, organizations, grants, activities, tasks, and events.
NOTE  SmartSearch must be enabled before Global Search can be turned on.

↑ Back to top

Enable or Restrict Users for Global Search

Administrators can enable Global Search and control which user roles have access. Restricting access for a user role applies to all users in that role.

To enable or restrict Global Search access:

  1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar, and then select Global Settings.

  2. Click the Security tab, and then click System Feature Permissions. System Feature Permissions page

     

  3. Select the Features tab and locate the Enable Global Search feature permission. Enable Global Search feature permission field

     

  4. Use the drop-down menu to select the roles that should have access to Global Search. The list auto-populates with all roles configured in the system.
  5. Click Save.

↑ Back to top

To access Global Search from within SmartSimple:

  1. Click the Global Search icon in the top navigation bar to open the search panel.

  2. Enter a search term. Results are organized in the left-side menu by record type: Organizations, Contacts, and UTAs/modules. Global Search results panel organized by record type

     

  3. Click the record type name to view results for that record type only. Results are filtered based on your role and permissions. Search results filtered by record type

     

  4. Click a record name to open that record.

To close Global Search, click the X icon in the top navigation bar. The icon replaces the magnifying glass when Global Search is open.

↑ Back to top

Refine Global Search Results

After entering a search term, results display in tabs by record type. Use the Refine By filters within a tab to narrow search results. This is useful when searching across UTAs/modules where multiple record types or levels may match the search term.

To refine search results:

  1. Enter a search term and click the tab for the record type to filter. Record types include Organizations, Contacts, and UTAs/modules.

  2. Use the available sub-filters in the Refine By left-side menu to narrow results. Depending on the record type, sub-filters may include options such as module, level, and type. Refine By filter panel in Global Search results

     

  3. Click Submit to apply the selected filters. Results update to show only matching records.
  4. Click a record name to open that record.

↑ Back to top

Helpful Links