Queries allow for users to search in AiM with a defined set of criteria. The query results will display a specific set of data based on the criteria selected. The search criteria fields contain operators that can be used to search records in different ways, such as “Starts with”, “Ends with”, or “Contains”.
To navigate to a query screen, from the WorkDesk, click on any module in the left hamburger icon Menu.
In the next screen, you will find additional left menu options, some of which have a magnify glass icon next to them.
Click on a magnify glass icon next to your menu choice for which you would like to create a query for.
These three buttons can be found at the top-left of a query screen:
Execute - Runs the query
Basic Search/Advanced Search - This is a toggle. The button will show which option you will go to by clicking it. NOT which option you are on.
Reset - Resets the entire query screen to their default settings.
On a query screen, under Action (left menu), you will find the link to open and create a New Query.
Below the Action menu, under the View menu, you can also find any past queries you have saved.
🟩 Value
Searching for a Work Order with the Value, 12345, this is the value used by the operator to determine if a record will be included in the query results or not.
🟩 Operator
Some standard Operators that can be applied to many rows of your search criteria include =, >, <, >=, <=, <>, Stars with, Ends with, Contains, Does not contain, In and Not in
Dates have some unique Operators, including Between, Older than, Last, Within, Next, Newer than, >= Today, Null and Not Null.
🟩 Other Operators: Null & Not Null
With some data elements, you can look to see if the element is empty (Null) or has something/anything in it (Not Null).
🟩 Operators in Headers
Table Headers can also (other than the Primary/top Table) have a drop down, to affect your final search results.
🟩 Opening a Record
After opening a Record under a Module, you can see the record name at the top of your screen, and the Search button right below that. Clicking on Search will allow you to dive deeper from this screen, and start a query.
🟩 The Query Screen
Some primary features in the Query screen include:
Execute - This will run the query.
Basic/Advanced Search - Toggling between the two options will show which option you will go to, NOT which option you are on.
Reset - Resets the entire query screen to defaults
Action > New Query - Under the Action menu on the left, click on New Query to start a new query.
In your query search results, click on a Record link to display the details of that record.
Or, you can click the blue Search button (in the first screenshot) to return to the Query screen (second screenshot) for the name you chose on the record level under the module you chose (in this example, Personal Query).
Before we saved a query, the only option under Action was New Query. Now, Edit Query has been added.
Under View, there were previously no options. But after saving 1 or more queries, those saved queries are listed under this section.
\uD83D\uDCD8 Step-by-Step Tutorial
🟩 Query Overview
Why will a Query help me? When using a database full of information you will want to retrieve very specific records. These records can be obtained by utilizing a query.
🟩 Anatomy of a Query Screen
Queries allow for users to search in AiM with a defined set of criteria. The query results will display a specific set of data based on the criteria selected. For example, the search criteria fields contain operators that can be used to search records in different ways, such as “Starts with”, “Ends with”, or “Contains”.
Basic Overview
To navigate to a query screen, from the WorkDesk, click on any module in the left hamburger icon Menu.
In the next screen, you will find additional left menu options, some of which have a magnify glass icon next to them.
Click on a magnify glass icon next to your menu choice for which you would like to create a query for.
These three buttons can be found at the top-left of a query screen:
Execute - Runs the query
Basic Search/Advanced Search - This is a toggle. The button will show which option you will go to by clicking it. NOT which option you are on.
Basic vs Advanced Search
Basic Search - Gives the user a limited number of options for searching. This is often sufficient for more users.
Advanced Search - Gives the user access to more query options to do more complex queries.
By default, all users start with Basic Search. Your System Administrator can change your default for you.
Reset - Resets the entire query screen. This is useful when your search results appear to be wrong. You can click Reset and start over knowing all fields have been reset to their default settings.
Below is a screenshot of the search page for Asset Package, under the Asset Management module. Under Action in the left menu, you will find the link to open and begin creating a New Query.
Below Action, View will be empty until the Query has been saved.
Queries you have already created can also be edited and either replace the original query or saved as a completely new query.
Display Order - Numerical Order
Display Order is a functionality of the Query screen that allows you to set the order of the columns of information that will show up in the search results screen.
By default, each query will display a set of predetermined fields. These can be overridden by placing numbers in this box. Once a number is entered, only numbers with values entered will be displayed. With this feature, it’s best to start with numbers like 10, 20, 30, etc. to allow other elements to be added in between without having to renumber other fields. Consecutive numbers are not required. All of this is explained in more detail later in this section.
Here, we’ll start with a basic search query to walk through the details of using the Display Order feature.
From your WorkDesk, select the Module under the Menu to perform a search. In this example, Work Management is selected.
In the screen for the Module you selected (in this example, Work Management), under Menu, select Phase by selecting the magnify icon.
The Phase search has the most options.
In the next screen, click on Search.
