This guide refers to searching within Plan, Specification and Addenda (Documents).
- Search operators may be nested or combined to create more complex searches.
- There is a 1,000 character limit in the Plan|Spec Keyword search box.
Basic Search Term Operators
| Operator |
Example |
Description |
| AND |
window AND door |
both words “window” and “door” found in the same document |
| OR |
window OR door |
either the word “window” or “door”, or both words found in the same document |
| NOT |
window NOT door |
the word window was found; the word door was not found in the same document |
| Space |
window door |
same results as searching “window AND door” |
| Wildcard * |
landscap* |
will return landscape, landscapes, landscaped, or landscaping. There is a 3 character minimum before using an asterisk |
| Double Quotes “ ” |
“wood” |
contain the exact word wood; will NOT return woods, or wooden |
| Double Quotes “ ” (multiple words) |
“wood door” |
contain the exact phrase “wood door” |
| Parenthesis () |
(steel AND concrete) OR paint |
contain both steel and concrete, or contain paint |
| NEAR |
near((intake,screen),3) |
Search for “intake” within 3 words of “screen”; regardless screen is left or right side of intake |
| NEAR with True |
near((intake,screen),3,True) |
Search for “intake” within 3 words of “screen”; intake appears left side of screen |
Complex Search Terms & Descriptions
AND phrase
This search will return results when both phrases are found in the same document.
| “Iron clad doors” AND “oak wood doors” |
- Both phrases must be found to return a result.
OR phrase
This search will return results when either phrase is found in a document.
| “Iron clad doors” OR “oak wood doors” |
- At least one of the two phrases “Iron clad doors” or “oak wood doors” must be found to return a result.
- Projects will not be returned if the document only contains the word “doors”.
NOT phrase
This search will return results where the phrase “Steel doors” exists, when the phrase “iron doors” does NOT exist in the document.
| “Steel doors” NOT (“iron doors”) |
- When both terms are in the same project document, the project will not be returned.
NEAR proximity search phrase
- This will return results when the documents contain the words “metallic” and “steel” with up to 5 words between them
- Returns results when the documents contain “metallic coated steel” or “metallic coated high grade steel”.
- Will not return results when the document contains “metallic paint that is applied over high grade steel”, because there are more than 5 words between “metallic” and “steel”.
NEAR searching with wildcard*
- will return “stud” and a form of “rail” (such as “rail”, “railing”, “rails”, etc.), there will be 3 or less words between stud and rail*
Double Quote to find exact match
- This will return results when documents contain “Optima” (exact match)
Fuzzy Search, word without double quote
- This will find “Optima” or “Optimum” (plural of Optima)
Search Term Expression Examples
| Search Term Expression |
Description |
| NEAR((intake,screen),3) |
Search for “intake” within 3 words of “screen” |
| “metal roof*” OR “metal sid*” |
Search for phrases which begin with “metal roof” or “metal sid” |
| “compact* surface” |
search for “Compact Surface” or “Compacted surface” |
