Data Discovery & Risk Insights 26.2.0 Help Center

# Search builder

Use the search builder to create complex search queries from some basic query components:

- Construct a list of text search expressions to search as a term list.

- Combine text searches with required metadata fields or excluded content.

- Search using combinations of many metadata conditions.

If you had any search criteria set from a previous filtered search, using the search builder clears the filter criteria and uses only the criteria defined in the search builder..

TIP: For information about keyword syntax, see Keyword search.

For information about entities built into OpenText Core Data Discovery & Risk Insights, see Built-in grammar classes, types, and rules.

To build a search

1. At the top of the content list, click > New Search.

   The Search Builder dialog opens.

2. Define your search criteria.

   To add criteria to the desired section, click the add icon () and complete the details as applicable.

   Field | Description | Search examples
   --- | --- | ---
   Text Keywords | Type the desired keywords. Click the add icon to add an additional keyword field. Limits: Maximum 250 characters per keyword field and 100 keyword entry fields. Matches all indexed text fields and content. The keyword search supports Boolean syntax, wildcards, phrases and proximity searches. NOTE: The text keyword search is ANDed with any additional options selected in the search builder. | (“company declared bankruptcy” AND "Smith and Jones") OR "ric?ard smith*"
   ANY of the following | Add one or more criterion and define the specific values to be matched. Limits: Maximum 50 criterion fields. For criteria that allow multiple values (such as Destinations or File Extensions), maximum 250 values. For criteria that are free text (such as File Name or From), maximum 4000 characters. Each entry is combined with the OR operator. To add grammar rules Click the GRAMMARS tab and expand the desired grammar class or type. Select the check boxes for the desired grammar types or rules. If you select a grammar type, all rules within the type are selected. Click ADD. The selected grammar types and rules are added. If your selections span grammar classes, a field is added for each class and includes the grammar types and rules under that class. Limits: Maximum 250 selected values per grammar class field. The selected grammar type or individual rule counts as one value. If you select a grammar type that is comprised of 10 rules, this counts as one value. If, instead, you select all of the individual rules within that grammar type, this counts as 10 values. For each field that represents grammar types or grammar rules that are not part of a grammar type, you can define the number of values that must be identified for the document to match the criteria. NOTE: For fields that represent only grammar rules that are part of a grammar type, you cannot define a number of identified values. To define the number of grammar values that must be identified for the document to match the criteria, click the COUNT button above the grammar field that has been added and then click Any (Default), At least, or At most. If you select At least or At most, type the desired number or use the up or down arrows to define the minimum or maximum number of values identified in the document in order to match the criteria. For each field, you can define the confidence level that the identified values are sensitive content. The presumed default confidence is 50% (50% probability that the identified values are sensitive). To edit the confidence level, click the CONFIDENCE button above the grammar that has been added and then click Edit the minimum threshold. Use the up or down arrow as necessary to define the desired minimum confidence level, up to 100. | Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date> OR File types TXT, XLS. (“company declared bankruptcy” AND "Smith and Jones") AND Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date>
   ALL of the following | Add one or more criterion and define the specific values to be matched. Limits: Maximum 50 criterion fields. For criteria that allow multiple values (such as Destinations or File Extensions), maximum 250 values. For criteria that are free text (such as File Name or From), maximum 4000 characters. Each entry is combined with the AND operator. To add grammar rules Click the GRAMMARS tab and expand the desired grammar class or type. Select the check boxes for the desired grammar types or rules. If you select a grammar type, all rules within the type are selected. Click ADD. The selected grammar types and rules are added. If your selections span grammar classes, a field is added for each class and includes the grammar types and rules under that class. Limits: Maximum 250 selected values per grammar class field. The selected grammar type or individual rule counts as one value. If you select a grammar type that is comprised of 10 rules, this counts as one value. If, instead, you select all of the individual rules within that grammar type, this counts as 10 values. For each field that represents grammar types or grammar rules that are not part of a grammar type, you can define the number of values that must be identified for the document to match the criteria. NOTE: For fields that represent only grammar rules that are part of a grammar type, you cannot define a number of identified values. To define the number of grammar values that must be identified for the document to match the criteria, click the COUNT button above the grammar field that has been added and then click Any (Default), At least, or At most. If you select At least or At most, type the desired number or use the up or down arrows to define the minimum or maximum number of values identified in the document in order to match the criteria. For each field, you can define the confidence level that the identified values are sensitive content. The presumed default confidence is 50% (50% probability that the identified values are sensitive). To edit the confidence level, click the CONFIDENCE button above the grammar that has been added and then click Edit the minimum threshold. Use the up or down arrow as necessary to define the desired minimum confidence level, up to 100. | Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date> AND File types TXT, XLS. (“company declared bankruptcy” AND "Smith and Jones") AND Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date> AND File types TXT, XLS.
   For multiple-value fields, items of each metadata type in the list are combined with the OR operator, then combined with any other metadata fields with the AND operator. | (Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date>) AND (File types TXT OR XLS) AND (Holds "myHold1" OR "Hold2") (Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date>) AND (Tags "tag01" OR "tag02") In this example, "tag01" and "tag02" are defined in a single Tags field. (Create Date > By date range From <date> to <date>) AND (Tags "tag01") AND (Tags "tag02") In this example, "tag01" and "tag02" are defined in separate Tags fields.
   NONE of the following | Add one or more criterion and define the specific values that, if matched, are excluded from the results. Limits: Maximum 50 criterion fields. For criteria that allow multiple values (such as Destinations or File Extensions), maximum 250 values. For criteria that are free text (such as File Name or From), maximum 4000 characters. Each entry is combined with the OR operator. To add grammar rules Click the GRAMMARS tab and expand the desired grammar class or type. Select the check boxes for the desired grammar types or rules. If you select a grammar type, all rules within the type are selected. Click ADD. The selected grammar types and rules are added. If your selections span grammar classes, a field is added for each class and includes the grammar types and rules under that class. Limits: Maximum 250 selected values per grammar class field. The selected grammar type or individual rule counts as one value. If you select a grammar type that is comprised of 10 rules, this counts as one value. If, instead, you select all of the individual rules within that grammar type, this counts as 10 values. For each field that represents grammar types or grammar rules that are not part of a grammar type, you can define the number of values that must be identified for the document to match the criteria. NOTE: For fields that represent only grammar rules that are part of a grammar type, you cannot define a number of identified values. To define the number of grammar values that must be identified for the document to match the criteria, click the COUNT button above the grammar field that has been added and then click Any (Default), At least, or At most. If you select At least or At most, type the desired number or use the up or down arrows to define the minimum or maximum number of values identified in the document in order to match the criteria. For each field, you can define the confidence level that the identified values are sensitive content. The presumed default confidence is 50% (50% probability that the identified values are sensitive). To edit the confidence level, click the CONFIDENCE button above the grammar that has been added and then click Edit the minimum threshold. Use the up or down arrow as necessary to define the desired minimum confidence level, up to 100. Selecting NONE of the following excludes the criteria from the search results. | (“company declared bankruptcy” AND "Smith and Jones") NOT File types TXT, XLS.