You can toggle between Basic Search and Advanced Search. Basic Search will not allow you to sequence the way the phase search results are displayed (explained in Step 5, Display Order).
AiM often remembers information from your last search. Whenever creating a new search, click on Reset.
The Display Order column allows you to sequence the search results and display the columns of data in a specific order.
When sequencing numbers for the display order don't enter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. It is better to allow space between your numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, etc. in case you want to go back and modify the search by displaying another field.
In this example, we want the columns of data in our search results to be presented in this order: Work Orders, Phase, Phase Description, Status, and Shop.
[Display Order 5] Displays the Work Order number first/in the 1st column of our search results because 5 is the smallest number we enter in a Display Order field for this search. Typically all that is needed in a search at the work order level is the work order number.
[Display Order 10] Display the Phase number next/in the 2nd column of our search results because 10 is the 2nd smallest number we enter in a Display Order field.
[Display Order 20] Display the phase Description. The phase Description will show up in the 3rd column of our search results because 20 is the 3rd smallest number entered in a Display Order field for this search.
[Display Order 30] Displays the Status in the 4th column. Select the operator to make the search more meaningful. In this example Closed, Closing, Incomplete, Deferred, and Complete - Pending R are excluded by changing the Operator to not in.
[Display Order 40] Displays the Shop in the 5th column. Select the shop desired for the search. In this example, Electrical is the shop search.
When done select Execute.
Notice the display order of the columns is the sequencing that was added to the Display Order fields.
Under the Action menu, the search can be exported to Excel by clicking on Export.
Display Order - Asc/Dsc
In addition to the ability to set the Display Order using numbers in the designated fields, another part of the Display Order feature includes the ability to select between Ascending (Asc) or Descending (Dsc).
Value & Operator
🟩 Value
Searching for a Work Order with the Value, 12345, this is the value used by the operator to determine if a record will be included in the query results or not.
🟩 Operator
Here (screenshot) is a standard list of Operators that can be applied to most rows of your search criteria.
The logical operators (=, >, <, >=, <=, <>) work as expected. Starts with and Ends with work by looking for the value at the beginning or end of the data element. Contains just looks for the value anywhere in the data element. In and not in let you build a list of values and then the query will include records where the data element is either in or not in the list.
The operators by End Date (screenshot below) only work with dates and allow the query to use the characteristics of dates to pull records in a more focused manner. Operators unique to date criteria include: Between, Older than, Last, Within, Next and Newer than
🟩 Other Operators: Null & Not Null
With some data elements, you can look to see if the element is empty (Null) or has something/anything in it (Not Null).
🟩 Operators in Table Headers
Table Headers can also (other than the Primary/top Table) have a drop down. The example below shows the Notes Log header operators.
Select - This is the default value. With Select, any criteria selected from this section acts just like the criteria in the first section.
Not Exists - The only records returned will be those where there is no record from this subordinate table. For example, when searching for Work Orders and you select Not Exists for the Notes Log, you will get Work Orders that don’t have any notes.
Exists - This is the opposite of Not Exists. So, for the example above, the search will return any Work Orders that have a Notes Log record.
Match All - With Match All selected, only records where all the records on this subordinate table are selected will be returned. An example of this would be for a Work Order query where the Phase is set to Match All and a Shop is selected. The only Work Orders returned will be ones where ALL the Phases have a specific shop.
Subordinate Tables (aka Supplemental Tables)
Query Screens with Multiple Tables
A query screen might have multiple tables involved. The Primary Table is listed first. After that, each additional table will have its own Heading Bar. If the header is indented, the table is subordinate to the table above it.
In the screenshot example below, the Notes Log table is a Subordinate Table to the Primary Table (which is always the top-most table of a query screen).
Display Order & Header Operations
Subordinate Tables will either have the Display Order column and its sort options, or the Header Operations (Operator dropdown list next to the header). It cannot have both.
The Subordinate Tables without the Display Order column options cannot be displayed in the final query results.
In the screenshot below, red boxes around columns can be displayed (tables with display order boxes) and green can’t (no display order boxes).
🟩 Query Screens Overview
Below are detailed descriptions for navigating the screens found when creating a Query.
Starting a Search
From your WorkDesk, click on the hamburger icon on the left to expand your top-most search options/how you want to start your search.
The Module - The top level category of records
The + Sign - Starts a New Record
The Magnify Glass - Takes you to the Query screen
The Record Name (under the Module) - Takes you to a new blank screen on that record level. (From there, you can also access the Query screen by clicking on the Search button in the record screen).
Starting a New Query from a Record
🟩 Opening a Record
What the screen looks like after opening with the Record Name (under the Module level of data)
In the next screen, the Record Name can be found at the top: In this example, Personal Query is the record name.
Next you would click on Search to dive deeper into this screen.
