Boolean search syntax
AND, OR, NOT, phrases, brackets, wildcards and proximity (w/N, NEAR/N, pre/N), with examples.
Search in the sidebar searches every document and email in a project that you are allowed to see. Switch between Boolean and Plain English above the results.
Boolean search finds exactly what you describe. It is the right choice when you know the words that were used.
Operators at a glance
| You type | It finds |
|---|---|
crane outage | Both words, anywhere in the document. Words side by side are joined with AND. |
crane AND outage | Both words, anywhere in the document. |
crane OR hoist | Either word. |
crane NOT Stratford | crane, but not in documents that mention Stratford. |
"slab edge" | The exact phrase. |
(crane OR hoist) AND delay | Brackets group terms, so the OR is worked out first. |
bracket* | Any word starting bracket: bracket, brackets, bracketry. |
crane w/5 delay | crane within 5 words of delay, in either order. |
crane NEAR/5 delay | The same as w/5, for people used to other search tools. |
notice pre/3 delay | notice coming before delay, within 3 words. |
Write the operators AND, OR, NOT, w/, NEAR/ and pre/ in capitals or as shown. Search terms are not case sensitive.
Examples
A direction that changed the brackets
bracket* w/5 ("slab edge" OR anchor*) AND "Rev C"
Anything that might be a delay notice
("delay notice" OR "notice of delay" OR "extension of time") NOT "meeting time"
The head contractor saying there is no change to the price
"no change" pre/4 ("subcontract sum" OR "contract sum" OR price)
A crane or hoist problem close to a date
(crane OR TC1 OR hoist) w/10 ("out of service" OR breakdown OR cancelled)
RFIs about slab edge distances
RFI* AND "slab edge" w/8 (distance OR thickness OR "150 mm")
Tips
- Use brackets whenever you mix AND with OR. It makes the query read the way you mean it.
- Put a wildcard at the end of a word, not the start:
variat*finds variation and variations. - Start broad, then add NOT to remove noise, such as a subcontractor with a similar name.
- If a Boolean search finds nothing, try the same question in Plain English. See Plain-English search.
Every result shows the page it was found on. See Page references.
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