Data Explorer provides a quick way of searching entity data by dividing it into subsets that you identify. It’s a powerful search that allows you to ask questions of the data. The output will always be a list in one of the Actis list formats, i.e. standard, extended, channel preferences or mailing.
All Data Explorer searches work in the same way and begin with an entity. The entity is the largest amount of data available for searching.
Data Explorer is accessed from either the home page button
OR
From the menu select My Data, Data Explorer
Data Explorer will open at the entity screen which will only include the entities relevant to the modules you have installed – you may have some or all the entities shown below:
The search session will be carried out on the data that you have access to.
Please note the following terminology:
- Session is the complete analysis on the entity data set you select
- Search is each individual element which combine to make the session
Important: A search can be saved as a favourite, but a session cannot.
Select the entity from where you want to start your search. The entity icon will move to the right of the screen and the Data Explorer window will change to display the Action tab and the search criteria options. A box will appear indicating the first search (customers in the example below).
Click the OK button to show the complete list or click the down arrow to display the advanced options. The options available will depend on the data you have access to.
Click the Plus button to open out the structure and tick the checkbox to select the bricks or territories you wish to analyse.
Tick the Include Inactive Customers checkbox if you wish to include inactive records in your search
Tick the National Search checkbox if you wish to include data from the entire database
Click the OK button to display your initial data set
All the actions and the search criteria will become active.
Important: The checkboxes that appear in the Advanced Options sections are different depending on the entity being searched, for example on Contacts you can include advance appointments rather than just historical data.