Searching in list: Tips and Troubleshooting
If you run a search in Sumac and get some unexpected results, review your search criteria to ensure that they are correct, and reflect on what you're trying to find.
Common reasons for unexpected search results
Search criteria are not specific enough.
While criteria may have been set up correctly, the criteria could
be too general.
Solution: refine and focus the search by including more targeted criteria
Solution: refine and focus the search by including more targeted criteria
Data has been entered into the database differently than Sumac expects.
This can result in search criteria finding the wrong thing,
or nothing at all. For example, you are looking for information on a
campaign but the information has been entered as an event.
Solution: Find out about how the data is
being recorded to ensure searching is on the
appropriate field.
Data has been entered inconsistently.
If one person has been entering things one way, and others entered
it another way, Sumac may only find part of the
data in search results.
Solution: Find out why the data is inconsistent and
ensure that data entry is consistent. To clean up
historical data, use Sumac's Bulk Edit command to do
lots of records at once.
Tips to remember
- Think carefully about what is being looked for. What are the individual criteria of the targeted search?
- Break the search into its individual components. For example, which contact types vs which cities. This helps Sumac know exactly what to find and is easier for you to build an accurate search.
- Outline what you want to define in your search first, then work backwards from there. In other words, define what the end result should be, then consider what search criteria, connectors, or search operators will get you there.
For even more powerful searching check out How to use Search Builder
Check out more training videos/articles to learn more about Sumac
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