A search dialog is the starting point for finding documents in a file cabinet. Users enter terms in the dialog fields, and DocuWare finds the documents whose index entries match. The hits are displayed in the result list assigned to the dialog.
You configure search dialogs in DocuWare Configurations > File Cabinets > File cabinet x > Dialogs > Search.
A search dialog contains the custom database fields that you have enabled for the file cabinet. It can also contain system fields, which DocuWare fills automatically with system data, such as the storage date or the user who stored the document. If a specific search needs fewer fields, hide the others with the eye symbol. Hiding a field only changes what the dialog shows. It does not restrict access to the data in that field.
New DocuWare Client: what has changed
In the new DocuWare Client, introduced with DocuWare 7.15, only the file cabinet permissions decide which documents users can see. If you hide fields in a search dialog, users with access to a document can still find it by its index values. The search works directly on the file cabinet and ignores visibility settings in dialogs. Confidential information is therefore protected through file cabinet and document permissions, not by hiding dialog fields.
System fields in search dialogs
DocuWare system fields can also be used in search dialogs, result lists, and lists. They are hidden by default, except for the save date in the search dialog. A DocuWare administrator can show them in a dialog with the eye symbol. All users have read and search rights for the system fields.
The following system fields are available for document queries:
Document identity
Last modification on / Last modification by
Saved on / Saved by
File extension
Document size
Disk number
More options for search dialogs
You configure additional settings under More options.
Result list: The search results are displayed according to the result list selected here, for example in the order defined there.
ID for integrations: The ID of the dialog is assigned automatically when the dialog is created and cannot be changed. You use the ID to integrate the search dialog into another application, for example through programming or URL integration.
Field properties of search dialogs
Click a dialog field to configure it. The following properties are available for the fields of a search dialog.
Field name in the dialog: Change the label if a description other than the field name should be displayed. For example, the "Document Number" field can be labeled "Invoice number" or "Delivery note number" for different departments. System fields do not allow user-defined labels.
Mandatory field: Mandatory fields ensure that all important index information is entered. Store, search, and index dialogs can each have their own mandatory fields, so an index field can be mandatory in one dialog and optional in another within the same file cabinet. If a field is hidden in the dialog, the mandatory field option is disabled automatically.
Add wildcard to the search: The wildcard (*) search finds all index entries that contain the search term. A search for "Peters" therefore finds "Peters Engineering" or "Franziska Peters". Without a wildcard, only the exact index entry "Peters" is found. This affects only the hits in the result list, not the select list.
Predefined entry: The selected entry is filled into this field automatically. If a predefined entry is already set in the properties of the database field, the predefined entry of the dialog field is ignored.
You can enter your own value or select a dynamic entry. Dynamic entries refer to logging fields in the file cabinet, for example the long or short user name of the person who stored the document, or the user's email address. The available dynamic entries depend on the field type.
If you do not select a predefined entry, the field can be filled in freely during indexing.
Read only: The search in this field is always executed with the predefined entry.
Field mask: A field mask makes it easier to enter long telephone numbers or date formats, for example. New field masks are created in DocuWare Configuration > Indexing Assistance > Field Masks.
Create ... select lists: The select lists of your organization can be enabled for this field. New select lists are created with the plus symbol.
Assign select lists to the field
Select lists offer terms for search words or index entries in the Web Client. New select lists are created in DocuWare Configuration > Indexing Assistance > Select Lists.
Select lists are assigned to the fields of search dialogs, store dialogs, and index dialogs in DocuWare Configuration > File Cabinets.
Single-column and multi-column select lists
A select list is a single-column or a multi-column table. The table type decides whether the select list can be filtered.
Single-column select lists cannot be filtered. The default select list is an exception.
Multi-column select lists can be filtered. Only entries that match the entries in other dialog fields are then shown in the select list.
If you enable a multi-column select list, only this select list can be used for the field. Other select lists are disabled automatically.
Internal, fixed, and external select lists
Internal select lists are generated by the system. Each field automatically has its own default select list, which contains all entries made in this field so far.
Fixed select lists are based on data from outside DocuWare, such as a database or a text file. They are imported into DocuWare once and stored, so they can be accessed quickly.
External select lists are also based on data from outside DocuWare. They are retrieved each time the field is filled in, so they always match the current state of the source.
For date fields and number fields, always select an external select list.
Configuring the filter
A filtered select list offers index entries depending on the entries in other fields. The filter is configured differently for the default select list and for a multi-column select list.
Default select list: all other fields of the current store dialog are available for the filter. Enable one or more fields so that the default select list matches the entries in these fields.
Multi-column select list: a fixed or external select list can only be filtered if it exists as a multi-column table. Configure the filter as follows:
Under Column to be used, select the column of the table that is used as the select list for the current field.
On the right, select a field of the current store dialog.
On the left, select the column of the external table that contains the entries for this dialog field.
For an example, see Importing and filtering a multi-column select list.
The user can turn filtering on or off in the Web Client: Filtering of search dialog fields is enabled by default in the Web Client, so the select list of a field depends on the entries in other fields. This option lets users disable filtering. The complete select list is then available for this field in the Web Client.