---
title: "Customizing Global Record Search Criteria"
slug: "customizing-global-record-search-criteria"
updated: 2026-04-13T20:58:57Z
published: 2026-04-13T20:58:57Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Customizing Global Record Search Criteria

You can search for records from any Slate page using Omni Search in the top right corner.

The default search criteria includes:

- Name
- Contact Information (Email address, Phone)
- Reference ID

[![mceclip0.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/qidbrxcgfkywprqkxv2rxamceclip0.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/qidbrxcgfkywprqkxv2rxamceclip0.png)

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

1. Go to **Database → Rules.**
2. Select **New Rule.**
3. 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

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/New Rule(1).png)
4. Select **Save.**

## Step 2: Configuring the rule

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

## Step 3 (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**

1. 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").
2. 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").
3. Save the rule.

[![mceclip1.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/q7nhksjn0mumnzj9fu9dgmceclip1.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/q7nhksjn0mumnzj9fu9dgmceclip1.png)

**🔢 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.

1. Add [a subquery export](/v1/docs/subquery-exports-outputs).
2. Specify a "Name", like "Index".
3. Select the "Output" setting of "Concatenate".
4. Add the desired exports.
5. Add a space (or your desired separator) to the “Export Separator” field.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/image(393).png)
6. Save the subquery export.
7. 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").

[![mceclip3.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/w3ekbk4btk6qcmxemhmggmceclip3.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/w3ekbk4btk6qcmxemhmggmceclip3.png)
8. 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.

1. Add [a subquery export](/v1/docs/subquery-exports-outputs).
2. Configure the following settings:
  - **Name**: Enter a name, like *Index*.
  - **Output**: Concatenate
  - **Row Separator**: Enter a row separator value, like a space ` `.
  - [Create a join](/v1/docs/joins) from **Person**to **Field Values**.
  - Create a join from **Field Values** to **Lookup Field**.
  - Add the **Unique for Merging** filter from the *Lookup Field* join. 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.

[![mceclip4.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/c3j8folbluch8xjmeivxpqmceclip4.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/c3j8folbluch8xjmeivxpqmceclip4.png)
3. Save the subquery export.
4. In the **Formula**section, reference the export from above by entering `@` followed by the export's name. Replace all spaces with dashes, as with `@Index`.
5. Save the rule.

[![mceclip8.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/8xxi4d8z0mflbhivb7kfgmceclip8.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/8xxi4d8z0mflbhivb7kfgmceclip8.png)

## Step 4: Testing and Activating the Rule

1. Go to **Database → Rules**.
2. Select **Check Logic**.
3. Enter the name of a test record with a value in one of the fields referenced by your person index rule.
4. 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.
5. Navigate to the person index rule.
6. Activate the rule.
7. [Perform a Retroactive Refresh](/v1/docs/retroactive-refresh).

> [!NOTE]
> 💡 Tip
> 
> Slate stores the person index on the `[person]` table in the `[index]` column, `[person].[index]`.