Global Search is a centralized search utility that helps users find records across SmartSimple from a single entry point. It searches across users, organizations, and UTAs/modules simultaneously, surfacing related records together so users can see how data connects without navigating between UTAs/modules. Global Search also returns close matches when a search term is misspelled, missing an accent mark, or only partially entered, helping users locate the relevant record even without an exact match.
Who: Users with access to Global Search; Global administrators configure access.
How 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.
- Find a record even when the name is misspelled, missing an accent mark, or only partially entered.
Configure Global Search Permissions
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:
- Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar, select Global Settings from the drop-down menu, and then click the Security tab.
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Locate the Business Security section, and then click System Feature Permissions.
- Click the Features tab.
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Locate the Enable Global Search field, and select the relevant users from the drop-down menu, and click Save.
Use Global Search
To use Global Search:
- Click the Show Global Search [magnifying glass] icon in the top navigation bar to open the search panel.
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Click the Search Panel, and enter a search term.
- Results are organized in the left navigation by record type: Organizations, Contacts, and UTAs/modules.
- Global Search searches across multiple fields on a record. A search for a name may return a record because that person created it, even though the person is not otherwise associated with the record.
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Click the record type in the left navigation to view results for that record type only.
- Record type options include Organizations, Contacts, and Tracking Applications.
- Results are filtered based on the user's role and permissions.
- Click the Hide Global Search [X] icon in the top navigation bar to close Global Search.
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The icon replaces the magnifying glass when Global Search is open.
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How Global Search Matches Typos and Partial Entries
Global Search returns close matches for a search term even if a name is misspelled, missing an accent mark, or only partially entered. For example, searching for "Marc" can return results for "Mark", with the most relevant matches displayed first.
- Exact and prefix matches are ranked first in the results list.
- Wrapping a search term in quotation marks limits results to exact matches only.
- Role-based permissions continue to apply to close matches the same as other search results.
Refine Global Search Results
After entering a search term, results display in left navigation 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:
- Enter a search term using steps 1-3 in the Use Global Search section.
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Locate the Refine By section in the left navigation, click the relevant field, and enter additional search criteria to narrow results.
- Depending on the record type, sub-filters may include options such as module, level, and type.
- Depending on the record type, sub-filters may include options such as module, level, and type.
- Click Submit to apply the selected filters.
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Results update to show only matching records.
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Click a record name to open that record.