🟩 The Query Screen (for the Record Name Selected: E.g., Personal Query)
Some primary features in the Query screen include:
Execute - This will run the query.
Basic/Advanced Search - Toggling between the two options will show which option you will go to, NOT which option you are on.
Reset - Resets the entire query screen to defaults
Action > New Query - Under the Action menu on the left, click on New Query to start a new query.
The New Query Screen
When starting a new query, you’ll first be sent to a New Query screen, where you give the Query a title and select some basic preferences.
In the New Query screen, first complete the Title field. The Description field below it is optional.
When Query Listing and Query Count are set to Yes, the Query can be displayed on the Dashboard.
Setting the yellow and/or red flag fields will make the query flag turn yellow or red on the WorkDesk or when it reaches the set number. These fields are optional.
Module - The module section displays the screen from which the personal query will be based.
Chart Type (aka the AiM IQ embedded reports section/block) - Identifies the different charting options to display a visual representation of the data you are about to build a query for.
When you are finished and click on Done, the search will open in build mode.
After all criteria are entered, click Save to save the query.
Selecting Execute will take you to the results/Browse View of the query.
Query Results (aka Browse View)
In your query search results, click on a Record link to display the details of that record.
Or, you can click the blue Search button to return to the Query screen for the name you chose on the record level under the module you chose (in this example, Personal Query).
How the Query Screen Looks After Saving 1+ Queries
Before we saved a query, the only option under Action was New Query. Now, Edit Query has been added.
Under View, there were previously no options. But after saving 1 or more queries, those saved queries are listed under this section.
Queries can be built and saved for future use. Queries you have already created can also be edited and either replace the original query or saved as a completely new one.
Query Screen Structure & Display Order
🟩 Query Screen Structure
Some query screens might have multiple tables involved.
The primary table is listed first.
After that, additional tables will have its own headings.
If the header is indented, the table is subordinate to the table above it.
🟩 Display Order
Display Order functionality allows you to specify which fields you want to see and the order you wan to see them in, in the Query Results screen.
🟩 Ascending/Descending Display Order
Ascending (Asc) or Descending (Dsc) are additional Display Order options.
Special Operators
Special Operators are used with new WorkDesk queries to make them easier to share across the units.
Operators (=, <, >, null, …) that work with dates allow the query to use the characteristics of dates to pull records in a more focused manner.
Qualifier | Actions | Examples |
|---|---|---|
= | Equals To Only open work orders will return in this search |
|
> | Greater Than The dates that will return in this search are later than later Feb, 27, 2024 |
|
< | Less Than The dates that will return in this search are before Feb, 27, 2024 |
|
<= | Less Than OR Equal To |
|
>= | More Than OR Equal To |
|
<> | Not Equal To |
|
Starts With | The field must start with the data typed This example would return phases that start with Bean Hall |
|
End With | The field must end with the data typed This example would return work orders created by user who ends in “Pitts” |
|
Null | Do not type in the search field, it must be blank This example would return all the work orders where the problem code wasn’t entered Null means “missing or blank” |
|
Not Null | This example would return all the work orders where the problem code was entered
|
|
In | Allows the user to select multiple values. For this example multiple shops are selected. |
|
Not In | Allows the user to exclude multiple values. For this example the selected shops will be excluded from the search results |
|
Between | The search results will return work orders within the chosen date range |
|
Within | The field must be within the listed timeframe (date fields only) Options: year, month, week, day, hour |
|
Newer Than | The field must be within the listed timeframe (date fields only) Options: year, month, week, day, hour Record returned must be more recent than 4 days ago |
|
Older Than | The field must be within the listed timeframe (date fields only) Options: year, month, week, day, hour Record returned must be older than 3 weeks ago |
|
Last | The field must be within the listed timeframe (date fields only) Options: year, month, week, day, hour Record returned within last the month |
|
Next | The field must be within the listed timeframe (date fields only) Options: year, month, week, day, hour Returns records with desired completion date in the next 5 days |
|
Column | One of the more powerful operators that compares two different database columns Returns phases where the actual cost has exceeded the estimated cost. Find this in the phases costs: Options: =Column, >Column, >=Column, <Column, <=Column, >=%Column, <=%Column |
|
User | Returns all records created by whoever is logged in at the time |
|
🟩 Personal Queries
Personal Queries can be created under any Module in AiM.
You can also view All Personal Queries created under All Modules
From the WorkDesk, click on the hamburger icon on the left and click on the System Administration Module
Click on the Magnify Glass icon next to Personal Query
In the next screen, click Execute to view all your Personal Queries. You will see a list of your personal queries (example screenshot, below).
Click on one of the Query links to open that page.
Here, you can Edit the chosen query and share the query to group(s).
By default, Personal Queries are “personal” to the user that created them. Personal Queries are not visible to other logins.
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