Predictive Search
What is Predictive search?
It is a feature used to enhance the user experience by prompting suggestive words/terms in real-time based on what the user is typing. It is also known as auto-suggest.
Where is it supported?
The feature is support for the following fields, tabs, and screens:
Screen Name | Tab Name | Field Name |
|---|---|---|
Accounts Screen | Customer | Customer and Contact |
Purchase Order | Information | Vendor Name and Contact |
Vendor | Contact and Company |
Irrespective of whether you search for Contact or Customer, but the system will search the string in both the fields “Customer Name” and “Contact Name”.
How does it work?
You must type a minimum 3 characters for suggestions to start appearing.
So, as soon as you have typed more than 3 characters, system starts to display a dropdown showing all the suggested keywords based on what has been typed so far.
The suggestion displayed in the dropdown will keep changing as the user continues to type further. So, the search is iterative and real-time.
If there are multiple suggestions for the entered keyword, you can select the required option from the list.
To make the selection, you can either use the keyboard (Up/Down Arrow keys and Enter Key) or use to mouse to select the desired suggestion and double click on it.
How does the feature connects the two fields?
While searching a Company: the feature suggest the company name followed by their contact’s name. Example: R2 ERP Software Inc. | Mr. Code Developer
While searching a Contact: the feature suggests the contact’s name followed by their company name. Example: Mr. Code Developer | R2 ERP Software Inc.
Retaining the current feature
The existing feature, where the user can press ‘Space’ or types underscore “_” and then press enter, to open the search screen; has been retained even after this enhancement.
Thereby allowing you to access company search screen in minimum clicks.
Why the enhancement?
Auto suggestion anticipates and matches user’s intent even before you finish typing in the search bar. This feature has multiple benefits:
Improved user experience: Users can find what they are looking for more quickly and with less effort.
Error reduction: Help users avoid typos and misspellings by offering correct suggestions.
Enhanced Search Efficiency: Reduces the time users spend typing and searching, leading to faster task completion.