To find information using Advanced Find, a user must create a find expression that contains one or more filters to search the patron database and return the requested data. A find filter is constructed by choosing a field for search, a value to compare to the field, and an operator to compare the field to the value.
Fields are placeholders for data in the database. Within Advanced Find, fields are grouped by field categories. Field names also include the field’s category name. For instance, a facility’s name is stored in the Facility.Name field (field category = Facility and field = Name). A patron’s last name is stored in the Patron.Last Name field (field category = Patron and field = Last Name).
The following tables lists the categories and fields found in Facility Advanced Find.
|
Field Category |
Fields |
|
Contract |
Use the fields in this category to select patrons using contract-specific attributes such as contract start and end dates, charge code, and deposit code. |
|
Facility |
Use the fields in this category to select patrons using core and site-defined facility attributes for a patron's assigned facility. Only attributes that are set to Show in the Setup module are displayed. See the FacilityAll category for more options. It is not possible to combine fields from the Facility and FacilityAll categories in a search. Special Field: •Facility.Open_Spaces_Roommate: Returns the number of open spaces for a facility based on the facility’s Roommate_Level facility. |
|
Facility Address |
Use the fields in this category to retrieve the address information for a patron's assigned facility. This may be useful when finding or exporting information for assignment letters. |
|
Facility Parent |
Use the fields in this category to select facility types above where the patron is assigned. Using this category also allows users to select multiple patron-assigned facilities in your find. |
|
Patron |
Use the fields in this category to select patrons by core and site-defined patron attributes. Only attributes that are set to Show in the Setup module are displayed. Special Fields: •Patron.Age_Relative: Returns the computed age of a patron calculated by subtracting the patron’s birth date from the display date. •Patron.Assigned: Use this field to find patrons who are either assigned or not assigned using the field’s Yes/No value. •Patron.PCS_Plan_ID and Patron.PCS_Plan_Name: These fields are only relevant if Odyssey PCS is also installed. If so, using these fields will allow users to find patrons who are assigned to particular PCS meal plans. |
|
Patron Address |
Use the fields in this category to select facilities by an associated patron address. |
|
WorkOrder |
Use the fields in this category to find facilities associated with a work order. |
When a user selects a field to find information, the field and value must be compared using an operator. The following operators are available:
|
Operator |
Function |
|
= |
The search item exactly matches the value entered. |
|
not = |
The search item does not match the value entered. |
|
starts with |
The search item starts with the value entered. The starts with operator cannot be used with date fields. |
|
contains |
The search item contains the value entered. The contains operator cannot be used with date fields. |
|
is one of |
The search item is one of many that is entered, or choose from a predefined list. Use the Lookup link to select from a list of available values for the field. To select values, click on the Lookup link. Next, click in the checkbox(es) next to the value(s). If typing the values, separate the entries using a semicolon (;). |
|
is not one of |
The search item is not one of many that you enter or choose from a predefined list. Use the Lookup link to select from a list of available values for the field. To select values, click on the Lookup link. Next, click in the checkbox(es) next to the value(s). If typing the values, separate the entries using a semicolon (;). |
|
< |
The search item is less than the value entered. |
|
> |
The search item is greater than the value entered. |
|
<= |
The search item is less than or equal to the value entered. |
|
>= |
The search item is greater than or equal to the value entered. |
Operators allow users to refine a search in a variety of ways.
For example: To find all patrons with last name of Smith, create a find filter that is Patron Last Name = Smith. To find all patrons with a last name starting with the letter S, create a filter that is Patron Last Name starts with S.
Values are used to compare against fields. Depending on the field, there may be a list of predefined values available.
For example: The Facility.Building_Name field has a predefined value list that displays all of the buildings defined in an institution’s system. Other fields, such as the Patron.Assigned field, have predefined values of Yes, No, or [None]. Selecting a field value equal to [None] allows a user to find fields that contain no values.
If using the is one of or is not one of operators, the Lookup link can be used to select from a list of available values for the field. To select values, click on the Lookup link, then click in the checkbox(es) next to the value(s). If typing the values, separate the entries using a semicolon (;).
A filter is a statement that a user constructs using a field, a value to compare the field to, and an operator to make the comparison between the field and the value. Users may combine several filters to refine search results.
For Example: A user may create a simple find that lists all patrons who are male. Alternatively, a user may create a find that lists all patrons who are male, 19 years old, and live in a particular residence hall.
When using more than one filter in a find expression, users can group the statements using either an At Least One is true or an All are true condition. To switch between the conditions, select the condition and click on the All / At Least One link.
Use the Put in Group button to add a filter to another group within the expression. Clicking Ungroup will move a filter from a sub-group up into the parent group above it in the expression hierarchy.
To move a filter, select it and click the Move button. Then select another filter (or filter group) and click Move Here to move the filter to that location.
To remove a condition, select it and click on the Remove button.
A find expression may contain one filter or several that work together. When saving an expression, the date range initially selected will also be saved. The dates can be modified when using the saved find expression again.
When using more than one filter in a find expression, all filters in the expression are ANDed together. Essentially, Advanced Find will only return results that match all of the filters in an expression.
A find expression may be saved and used again in Advanced Find. For more information on how to save a find expression, refer to the Save a Facility Find Expression section. Refer to the Load a Saved Facility Find Expression section for information on loading and using a previously saved Advanced Find expression.