Understanding the filter template

The Visual Yard filter template can be used to view the same criteria for decisions that are made every day to assist users in managing the equipment in the facility. Within the template, you can define a set of predefined criteria and save it to be used to filter the yard view. The set of criteria uses list choices to build a complex filter used against equipment. After a template is created, any user in the facility can use the template.

Field operators

For the key list of fields on the YMS Visual Yard Filter Template page, the fields use logical operators that are used to filter the field. This table describes the operators.

Operator Behavior
= Equal or matches: The field must match the value indicated
<> Not equal: The field must not be the value indicated
> Greater than: The field value must be greater than the value indicated
>= Greater than or equal to: The field value must match or be a value greater than the value indicated in the field
< Less than: The field value must be less than the value indicated
<= Less than or equal to: The field value must match or be a value less than the value indicated in the field
Is Null Empty: The field is empty, for date fields only to indicate event has not taken place.

Date fields

For the date fields, you can choose to include a specific date and time, or you can specify a numeric value for days using the # Days Ago field. For example, you can select >= in the Check-In Date/Time field and specify 5 in the # Days Ago field to search for equipment that has a check-in date of 5 or more days.

Query building buttons

You can use the query buttons to build a query statement. This table shows the buttons and how to apply them.

Button Select to
Add To Query Add the values specified in the form to the query that is being constructed.
( ) Insert a right or left parenthesis into the query statement. Logical operations are normally evaluated from left to right. However, a set of operators can be placed within a parenthetical expression to give precedence to the operators within the left and right parenthesis. Parenthesis are used to build complex query strings. Much the same way that mathematical expressions using +/- can be grouped in order to sequence their evaluation, logical operations can also be grouped and evaluated similarly.
AND Inserts a logical AND into the query statement. AND operations require both the right and left side of the AND to be true for the statement to be true. If the right or left side of the AND is not true, the statement is also not true.

For example, using the AND operation along with # Days Ago, a complex statement can be generated such as looking for cases where it is true that the check-in date is more than 5 days ago and it is also true that the last inspection date was more than 3 days ago.

OR Insert a logical OR into the query statement. OR operations only require the right or left side of the OR to be true for the statement to be true.

For example, using the OR operation along with # Days Ago, a complex statement can be generated such as looking for cases where it is true that the check-in date is more than 10 days ago or it is true that the close date is more than 5 days ago.

Clear Query Clear the query that has been constructed.
Run Query Test the query that is being constructed and view the equipment results for the equipment that matches the generated query criteria.