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The ability to locate information quickly and easily is one of the most important features that ServMan provides. This is accomplished with powerful, user-friendly search tools called SmartViews that allow you to quickly query information on clients, orders, quotes, systems, equipment, jobs and other records in your ServMan application.
A SmartView is comprised of three primary areas: Selection/Selection Options area, Data Return area, and a user-configurable Custom Return area (PIM ) for customizing support and script enhancements.
No matter what you need to search (i.e. Clients, Orders, Jobs, etc.); locating data is simple because SmartViews support the ability to query by any field in the tables you are searching, including custom fields that you have added to the ServMan database. For example, most searches in the Client table are typically based on client name or account number. However, you may want to search by address, phone, date added, client type or other means.
SmartViews also provide selection criteria qualifiers such as contains, starts with, equals, etc. that allow you to tell the computer exactly which information to include. In addition, you can perform combined searches on multiple fields by using the AND/OR feature.
Once all matching records are returned, you can sort the data by double clicking the header of any of the columns in the data return area. Many standard SmartViews also populate the Custom Return Area with important information from the record with a single click. Of course, you can have this return area customized to display whatever information you desire. You can also right-click on the record in the data return area to view additional short cuts for the record or simply double click to open the selected record.
ServMan allows you to have any number of custom SmartViews. Each SmartView can contain its own selection options and custom column returns in the data return area. Custom SmartViews can additionally be secured to specific users.
Another important SmartView feature is the ability to save your preferred searches. For example, if it is your preference to always search by Account Number, you can “Save these settings to my personal defaults” from the SmartView menu. ServMan SmartViews even provide the option for users to select which columns are returned in their searches!
You can have ServMan automatically load data into the SmartView upon opening. For example, every time you open your Order SmartView you may want it to display all orders that are flagged as “Part Needed” because you are responsible for purchasing the parts. To do this, simply select the “Auto Start Query on Load” option from your Save Settings menu.
SmartViews also provide the ability to save whatever data is returned in your search to an Excel file with a simple right click. This function allows you, for example, to display a filtered set of prospects using a combination of account status and client type for your follow-up efforts. Then you can easily save the data to Excel for mail merges and bulk email outside of ServMan if you desire.
No matter what functions you are responsible for at your company, SmartViews™ will make your life easier!
The selection area contains the fields needed to search for specific data, including your custom fields.
Global Filters are the top level data filters and affect all results returned in the Data Return area.
Examples of global filters are: Include Status, Show Type, Select a Department/Branch, Date, Job Group, and all checkboxes that appear in the selection area.
The Selection field identifies what field contains the data you are looking for.
The bolded field names at the top of the dropdown list are the most popular searches, however any field in the dropdown list can be used to search for data.
Use the AND/OR with the second selection field to filter your data even further.
The Conditional or Qualifying filter allows you to specify the condition you want to show the results for.
Examples of conditional filters are: Starts with, Contains, Equals, Does not equal, etc.
The Data field is where you enter the actual data you are searching for.
Press Search or Enter to begin the search process.
The data return area contains the results of your search, displayed in a grid format. Double click a column heading to sort by that column. Double click again to sort the other way. The data return area also allows you the ability to right-click to perform a number of other actions or to navigate to other areas within ServMan.
If you do not get the results you are expecting, make sure all Global filters are set correctly and that the correct SmartView view has been selected in the upper right corner of the Selection Area. If no data is found, this area will remain white with a "No records found" message.
The grey area to the right of the Data Return area is the Custom Return Area, sometimes called the PIM (Priority Information Monitor). This area is fully configurable to display data, text, photographs and graphs, as well as buttons, menus, and other controls. Simply select a record from the Schedule Maintenance Orders view (found in the upper right corner of the Orders SmartView) to see an example of a PIM in action.
One of the best ways to get the most out of your views is to set them up with your favorite search criteria and then save the settings. Doing so is per user. Each time you open the view it will "remember" your options.
SmartViews allow you to automatically load data to the screen when you open it, based on your pre-set selection criteria. If enabled, when you click on the SmartView, it will open with the data already presented in the data return area.
Views can be saved as your preferred search. Note, if explicit preferred searches have been applied based on security templates, this feature may not function properly.
Views can be set as default for all users. You must have administrative rights to SmartViews to perform this function.
Views can be set as default for a group based on security templates. You must have administrative rights to SmartViews to perform this function.
You can create your own views, giving them a new name. This allows you to have different column returns, pre-set selection criteria and more. Views can also be secured to specific users.
The view will now be listed in the drop down listing of views and may be secured and modified to meet your workflow requirements.
You have the ability to secure who has access to SmartViews. Often you may use views as dashboards and may only want the information made available to specified users. Security to views is under the user setup in Master files.
The software provides a "user friendly" configuration tool for managing column returns in a view. Columns have the potential to support formulaic returns to create dashboards and totals. This advanced capability must be configured by someone with programming experience. This documentation supports basic column adjustments only.
Learn how to use SmartViews™ to search for records in the database.