Gill Walker – CRM Success Catalyst, Speaker, Educator, D365 Project Manager, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant, Solution Architect, Advisor, Trainer, MCT, MVP, DTM

 

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Different search options in Microsoft Dynamics 365

How to search for data in Dynamics 365

This blog is a brief comparison of different search options in Dynamics 365 / Power Platform.  It is one of a series of short blogs that I am developing as I write a flexible training course for Microsoft's PL-200 Microsoft Power Platform Functional Consultant exam.

There are several different ways of searching for information in your Dynamics 365 applications. Each has their strengths. The search options and the differences between them are also popular questions in the PL-200 (and other) exams. The searches are

  • Quick Search
  • Categorised Search
  • Relevance Search
  • Advanced Find

Quick Search

Quick search only searches the table from where it is accessed.  It returns the records that match both the view from which it is used and the search string.  It searches for the search string in the fields specificed in the quick find view.

Quick Search is accesed from the search bar above a view.

Quick Search

In earlier versions of Microsoft Dynamics 365, it only returned active records, and returned records using the columns defined in the Quick Find view.

Categorised Search

Categorised search returns records from the tables specified.  A maximum of ten entities (tables) can be selected.

setting up the entities in categorised search

You access the select entities from the System Settings.  Go to the General tab and scroll down to 'Set up Search'.  The Select... button takes you to the Select Entities (above).

system settings to configure categorised search in Microsoft Dynamics 365

Relevance Search

Relevance search is the newest option.  It uses Azure AI and so is only available for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Online.  It searches more deeply than the others, and also returns similar words to the search string.

If you want to use this, it must be enabled from System Settings - see below.

system settings showing how to turn on relevance search in Microsoft Dynamics 365

Once enabled, user can choose between Categorised Search and Relevance Search.  Both are accessed from same look-up icon.

relevance in action

Comparison between Quick Search, Categorised Search, and Relevance Search

The table below heps highlight the differences - especially those that appear to be popular in exam questions.

comparison

Advanced Find

Advanced Find is not usually considered part of search, but I have included it here for completeness. This video blog details how to use Advanced Find Making sense of your Microsoft Dynamics 365 data with Advanced Find 

Gill Walker's showreel QR code


Opsis is an expert Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform and CRM strategy consulting company. Our focus is your CRM success, with Microsoft Dynamics 365 / Microsoft Power Platform or any CRM technology - not licence sales or billable hours. As Principal CRM Success Catalyst, Gill oversees all business operations, strategic planning and execution, yet she still believes in offering personal attention to each and every client, so as to understand their needs and offer tailored solutions.  We are based in Sydney, with clients in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and across Australia.  Gill is the creator of SuccessRM - your blueprint for CRM success.  We offer:

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