OutreachSystems

In WebCATS, one of the most powerful features is the ability to generate subsets for all the various data entry forms. In order to find all the companies that manufacture a particular product or offer a particular service, you will generate a client subset.

There are two ways to achieve the desired results and each has its own benefits and drawbacks. You can either search within the Product/Service Description field found in the client record, or you can search for a particular code.

In this FAQ we will discuss both of these options.

How to search for companies by the description entered into the Product/Service Description field...

1. Select View|Clients/Pre-clients and click on the Client Subset button.
2. Assuming that you only want to search for active clients, select the Client/Pre-Client Type field as the first field to include in your subset criteria.
3. Next, find the Product or Service Description field and place a check mark next to this field as well.
4. Click the Specify Criteria button.
5. If you'd like to search client records for centers other than, or in addition to, the current active center, expand the Center(s) selection field and select/deselect the centers you would like included in the subset.
6. Choose the type of client that you want to search for (presumably active clients only) and enter in the keyword that best describes the type of company you want to find, as shown in the next graphic.



Note: When searching free-form text fields with paragraphs of text such as the Product/Service Description field, beginning and ending asterisk (*) wildcards are implicit to ensure you capture keywords found anywhere within the multi-line field.

7. If you'd like to save this subset, select the Save Subset for future use? option and enter a descriptive name for it in the adjacent Name field. For more information on managing saved subsets, view the FAQ titled Can I save my subset for future use or to share it with other WebCATS users?.
8. Click Finish and you will be presented with the results of your search.

How to search for companies by code...

Rather than searching by product description, you can also search by product code such as NAICS, FSC, or SIC. The benefit of searching by codes versus searching by product or service description is that you don't have to worry about spelling errors or differences in the way people describe a business. For example, in the previous example we searched for all construction companies, but what if a counselor didn't use the word "construction" to describe a particular company's capabilities and instead said that they are involved in "building overpasses." In this case, a search for construction or bridge would not be complete. A search by code might be more inclusive.

1. Before you create the subset, you should find out which codes best apply to the types of companies you want to search for.
2. Select View|Clients/Pre-clients and click on the Client Subset button.
3. Assuming that you only want to search for active clients, select the Client/Pre-Client Type field as the first field to include in your subset criteria.
4. Next, find one of the Product Codes, <code type> fields (e.g. Product Codes, NAICS or Product Codes, PSC) and place a check mark next to it as well.
5. Click the Specify Criteria button.
6. If you'd like to search client records for centers other than, or in addition to, the current active center, expand the Center(s) selection field and select/deselect the centers you would like included in the subset.
7. Choose the type of client that you want to search for (presumably active clients only) and enter in the code(s) that best describe the type of company you want to find, as shown in the next graphic.



8. If you'd like to save this subset, select the Save Subset for future use? option and enter a descriptive name for it in the adjacent Name field. For more information on managing saved subsets, view the FAQ titled Can I save my subset for future use or to share it with other WebCATS users?.
9. Click Finish and you will be presented with the results of your search.

The capabilities of subsets are endless and are available for most record types. For more information on subsets, view our other popular resources on this topic:

• FAQ: How do I create a subset?
• FAQ: Can I save my subset for future use or to share it with other WebCATS users?
• FAQ: How can I use the various field types and options to best build my subset criteria?
• FAQ: What exactly are the specially calculated fields that are available for some subsets?
• Flash Tutorial: Creating Subsets

Want more? Browse our extensive list of WebCATS FAQs.