3. Click Search.

   The content list displays the results matching the search criteria. The VIEWING box above the filter pane displays the first defined criteria of search query.

   Hover over the VIEWING box to display a tooltip of the entire search query.

Search builder field behavior

- Date Range fields. To enter dates in the Date Range items, enter the dates or select the dates from the calendar.

  From and To. Define the start (From) and end (To) dates.

  The following criteria applies when defining start and end dates:

  - Start date only. When only the start date is defined, new items are accepted as long as their start date is on or after the specified date.

  - End date only. When only the end date is defined, new items are accepted as long as their end date is on or before the specified date.

  - No start or end dates. When no dates are defined, there is no filter applied to the data. All current and future data is included.

- Multiple-value fields.

  For fields that allow multiple values, for example, Holds, as you enter a string in the field, the interface displays values matching the string. The interface matches with values occurring anywhere within the string.

  - Press Enter to add a value to the list of values in the field.

  - Click X to remove a value from the field.

  For fields that do not automatically provide suggestions as you type, values you enter are treated as an exact match (combined with AND) unless you use the OR operator.

- Boolean fields. For fields that specify whether an item is included or not, select the appropriate response.

  For example, for the Are Items in Workbook? field, select the appropriate response.

- Metadata fields that accept full text searches. For metadata fields that accept full text searches, enter the search expressions.

  Each separate metadata field type that you select is added to the initial criteria as an AND clause.

  For example:

  Subject title: ("Project x" OR "Project y") AND "do not forward"

  From: aaaronson@myCompany.com OR aaronson*@* OR aaron* NEAR3 aaronson

  To: *@myCompany.com

  Body: (Classified OR "top secret") AND (country OR government)

If you search content within a workspace set to automatic refresh, you can save the search criteria as a dynamic query workbook within the workspace you searched.

To create a dynamic query workbook based on the search builder criteria

NOTE: Applies only to searches conducted using the search builder and within the context of a workspace set to automatic refresh.

1. From the contents tab within the context of a workspace or workbook, conduct a search and review the search results list.

2. At the top of the search results list, click > Save As.

   The Save As a dynamic workbook dialog opens.

3. Complete the details of the new dynamic workbook.

   Option | Description
   --- | ---
   Name | Type a meaningful, unique name for the new dynamic workbook. Duplicate workbook names are not allowed within the same workspace. Limits: Maximum 50 characters.
   Description | Type a meaningful description for the new dynamic workbook. Limits: Maximum 250 characters.
   Category | Select a category to assign to the dynamic workbook or select No Category.
   Criteria | Review the summary of the search criteria. This option is based on the search conducted and is not editable.

4. Click SAVE.

   The dynamic query workbook is created and displays in the list of workbooks for the workspace.

Copyright 2019-2026 Open Text
Version 26.2.0 | Last updated April 2026
Connect
Marketplace
Learn
Support portal
Documentation
Contact
Submit or view service request