Job Lookup

Having accessed (to be explained in detail below) the Lookup Window, Users are presented with a number of choices which make it possible to define the range of a search.

The most common manipulation of the search criteria is via changes to the Job Code Pattern and Search By selections. The content of the Code Pattern field will determine the "character pattern" (for specific explanation of the use of this field, see the separate item below) to be searched for, while the choice between Code or Name, will determine the specific piece of data which is to be searched. Each of these choices refers to a separate piece of data contained within all the data (known as a data record) held for each Job. These choices can be combined with specific selections made in the Client, Job Manager, Account Manager, Profit Centre, Job Type, and Charge Type fields.

The Include Closed Jobs or Include Finalised Jobs "tick boxes" e.g. can be utilised to force a search through either only Closed Jobs, only finalised Jobs, all Jobs (current, Closed and Finalised) or current Jobs only. When both have a tick (the default), both Clients and Suppliers will be displayed in the resulting list.

Having set the criteria for the search using any combination of the available choices, the list can be accessed by expanding the List Box (as explained above). To select and insert your choice into the data entry field, simply click the left mouse button once while the mouse pointer is over the list item.

GAINING ACCESS TO LOOKUPS

The most widely available method of accessing both the Client/Supplier and Job Lookups, is via the <F4> key. It is also available via the Find Button on the Maintain Jobs data entry screen. In general, wherever a User is prompted for a Job Number or Client/Supplier Code, the use of the <F4> key will result in the display of the pertinent Lookup Window.

A specific search can be initiated from the field from which the Lookup function is accessed. For example, if "20" is entered into the Select Job field on the Maintain Jobs screen the Lookup Window will be displayed showing an expanded list box showing all the Job Codes which commence with "20" –

This same method is consistently applied for all instances where either a Job Number or a Client/Supplier Code is requested. For example, the Client/Supplier Lookup Window can be accessed from the Job Maintenance screen where the User is prompted for a Client Code. Of course, this facility is not required if the Number or Code is known – in this case the Code or Number can simply be keyed directly into the field.

Where a selection is required/available, but the <F4> function does not apply, the list of allowable options is available by expanding the List Box (see Figure Ovr10).

USING THE CODE PATTERN FIELD

The most important aspect to the use of this field for both Job and Client/Supplier Lookups is the implementation of what are termed "wildcard" searches. This type of search employs the use of two common wildcard characters – the asterisk "" and the question-mark "?". These are used for character replacement notation. Thus a Code expressed as JONES, would result in a list of Codes starting with the characters "J" "O" "N" "E" "S", with any combination of numbers and/or letters following, which may be stored in the database. In the following figure, the expression 20* has resulted in the listing of all Jobs commencing with "20".

Another way of using the asterisk is where the search expression both begins and finishes with an asterisk. Thus the list will contain any Jobs which contain the characters "12" within the Code.

The question mark is used as a specific character replacement. For example SMITH?22 would result in a list of all the Codes commencing with the letters "S" "M" "I" "T" "H", which then contain a single character (in the ranges a-z, A-Z, 0-9), which finally end in the combination of "22". As with the asterisk, more than one question-mark may be used (e.g. SMITH??2 or SM?TH?22), or the question-mark may be used in combination with the asterisk (e.g. SM?TH*).

In summary, the question mark is used to replace a single character, while the asterisk replaces multiple characters.