Customizing Global Record Search Criteria

Updated 16 Jul 2024
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Person and Applicant records can be found in the search bar in the top right hand corner of all Slate pages. Note that only applicant records within application rounds which are set as Rankable will be displayed in the search bar results.

The default search criteria includes:

Name
Contact Information (Email address, Phone)
Reference ID

Oftentimes, you want to find person records using alternative values, such as their ID in another system. You can accomplish this using a person index rule.

Step 1: Creating the Rule

From the main navigation, select Database.
Under Automations, select Rules.
Select New Rule.
Configure the following settings:
Name: Enter a name for the rule.
Type: Configurable Joins
Category: Records
Base: Person
Rule Type: Person Index
Folder: Keep rules organized by placing it in a folder. Select Other to create a new one.
Non-deterministic: Rule is deterministic and has an exclusive priority.
Priority: Enter a priority rank. For example, "1", if this is your only person index rule.
Status: Preview
Select Save.

Step 2: Configure the Rule

Set Action to Replace Values from Formula.
Add one or more exports to be used to search for records.
Reference the exports in the Formula field.

(Optional) Adding filters

Most situations won’t call for it, but you can add filters to the rule if some records should have different index criteria than others.

We've outlined three common examples of person index rules below.

1️⃣ For a single field

Add an export for the field that the search bar will use to find records. Note the name of the export (e.g., "Person Colleague ID").
In the "Formula" section, reference the export from above by typing in "@" and then the export's name. You will want to replace all spaces with dashes (e.g., "@Person-Colleague-ID").
Save the rule.

🔢 For Two or More Fields

This approach uses a subquery export which obviates the need to account for records that have a NULL value in one or more exports used to drive the person index rule.

Add a subquery export.
Specify a "Name", like "Index".
Select the "Output" setting of "Concatenate".
Add the desired exports.
Add a space (or your desired separator) to the “Export Separator” field.
Save the subquery export.
In the "Formula" section, reference the export from above by typing in "@" and then the export's name. You will want to replace all spaces with dashes (e.g., "@Index").
Save the rule.

✨ Dynamically for all unique for merging fields

The following example is a robust approach to grabbing any values a record has in a unique for merging field to drive the person index rule.

Add a subquery export.
Specify a "Name", like "Index".
Select the "Output" setting of "Concatenate".
Specify a "Row Separator", like a space.
Join from "Person" to "Field Values".
Join from "Field Values" to "Lookup Field".
Add the "Unique for Merging" filter from the "Lookup Field" join and select "Value contains a unique ID which identifies a single record for merging".
Add the "Store Value" filter from the "Lookup Field" join and select "Store Value".
Optionally, add the "Type" filter from the "Lookup Field" join and select "Real", "Integer", and "Text/Unspecified".
Add the "Values" export from the "Field Values" join.

Save the subquery export.
In the "Formula" section, reference the export from above by typing in "@" and then the export's name. You will want to replace all spaces with dashes (e.g., "@Index").
Save the rule.

Step 3. Testing and Activating the Rule

Select Database on the top navigation bar
Select Rules.
Select Check Logic.
Enter the name of a test record with a value in one of the fields referenced by your person index rule.
Evaluate the results. If the rules do not return what you're expecting, then you will need to revise them; otherwise, proceed to the next step.
Navigate to the person index rule.
Activate the rule.
Perform a Retroactive Refresh.

✨ Tip
Slate stores the person index on the [person] table in the [index] column, [person].[index].

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What's Next

Troubleshooting Rules

Table of contents

Step 1: Creating the Rule
Step 2: Configure the Rule