Locating a Record With the Find Command
When you need to view or edit a particular record, the FIND command in the COMMAND MENU allows you to search for the record according to one or more criteria. The
example shown at right is the FIND WINDOW from the CONTRACT WINDOW.
In most cases, FIND windows in Contract Collector have a NAME field or an ID field. Some contain additional fields that help you narrow your search even
further. In addition, there may be one or more radio buttons in the window, such
as LIKE, EXACT and/or NICKNAMES, as well as two push-buttons, OK and CANCEL.
To find a record, enter the NAME and/or the ID associated with the record you want to locate. If possible, make entries into
any other field that may be included in the pop-up. The more information you
are able to enter, the more likely it is you will find an exact match.
The LIKE and EXACT buttons control how precisely the FIND function compares the data it is searching to your entry in a NAME field. If you select LIKE, the system widens its search to include any name(s) that begins with the
same letter as your field entry and that has similar consonants within the
remainder of the name. For example, if your NAME entry is Johnson and you select LIKE, the system will find Johnson, Jonson and Jensen. If you select the EXACT radio button, the system will find only Johnson.
If you select the NICKNAME radio button, common nicknames for your NAME entry are included in the search. For instance, if you enter Robert Johnson
in the name field and select the NICKNAME radio button, the system will find both ROBERT JOHNSON and BOB JOHNSON.
A search that uses the NICKNAME option takes slightly longer than searches using EXACT or LIKE. The Contract Collector system files already include most traditional and
commonly used nicknames ("Bob" for Robert, etc.). When you are entering new
clients, contracts, vendors or any other records that include a person's name, and
the person goes by a nickname that is not commonly used, you should go to the NICKNAME MAINTENANCE WINDOW to record the nickname.
To initiate the search after you have entered data into as many fields as
possible, click on the OK push-button. If there is an exact match for your entries
in the FIND pop-up, that record appears in the window to be viewed or edited.
If more than one record satisfies your search criteria, the system lists the
matching records in a pop-up from which you can choose. After you select a
record from the list, it appears in the window.