Adding a New Filter

It is very easy to create new filters. The key to an effective filter is knowing your data. The filter is merely looking at the data and displaying contact records based on the criteria you have chosen. If you type lower case data as a value and the data is always in upper case you may not get the results the you expect when you run your filter. There are two ways of creating new filters:

Easy Build
Expert Build

For each method of creating filters you start the process in the same manner:

Key:

Options:

What happens:

O

Other options

Other Options pop-up menu appears

F

run a Filter

Run-a Filter pop-up prompt window appear

F4

for List

Select/Maintain Filters screen will appear

Easy Build Yes or No function key:

Key:

Options:

What happens:

F8

Easy Build

This function key is a toggle between Easy Build and Expert Build

The words Easy Build appear at the top righthand of the Select/Maintain Filters screen. When you use F8 the word next to Easy Build changes from Yes to No and the F8 description changes from Expert Build to Easy Build. A Yes for Easy Build will mean that the F8 description is Expert Build and a No for Easy Build will mean that the F8 description is Easy Build. Starting with the Easy Build at Yes the next step is the same for either method. They are::

Key:

Options:

What happens:

F6

Add New Filter

The Filter Header screen will appear, once the Filter is finished it will be saved on the Select/Maintain Filters list so that you can run it whenever you like.

OR

F7

Add then Run

The Filter Header screen will appear, once the Filter is finished it will be saved on the Select/Maintain Fitters list and it will also be run immediately.

Filter Header Screen: This screen is used to Add a New Filter, if the filter is Easy Build you will be restricted to only two prompts, Filter ID and Description. You will have NO choice for any of the other values.:

Filter Header

Filter ID:

_____________

Description:

_____________________________________

Files Used:

___

1=Contact, 2=Activity, 3=Contact/Activity 4=Contact/Contact, 5=Activity/Activity

Focus File:

___

1=Contact, 2=Activity

Filter Type:

___

D=Dynamic, S=Static, U=Unique

Filter Owner:

________

Security Class:

___

U=Unsecured, S=Secured

Last Used

Date

Time

User

Count

Filter Header Labels:

What data is used in this Label:

Filter ID:

10 character field where you name the filter giving it a Filter ID for the F4 list. Many customers choose to use the dept name or the initials of the person who will be using the Filter as the first part of the ID, example SLS.Ter for Sales Territory or SJK.Ter to identify a particular persons territory.

Description:

32 character field where you describe the purpose of the Filter, often a good idea to use your dept name at the end of the description if not used in the Filter ID.

Files Used:

5 choices, Contact, Activity, Contact/Activity, Contact/Contact, and Activity/Activity. These choices are explained in greater detail below.

Focus File:

2 choices, Contact and Activity. These choices are explained in greater detail below.

Filter Type:

3 choices, Dynamic, Static, and Unique. These choices are explained in greater detail below.

Filter Owner:

Default is the userID of the person adding the Filter but can be changed to any userID. Many customers will change the Filter Owner to the userID of the person that will use the Filter the most. This field is used by security if it is active to restrict use of filters by owner.

Security Class:

2 choices, Unsecured and Secured. These choices are explained in greater detail below.

Last Used

Date:

Time:

User:

Count:

System fields that are updated automatically each time the filter is used.

Last date filter was used

Last time filter was used

UserID of the person using the filter last

How many times the filter has been used since creation

More Information on Filter Header choices:

File Used: Indicates the File or combination of Files joined in the process of creating a Filter. See related topic for explanation of a data layout

Contact: one data layout on the CUST file for data field information

Activity: one data layout on the TRAN file for activity field data

Contact/Activity: one data layout with a combination of CUST and TRAN files for data field and activity data

Contact/Contact: two data layouts on the CUST file for data field information

Activity/Activity compare two fields on the TRAN file for activity data

Focus File:

Contact: sort value for the CUST file
Activity: sort value for the TRAN file

Filter Type:

D = Dynamic:

a dynamic filter updates the filter should anyone change the data while the filter is active

S = Static:

a static filter does not update changed data while the filter is active

U = Unique:

a unique filter applies to activity filters. Once the record qualifies, it will not repeat in your filter list even if another activity qualifies it again

Security Class:

U = Unsecured: anyone can change the filter

S = Secured: only the owner can change the filter, or someone with appropriate authority

Details on adding Easy Build and Expert Build Filters are found in these related topics:

The filter values and compare types are the same between the two methods of adding filters. The restrictions and limitations of Easy Build Filters means that you cannot use some of the values and compare types. Should you have a need for them you would have to use Expert Build Filter to add or maintain your filter.

Filter Values:

Value:

Filter Type:

What happens:

and/or

Expert Build

Using the And and Or values are logical conditions. You use AND if the record must meet all conditions you specify. This means the filter searches for records that meet the condition specified on the first line AND any subsequent lines with AND's. Use OR if the filter must meet one of several conditions. This means the filter searches for contact records that meet the condition specified until another OR line occurs.

include/if

Easy Build & Expert Build

Defines which filed is the subject of the test described on the line. Multiple files are available in Expert Build filters only. Easy Build filters are limited to searches on the Contact file (CUST file).

position/length

Expert Build

Used for substring searches of data. Enter the starting position number of the character for the exact length of characters in the field to be searches. Example, a zip code field typically is 10 characters long. If you wanted all the zip codes containing 943 in the 1st 3 positions you would key 1 in position value and 3 in the length value. The search would ignore all data starting in position 4 for the length of the field and concentrate only on the 1st 3 characters in the data field, or 943.

upper case

Expert Build

Used to denote case sensitivity of data being searched. The best way to create an effective filter is to know your data. If the data is always upper case in that field you would key the data in the compare character prompt as UPPER case as well. If that is done properly you will not need to use this prompt at all.

compare type

Easy Build & Expert Build

Explained below.

compare number, or "characters" or &fieldName

Easy Build & Expert Build

Used for data searches. Key data in this prompt. Compare number only means that the search is going to be on data in a numerical field. Compare characters refers to alpha-numeric field data. &fieldName compares one field to another. See More Filter Examples

or %V (dept) or %T (date) or %U (user id)

Expert Build

%V uses the data found in the dept prompt in the userID setup for the search. %T used the system date as data for the search. %U uses the userID of the person currently signed on.

