WT: Advanced Filtering

Overview

All filtering is done by clicking the Advanced Filter icon on the standard toolbar.

Advanced Filtering is available for WinTeam data entry screens. Use Advanced Filtering to find and/or sort specific records. A filter limits a view of data to specific records using specified criteria and conditions. Once you have created a filter, you can save it. You can choose to share your filter with other users and also allow other users to modify the filter.

The Filter screen is divided into three tabs.

  • The Filters tab is used to create the filter and sorting criteria.
  • The Saved Filters tab displays a list of all saved filters pertaining to the screen that opened the filter.
  • The Filter Results tab displays the results of your filter/query.

Security

There is no special security needed for using Advanced Filtering.

Advanced Filtering (Filter tab) screen

Key Functionality

Advanced Filtering (Filter tab)

When you access the Advanced Filter screen, the Primary Key of the related table is automatically added to the Filter grid.

New button

Click the New button to clear the Filter grid and create a new filter. If you have made changes to the existing filter, and then click New, you will receive this message:

Click Cancel to continue using the existing filter.

Click OK to start creating a new filter.

Note:  The Primary Key of the related table will remain in the Filter grid.

Save button

Click the Save button to open the Save As dialog box.

The Save As dialog box allows you to name the filter using a unique Description and specify sharing and modifying options. It also allows you to overwrite an existing filter.

For more information see Saving a Filter.

Save As button

The Save As button is enabled only if you have a saved filter open. Click the Save As button to open the Save As dialog box. The Save As dialog box allows you to name the filter using a unique Description and specify sharing and modifying options. It also allows you to overwrite an existing filter.

For more information see Saving a Filter.

Apply Filter

When you click the Apply Filter button, the system creates a recordset based on the values and criteria you specified. You will remain in a filtered set you remove the filter.

Filter grid

The Filter grid header changes to reflect the Description of the Saved Filter. If you have made changes to a filter, and have not yet saved the changes, an asterisk displays in the grid header.

Name

The root level displays the Table Name related to the screen you are on. The secondary level displays the Field Name to create a filter on. The list displays all fields related to the table selected. To add a new field, click the Add Field button.

Criteria

The Criteria field displays a list of applicable criteria options based on the Field Name's data type. Not all fields need to have criteria in order to be included in the Results grid.

Value

This field is disabled if a value is not required for the selected criteria. Enter in a value related to the criteria.

Sort Type

Select Ascending or Descending for the Sort Type.

Sort Order

The system assigns the Sort Order based on the order fields were added to the filter. You can modify the sort order.

Output

This check box defaults as selected. If this check box is selected, the field name displays in the Filter Results tab. You do not have to apply criteria in order to add a field (column) to the Results grid.

Add Field button

Click the Add Field button to add a Field Name to create a filter on (or add to Results grid).

Advanced Filtering (Saved Filters tab)

The Saved Filters tab displays a list of filters pertaining to the screen you were on when opened.

Only show My Filters

Select the Only show My Filters check box to display only those Saved Filters where you are the Owner. It does not display any "Shared" filters.

Description

Double-click on the Description to open the filter. Focus will be on the Filter tab.

Notes

Enter any notes that are pertain to the saved filter.

Shared

Select the Shared check box to share the Saved Filter with other users. If you select the Shared check box, the Allow Others to Modify check box becomes available. If this check box is selected, other users can use the filter, but cannot overwrite the original filter or modify it.

Allow Others to Modify

This check box is enabled only if the Shared check box is selected. Select the Allow Others to Modify check box to enable other users to modify and save the filter. This will overwrite the original filter. Other users will be able to modify all fields.

Owner

Displays who created the filter. This field is read-only.

Hover over the Change Information icon to see User Added, Date Added, User Changed and Date Changed information. WinTeam records the logon name of the user entering or changing this record. The Date Added is the original date this record was entered into the system. The Date Changed is the date the record was last changed. Right-click on the Change Info icon to filter for records added or changed by a specific user or date.

When you hover over the User Changed or Date Changed filters, you can:

  • Filter By Selection - Filters for all records that match your current records field value.
  • Filter by Exclusion - Excludes from your filter all records that match your current records field value.
  • Filter For - Filters based on the text/value you enter.
  • Sort Ascending - If you already have a filter applied, the Sort Ascending command is available. Also used to include all records in the filter and sort in ascending order based on the current records field value.
  • Sort Descending - If you already have a filter applied, the Sort Descending command is available. Also used to include all records in the filter and sort in descending order based on the current records field value.

Advanced Filtering (Filter Results tab)

The Filter Results tab displays only records that contain the values that you specified. It is important to understand how the results are derived. Though only a single filter can be in affect for any one field at any one time, you can specify a different filter for each field that is present in the view.

Example:  To see the names of those Customers who live in the NE who not have a Sales Rep assigned to them, you can filter the tblAR_Customers table on the State field and also on the SalesmanIDfield.
When you filter multiple fields in a single view, the filters are combined by using the AND operator, like this: State = NE AND SalesmanID = is blank.

The AND condition is always checked first.

If a table has 2 fields that need checked, each field must be satisfied simultaneously. If a filter has OR, it will be second to check.

The criteria are applied as a set, and only records that match all of the criteria in the Criteria row are displayed. To specify alternate criteria for a single field, type the first criterion in the Criteria row and the second criterion in the Or row, and so on.

For more information see Advanced Filtering Examples.

Example:  This is an example of using the Before and After Criteria for Dates.

Use the Before and After criteria to define a range of dates that you want to include in the filter. To do this, you would be adding two rows of criteria. One that indicates Before a certain date and the other to indicate After a certain date.

Once you click Apply Filter, your recordset will include only those invoices with an August 2007 date (in this example).

Example:  This is an example of filtering for Notes on AR Invoices.

Use the Is Not Blank criteria to search for all AR Invoices that contain Notes.

Example:  This is an example of filtering BETWEEN Job Master records 10004

Use the 'Is Greater Than or Equal To' criteria JobNumber 10004 AND add the second row for Is Less Than or Equal To' JobNumber 10030. This will work for any number field that alpha numeric.