---
title: "Filtering on Free-Text Fields"
slug: "filtering-on-free-text-fields"
updated: 2024-12-18T15:36:31Z
published: 2024-12-18T15:36:31Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/filtering-on-free-text-fields"
---

> ## 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.

# Filtering on Free-Text Fields

Filters are typically not used for free text fields, since they can store unlimited variations of a single response. Accordingly, filters for text-driven fields are not automatically generated. In most cases, only exports are needed for free text fields. However, there may be occasions when querying for a specific text string is required. This can be accomplished using [*Subquery Filters*](/v1/docs/subquery-filters) in a configurable joins query*.*

## Using Formula (Aggregate)

One approach is to use a "Formula" *Aggregate* filter. Several versions of this technique are provided in the following examples

### Organization Name is

This places the exact search string in the **Formula**.

[![inline-418202563.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/inline-418202563.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/inline-418202563.png)

## Last Name Contains

This uses the LIKE operator, and can be used with or without a wildcard (%), to find specific text. In this example, the query matches records whose last name contains "Sam."![mceclip0.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/aqal8x8zumdbnvrws171wmceclip0.png)

## Last Name Starts with

Like the previous example, this searches for the last name that contains “Sam,” but because it uses the % wildcard at the end, it matches records whose last name *start*with “Sam” (and might include and other text afterward).![mceclip1.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/z2r0dtzoaeenggstot0iqmceclip1.png)

## Last Name Starts with Letters A-F

This formula specifies a range of letters in square braces ([ ]), in this case, “A” through “F.”

![mceclip2.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/jm54upfvekd8rai7bhorqmceclip2.png)

## Using Comparison (Aggregate)

### Organization Name is

This technique uses a "Comparison" *Aggregate* filter:

[![inline-1848225005.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/inline-1848225005.png)](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/inline-1848225005.png)

In this example, a literal export was added to check against a specific school name ("An Example School").​