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How Record Search Works

Ben
Updated

Risk Cloud's search bar helps you find a record fast — without clicking through applications and workflows to get to it. This article explains what search looks at, how it matches what you type, and the most common reasons a record might not appear in your results.

What search looks at

When you type into the search bar, Risk Cloud matches your term against one of two things for each record:

  • The record's Primary Field — if the workflow has one configured — or
  • The record's Record Name — the workflow prefix followed by a number (for example, Risk-43).

It's one or the other, never both. If a workflow has a Primary Field configured, search looks at the Primary Field value and does not search the prefix-and-number Record Name. If a workflow has no Primary Field, search falls back to the Record Name.

Example
A Vendor Risk workflow uses a Primary Field for the vendor name. One record is named Vendor-1738, and its Primary Field value is "Acme Cloud Services."

  • Because a Primary Field is configured, searching Acme finds the record.
  • Searching 'Vendor-1738' or '1738' will not find it — the Record Name isn't searched when a Primary Field exists.

If that same workflow had no Primary Field, the reverse would be true: Vendor-1738 would find it, and "Acme" would not.

How matching works

  • Partial and typo-tolerant. You don't have to type the full value exactly. Searching "microsft" will still surface a record whose value is "Microsoft," and typing the first several letters of a word will match it.
  • At least two characters. Very short terms return too many noisy results, so search requires a minimum of two characters.
  • Hyphens split a name into separate parts. A hyphenated value like W2-17 is treated as two pieces (W2 and 17). Searching the full value works best — searching just one piece can return unexpected results.
  • The closest matches come first. Results are ranked by how well they match your term, so a broad or common term can push the record you want further down the list. A specific, distinctive term works best.

You only see records you have access to

Search always respects your permissions. It will never return a record you don't have access to. If a coworker can find a record and you can't, the most likely reason is that your user group doesn't have access to that record.

Why a record might not appear in your search

If you can't find a record you expect, work through these:

  1. You may not have access to it. Search only returns records you're permitted to see. If someone else can find it but you can't, this is the most likely cause — check with your administrator about your access.
  2. You may be searching the wrong identifier. If the workflow uses a Primary Field, searching the record's prefix-number (like Vendor-1738) won't work — search by the Primary Field value instead. If the workflow has no Primary Field, search by the prefix-number.
  3. Search the full name, not part of a hyphenated one. For values like W2-17, search the whole value rather than just W2 or 17.
  4. Use a more specific term. Broad or very common terms return many results and can bury the record you want. A distinctive word from the Primary Field value usually works best.
  5. Make sure your term is at least two characters. One-character searches won't return results.

Frequently asked questions

Why can a coworker find a record that I can't?
Search respects permissions. If your user group doesn't have access to a record, it won't appear in your results even if others can see it.

I searched the record's number and got nothing — why?
If that record's workflow has a Primary Field configured, the prefix-number Record Name isn't searched. Search by the Primary Field value instead.

Does search handle typos and partial words?
Yes. Search is typo-tolerant and matches partial words, so you don't need to type a value exactly or in full. Very short or very common terms will return broader, less precise results.

Can I search by any field on a record — like a description or a date?
No. Search matches the Primary Field or the Record Name only.

Do I need special operators like AND, OR, or quotation marks?
No. Just type the words you're looking for — search doesn't use special operators.

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