Search, filters, and reports#
The Finder offers three layered ways to narrow down the objects you see, from quickest to most reusable.
1. Search#
The search box at the top of the Finder accepts free text. Press Enter to filter the table by every object whose name (or content, depending on the configured indexer) contains the search term.
Click the × in the search box to clear the term.
2. Filters#
The Filters button to the right of the search box opens the Set filter dialog. A filter is an attribute-level rule, for example Lifecycle stage is "In operation" or Class is "Server". Multiple filters combine with logical AND.
Filters are temporary by default; they apply only to the current view.
3. Saved searches and reports#
When you want to re-use a search later, store it.
- A saved search keeps the term, the filters, and the active column preset under a name and is private to your user. See Save search.
- A report is a stored filter and column set, accessible via Report Manager. Reports can be shared and run repeatedly.
Choosing the right tool#
| If you want to … | Use |
|---|---|
| Quickly narrow the table for the current minute | the search box |
| Apply attribute-level rules right now | the Filters dialog |
| Re-run the same query for yourself later | a saved search |
| Re-run the same query repeatedly, possibly across users | a report |