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Overview
TeamDynamix (TDX), the IT ticketing system used by MSU IT has a built-in Knowledge Base (KB) that holds numerous articles that range from describing the services that MSU IT provides and how to use them, to self-service guides how to resolve identified common issues. This article will describe the various places and ways you can search the information stored in the KB.
First, an explanation of some key concepts that affect these searches.
Search Logic - AND vs OR
When you search, you have the ability to type multiple words into the search field. For example, you might type: "how do I reset my password". The system will handle those words differently and therefore give you different results depending on the search logic it uses:
- AND Logic: only returns items that contain every single word you typed. A search for spartan zebra will only return items that contain both spartan AND zebra. Even though numerous articles have the word spartan in them, the search will return 0 results because no items have both words in them.
- OR Logic: returns all items that have at least one of the words you typed. A search for spartan zebra will return all items that have spartan in them. It will also return all items that have zebra in them (which happens to be 0, so the net result is returning all items containing spartan).
Look Ahead Searching
Look ahead searching is when the system is checking what you are typing in real time and updating a dynamic list of potential matches that appear like a drop down box under the search field. If you see an article that you want to open you can select it directly from the look ahead list. Be aware the look ahead function only shows up to five matching items in its list, even if there are many more than that available. You can submit your search to get the full list of matching articles, not just those that appeared in the look ahead list.
Search Operators can Change Default Behavior
The default behavior of a search can be modified by using search operators. A search that normally defaults to AND logic can be changed to OR logic by typing pipe characters " | " between the search terms (for example: spartan | zebra). See KB 32 for the full list of search operators you can use.
Why This Matters
Depending on which search method you use, the search logic may be either AND or OR, look ahead searching will or will not be available, and the set of operators you can use will be different. In the Client Portal / KB, there are two primary methods to search the KB:
- From the top-right search field in the Client Portal and KB; or
- From the Search tab in the KB.
A quick comparison of these search methods shows the differences:
| |
Top-Right Search Field |
Search Tab in KB |
| Search Logic |
AND |
OR |
| Allows Look Ahead |
Yes |
No |
| Search Operators Allowed |
Multiple (See KB 39) |
Only "" |
| Locations Searched |
KB and Service Catalog (but can be filtered) |
Only KB |
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Searching From the Top-Right of the Client Portal and KB
Near the top-right corner of both the Client Portal and the KB you will find a field that says: Search the client portal. This field uses AND logic for its search, and provides dynamic results in a look ahead drop down box that updates in real time while you type your search. It also searches both the KB and the Service Catalog by default. You can tell it to only search the KB by selecting the drop down arrow next to the field and choosing Knowledge Base. 
You can override the AND logic by using pipe characters between each word. For example, typing spartan | zebra will return any article that has either word in it, just like OR logic would do. The screenshots below demonstrate the AND logic of this field by showing multiple results when only spartan is in the field, and showing no results when spartan zebra is in the field. See KB 32 for the full list of search operators you can use.
Spartan look ahead example screenshot
Spartan zebra look ahead example screenshot
You can also see the AND logic at work in the resulting URL if you submit your search from the top-right field. Notice in the example below that the search is added to the end of the URL as spartan+zebra. Of note also is that if you go to the results page after entering your search from the top-right field, any search conducted from that results page will use the same AND logic and provide look ahead results. It looks similar to the Search tab, but acts just like the top-right field.
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Searching From the Search Tab of the KB
In the menu bar of the KB, there is a tab called Search. If you are logged in to an MSU account you may see multiple other tabs as well. Select Search to enter the tab. You can then enter your search terms in the Search field. This search uses OR logic and does not provide look ahead results. The only operator you can use to modify this search type is using "" to enclose a phrase. This will restrict the search to only return articles that contain that exact sequence of words you typed within the quotes. The screenshots below show the difference between searching spartan zebra vs. "spartan zebra". The former returns any article that has either spartan or zebra in it, and the latter returns nothing because no article has that exact phrase in it.
Spartan zebra results screenshot
"Spartan zebra" results screenshot
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