How to use the Sage 300 Finder Tool

The Finder is a lookup tool within Sage 300.  To launch the Finder, you may either click on the magnifier icon or press F5 from your function keys.  The “Find by” field is used to select the key field to be used as a lookup reference.  Below that, you may select “Starts with” or “Contains” to determine the filter option.  In the “Filter” field, a group of characters may be entered to filter the lookup list.  If the “Find By” Filter is applied, the Filter remembers your last selection and applies the same filter automatically the next time you search by this type of record.  This is the basic use of the Sage 300 Finder.

Beyond what has been described above, there is a lot more that can be done from within the Finder.  Here are some tips and tricks to utilize the potentials of the Finder:

1. Go To Filter First – Select this to default your cursor to the Filter field as soon as you fire up the Finder.

2. Sort list by selecting the appropriate key field.

In the Key Menu, a list of fields that can be used for sorting are displayed.

3. Adding or removing columns in the Finder list.

Click Settings>Column to select the columns to be displayed in the Finder list.  You may also use this dialog box to set the order of columns.

4. Set Criteria – This will help you do a quick search of long list of records.  Set Criteria is also available when exporting data.

Steps to use the Set Criteria in Filter:

1. From the list of available data in the column field, select the data that will be used for filtering the list.

2. Click Add.  A column filter criteria will be created for the Field selected.

3. Double Click on the cell under the column created.  A dialog box will appear.  Select the relational operator to be used and enter the value for the field.  Click Ok.

4. You may add more fields to filter the list further, thereby adding more columns.  You may also add more values to be used as a filter, form within the same Criteria column.  Click Save.

Other buttons are used as follows:

• Delete (beside the Add button on top of the window) – Deletes all the criteria for a field (column) currently selected.

• Show filter – displays all the criteria set, as an expression.

• Clear – Clear all or part of the criteria set.  You may select one of the following options:  Cell, Row, Column, or All

• Edit – allows revision of criteria set in a previous session.

• OK – exits the Set Criteria dialog box.

• Cancel – cancel all criteria you set in this session.  This is exit without saving.

To use the Set Criteria during export:

1. Select the Set Criteria button within the Export dialog box.

2. Apply the same steps as described above

3. Export the records

At Mantralogix we are truly experts in Sage 300.  Please call us at 1-866-320-8922, or contact us here if you want to learn more about Sage 300 or other Sage products.