About DataSearch
The DataSearch feature allows you to set up and perform data searches that can span across the entire system. You can, for example, set up DataSearch to search across all your application system files and return any records that have the string "young" in them. It does not matter whether those records are found among the customer records, the order and order line records, purchase order records, or part and version number records.
DataSearch Sources
Before a DataSearch can be performed, you must have at least one DataSearch Source set up. The DataSearch Source specifies what IDO collection is to be used for the search. You can select which IDO properties to include in the DataSearch. You can also specify which IDO properties to display as part of the results of the DataSearch, regardless of whether those properties were included in the search.
For example, you might want to set up a DataSearch Source to search across customer records to identify customers who have recently placed orders for bicycle seats with part numbers prefixed by "CP-".
In this case, you would not want the DataSearch to search through all the IDO properties for the customer name, address, and contact information, because that would extend the search time. However, you would want to display that data for all customers who have placed orders for that particular bicycle seat recently.
You would set up your DataSearch Source to search through orders for which the part number includes the "CP-" prefix and sort them by date, and then retrieve the customer information for those recent orders.
Keep in mind that each DataSearch Source can include data from only one IDO collection. This means that, if you want to search across multiple IDO collections, you will need multiple DataSearch Sources.
DataSearch Source Sets
In cases where you want to include data from several unrelated data sources (IDOs), you can easily create DataSearch Source Sets. DataSearch Source Sets allow you to group several DataSearch Sources into a single set which you can then search all at the same time.