Understanding Search in PeopleSoft Purchasing

Components

These components use PeopleSoft keyword search:

• PO Contracts (CNTRCT_ENTRY)

• Purchase Orders (PURCHASE_ORDER)

• Receipts (RECV_PO)

• Requisitions (REQUISITIONS)

• Purchase Order Documents and Purchasing Contract Documents (CONTRACT_MGMT)

Global Search Category

The Search Category is the highest-level object in the Search framework. It is comprised of one or more Search Definitions. All the searches in the application are performed against Search Categories. For global search it is necessary to set up search categories as Search Groups.

The search category used in Purchasing for global searches is EP_PROCUREMENT.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Search Category page.

The Purchasing/Procurement search category is exposed to global searches. All available items in the Search Framework repository are displayed in the search result for global search. However, related action and item detail are only available for the items for which the requester has access, based on the security setup.

Search Definitions

Search Definitions are the main structure of a search index. A search definition contains everything needed to create a search index, which includes facets, security, attachments, pre- and post-processing, and component mapping.

Six search definitions are linked to the Purchasing/Procurement search category EP_PROCUREMENT. They are:

• EP_CS_DOC_CONTRACTS (Purchasing Contract Documents)

• EP_CS_DOC_PURCHORDRS (Purchase Order Documents)

• EP_PO_CONTRACTS (PO Contracts)

• EP_PO_PURCHASE_ORDERS (Purchase Orders)

• EP_PO_RECEIPTS (Receipts)

• EP_PO_REQUISITIONS (Requisitions)

Connected Queries and Queries

In Purchasing every search definition is attached to a Connected Query. A connected query is a hierarchical ordering of the existing queries. For example:

• Search Definition - EP_CS_DOC_CONTRACTS, Connected Query - CS_DOC_CONTRACTS

• Search Definition - EP_CS_DOC_PURCHORDRS, Connected Query - CS_DOC_PURCHORDRS

• Search Definition - EP_PO_CONTRACTS, Connected Query - PO_SRCH_CONTRACTS_CQ

• Search Definition - EP_PO_PURCHASE_ORDERS, Connected Query - PO_SRCH_PO_CQ1

• Search Definition - EP_PO_RECEIPTS, Connected Query - PO_SRCH_RECEIPTS_CQ

• Search Definition - EP_PO_REQUISITIONS, Connected Query - PO_SRCH_REQ_CQ

The parent query is the most important as it is the driver for data extraction. Every row found for the parent becomes a document in the Search Framework repository. All other queries provide additional data that could be present or missing in the repository. Multiple rows at lower level, results in repeating attributes that will be indexed.

Faceted Fields

A facet is a field that is relevant to the search and that allows you to browse or refine search results.

These fields are predefined as faceted fields for PeopleSoft Purchasing:

• SES_YEAR_H (Document Date Hierarchy)

• NAME1_FSCM_NAME1 (Supplier Name)