Compare types:

Compare Type:

Value:

What happens:

EQ

equal

searches for all exact matches to selected data typed

GT

greater than

searches for selected data that is greater than the data typed

GE

greater or equal

searches for selected data that is greater to or equal than the data typed

%W

wildcard

searches for character strings, using *'s for beginning & end of string

%L

list

searches on a list of data typed

NE

not equal

searches for selected data that is not equal to the data typed

LT

less than

searches for selected data that is less than the data typed

LE

less or equal

searches for selected data this is less than or equal to the data typed

CT

contains

searches for selected data by sorting through a sub-string of data typed

%R

range

searches for selected data by range for the data typed

Key:	Options:	What happens:
O	Other options	Other Options pop-up menu appears
F	run a Filter	Run-a Filter pop-up prompt window appear
F4	for List	Select/Maintain Filters screen will appear

Filter Header
Filter ID:	_____________
Description:	_____________________________________
Files Used:	___	1=Contact, 2=Activity, 3=Contact/Activity 4=Contact/Contact, 5=Activity/Activity
Focus File:	___	1=Contact, 2=Activity
Filter Type:	___	D=Dynamic, S=Static, U=Unique
Filter Owner:	________
Security Class:	___	U=Unsecured, S=Secured	Last Used
			Date
			Time
			User
			Count

Filter Header Labels:	What data is used in this Label:
Filter ID:	10 character field where you name the filter giving it a Filter ID for the F4 list. Many customers choose to use the dept name or the initials of the person who will be using the Filter as the first part of the ID, example SLS.Ter for Sales Territory or SJK.Ter to identify a particular persons territory.
Description:	32 character field where you describe the purpose of the Filter, often a good idea to use your dept name at the end of the description if not used in the Filter ID.
Files Used:	5 choices, Contact, Activity, Contact/Activity, Contact/Contact, and Activity/Activity. These choices are explained in greater detail below.
Focus File:	2 choices, Contact and Activity. These choices are explained in greater detail below.
Filter Type:	3 choices, Dynamic, Static, and Unique. These choices are explained in greater detail below.
Filter Owner:	Default is the userID of the person adding the Filter but can be changed to any userID. Many customers will change the Filter Owner to the userID of the person that will use the Filter the most. This field is used by security if it is active to restrict use of filters by owner.
Security Class:	2 choices, Unsecured and Secured. These choices are explained in greater detail below.

Last Used Date: Time: User: Count:	System fields that are updated automatically each time the filter is used. Last date filter was used Last time filter was used UserID of the person using the filter last How many times the filter has been used since creation

Value:	Filter Type:	What happens:
and/or	Expert Build	Using the And and Or values are logical conditions. You use AND if the record must meet all conditions you specify. This means the filter searches for records that meet the condition specified on the first line AND any subsequent lines with AND's. Use OR if the filter must meet one of several conditions. This means the filter searches for contact records that meet the condition specified until another OR line occurs.
include/if	Easy Build & Expert Build	Defines which filed is the subject of the test described on the line. Multiple files are available in Expert Build filters only. Easy Build filters are limited to searches on the Contact file (CUST file).
position/length	Expert Build	Used for substring searches of data. Enter the starting position number of the character for the exact length of characters in the field to be searches. Example, a zip code field typically is 10 characters long. If you wanted all the zip codes containing 943 in the 1st 3 positions you would key 1 in position value and 3 in the length value. The search would ignore all data starting in position 4 for the length of the field and concentrate only on the 1st 3 characters in the data field, or 943.
upper case	Expert Build	Used to denote case sensitivity of data being searched. The best way to create an effective filter is to know your data. If the data is always upper case in that field you would key the data in the compare character prompt as UPPER case as well. If that is done properly you will not need to use this prompt at all.
compare type	Easy Build & Expert Build	Explained below.
compare number, or "characters" or &fieldName	Easy Build & Expert Build	Used for data searches. Key data in this prompt. Compare number only means that the search is going to be on data in a numerical field. Compare characters refers to alpha-numeric field data. &fieldName compares one field to another. See More Filter Examples
or %V (dept) or %T (date) or %U (user id)	Expert Build	%V uses the data found in the dept prompt in the userID setup for the search. %T used the system date as data for the search. %U uses the userID of the person currently signed on.

Compare Type:	Value:	What happens:
EQ	equal	searches for all exact matches to selected data typed
GT	greater than	searches for selected data that is greater than the data typed
GE	greater or equal	searches for selected data that is greater to or equal than the data typed
%W	wildcard	searches for character strings, using *'s for beginning & end of string
%L	list	searches on a list of data typed
NE	not equal	searches for selected data that is not equal to the data typed
LT	less than	searches for selected data that is less than the data typed
LE	less or equal	searches for selected data this is less than or equal to the data typed
CT	contains	searches for selected data by sorting through a sub-string of data typed
%R	range	searches for selected data by range for the data typed