Many pages on Opus feature search fields, allowing users to find records within Opus — and sometimes other systems — based on different types of input.
Examples
The Cases page, featuring a search field in a Data Table column header. Click this image to view a larger version.
The Profiles page, featuring a search field. Click this image to view a larger version.
Users typically search for academic appointees in Opus by either name or number. Opus search results are often displayed in a dropdown menu which appears immediately below the search field as the user types. In these instances, selecting a result simply requires clicking on it. In other instances, getting results may require a user to press a button with an icon (a magnifying glass, for example) or a button with some text (for example, “Go”). As a third option, results for the "search" box in a data table's column header are returned in the data table itself (see the article on filtering linked near the bottom of this page).
Wherever users can search for academic appointees by name, our recommendation is that input match the last name<comma> first name format — other formats may not return results. Input with punctuation such as apostrophes (‘) and hyphens (-) is supported, and should be used where necessary.
Spelling is also important: it must be exact.
Whether users can search with numerical input, and what type of numerical input can be used, depends on the data source being searched. For instance, in the Start A New Case modal windows, when searching for a Recruit record, the user can input a Recruit Tracking Number, but not a University ID. This is because this search queries the Recruit database, which accepts tracking numbers but not UIDs. Opus typically indicates the type of input a search accepts within the text on the page.
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Tip: If a search unexpectedly returns no results, users should check for spelling and completeness of their input — names should be spelled exactly and completely.
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Tip: If a search seems to “hang” or become unresponsive, users should try retyping their input more s-l-o-w-l-y. Opus will often start searching as soon as you begin typing, and entering text too quickly sometimes prevents the data from being sent correctly.
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Tip: Sometimes searching requires that the user press the "down" arrow key after keying input in order to display results. If search does not bring up results as you type, try pressing this arrow key.
See Also
Data Tables: Filtering Data Within A Table