Finding an Idea in Lotus Notes


New users of the MIX databases in Lotus Notes sometimes have trouble finding specific ideas, comments, or assignments in the Idea Advancement Process. The key to finding an idea is knowing how to use the appropriate View selection from the menu bar.

This file is intended to clarify a few important points:

New Ideas

New ideas are those which have been posted, but have not yet been sent to Initial Review. They will not appear under View / 3. Ideas in Process until the Idea Manager recommends them for Initial Review.

To view the list of new ideas, select View / 1. Idea Manager Review / New Idea (see below).

Commenting on New Ideas

Comments on a new idea can be posted, but they will not appear in the New Ideas list. They will be placed in View / 3. Ideas in Process. Later, when the idea is placed in Ideas in Process, any comments will then be grouped with the idea they reference.

Using the Search Bar

Many Lotus Notes databases, including the Idea Advancement Process and Shared Learnings, have full text search capabilities. (Others, such as SCAN and Shell Keyword Lookup Library, do not.) The Search Bar may be activated by selecting View / Show Search Bar.

The Search Bar enables you to search the current view by typing in a key word or name. It also allows the use of combinations of two or more words connected by "and" or "or."

Examples:

Type in: Results:
"laptop" Finds 11 items which mention laptop computers
"Ritter" Finds four items by Mike Ritter
"laptop and Ritter" Finds two items on laptop computers by Mike Ritter
"laptop or Ritter" Finds 13 items which mention either laptops or Mike Ritter
"laptop or Ritter or computer" Finds 33 items which mention laptops, computers, or Ritter

Updating the Index

When using the Search Bar, there will sometimes be a delay before newly-submitted items will appear. While new items are posted immediately upon submission, the full-text index is updated at intervals. To force an immediate update of the index (if authorized at your access level), select File / Full Text Search / Update Index.

5/28/96

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Copyright 1996 Paul A. Hughes
Last updated September 1996. For more information, write Aggie80@aol.com.