Speedsearch Look, Feel and Functionality needs a Complete Overhaul

[#1]

Searching for records in a database is an extremely important component. Speedsearch should be the standard lookup tool in saleslogix for finding records as the standard lookup functionality at entity level is very limiting and unforgiving. However Speedsearch needs a complete overhaul as it is clumsy and it is not user friendly. Users want and expect the "Google" experience from a search function.

Downsides of Speedsearch

• Results take up too much space onscreen
• Characters such as "&" and other unusual characters are not accepted.
• Only the first 25 results are shown. (why not just All results?). Users assume that this all the results as it is not clear that there are more.
• If you type in a portion of a word (e.g. basically a contains function) you do not get a result - very poor.
• When the advanced box is open there is a scrollbar to view the results within the screen scrollbar which is confusing.
• The ordering sometimes makes no sense. It will show leads with a poor match level before an account with 100% match level. Then the same search will order it correctly at another time. Users have a hard time trusting the results.

Features Wanted:

• Predictive typing with the available results as you type (just like Google).
• Ability to configure what fields are shown in the results pane as well as the preview pane. This should also be configurable for the type of entity where there is a match. For example the fields shown for a ticket will be different for the fields shown for an account.
• Ability to set your own max results e.g.. All results
• Results shown for portions of words (contains function)
• If the bulk of the search is a match - for example if someone types in Company Limited and the record is in the database as "Company Ltd" or just "Company" it should still provide a corresponding match whereas currently no results will be returned.

• Preview screen needs to be overhauled for look and feel. It looks awful and some of it is not relevant. Fields shown on the preview screen needs to be configurable.

  Where users do not have access to a record they can still see a match but are told they do not have access. This is actually a great feature as it means users have the ability to know a record is there and can discuss further with the account manager. However, I want the ability to allow a preview on the result for certain approved fields so the can get a basic understanding of a record in order to discuss further with the relevant account manager on potential duplicates or cross selling of sales opportunities etc.
• In addition to records being sorted by score level. e.g.. 100% matches are shown before 90% matches etc, where the score level is the same, we need the ability to configure the order of results (e.g.. Accounts should show before leads because that is qualified information).

[#2]

Definitely needs an "update". I'd suggest that it also needs to be 100% customizable

[#3]

The search should be smart enough to ignore certain punctuation or spacing.  For example, if I have a account called "A.B. Company" a search for "AB Company" or "A. B. Company" should find it.  Likewise for "A&B Company" and "A & B Company"

If we really wanted to get clever with the search (and this shouldn't be to crazy a thing to ask as a software company I worked for had this functionality about 20 years ago), it had certain programmed things so that...

a search for the name "Bill" would also bring up "William"

a search for the name "Kathy" would also bring up "Cathy" and "Katherine"

This would be useful in looking up names for our customer support who has to get to the right person quickly on the phone.

[#4]

Speedsearch is based on an OEM copy of DTSearch - So you "should" have all the capabilities of DT.. but you don't :-(

Ex: http://www.dtsearch.com/PLF_Features_2.html#fuz