Search and Filter Your Client List

As your client base grows, being able to find the right person quickly becomes essential. Whether you're looking for a client by name, trying to remember who had that particular phone number, or wanting to see all your customers in a specific area, SemaQuote's search has you covered.

How Search Works

SemaQuote searches across multiple fields at once:

• Client name: Full names, partial names, or just first/last names
• Email address: Complete addresses or partial matches
• Phone number: Any format, even partial numbers
• City: Find everyone in a particular location

The search uses "fuzzy matching," which means it can find what you're looking for even if you have a small typo or can't remember the exact spelling.

Searching on Web

Running a Basic Search

1. Navigate to Clients in the main menu
2. Find the search bar at the top of your client list
3. Start typing your search query
4. Watch results update automatically as you type

Search Examples

Finding clients by name:

• john smith finds "John Smith," "Johnny Smith," and similar names
• smith finds everyone with "Smith" anywhere in their name
• john finds "John," "Johnny," "Johnson," and more

Finding clients by email:

• gmail.com shows all clients with Gmail addresses
• john@ finds emails starting with "john@"
• smith@company matches specific email patterns

Finding clients by phone:

• 555-1234 finds clients with this number sequence
• 512 shows clients with the 512 area code
• 5551234567 works regardless of how the number was formatted

Finding clients by location:

• Austin shows all clients in Austin
• TX finds clients in Texas (if you included state in their profile)

Searching on Mobile

Using the Search Bar

1. Open Clients from the bottom navigation
2. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen
3. Type your search query
4. Results filter in real-time as you type

Mobile Search Tips

• The list updates instantly as you type
• Scroll the list to dismiss the keyboard
• Your search stays active until you clear it
• Pull-to-refresh works even while searching

Clearing Your Search

Tap the X icon in the search bar, or simply delete all the text.

Understanding Fuzzy Search

SemaQuote's intelligent matching helps you find clients even when you don't have exact information. Here's how it works:

The system calculates how similar your search query is to client data, then ranks results by confidence:

How Results Are Ranked

• High confidence matches appear first: exact or near-exact matches
• Medium confidence comes next: partial matches and similar names
• Lower confidence follows: fuzzier matches with more variation

This means the client you're looking for almost always appears at the top of your results.

Sorting Your Client List

Beyond searching, you can sort your client list to browse more efficiently.

Available Sort Options

By Name (default)

Alphabetical sorting, A-Z or Z-A. Useful when you know roughly where a client falls alphabetically.

By Date Created

Newest first or oldest first. Great for finding clients you added recently.

By Lifetime Value

Highest value first or lowest first. Helpful for prioritizing your most valuable customer relationships.

Sorting on Web

1. Look for the sort dropdown or clickable column headers in your client list
2. Click to select your preferred sort option
3. Click again to reverse the order (A-Z becomes Z-A)

Sorting on Mobile

The mobile app sorts alphabetically by default. Pull down on the list to refresh and reset to the default sort.

Finding Clients in Specific Situations

Planning Work in an Area

When you need to focus on a particular neighborhood or city:

1. Search by city name: Austin
2. Or search by ZIP code: 78701
3. Your results show all clients in that area

This is especially useful for:

• Planning efficient routes between jobs
• Grouping nearby appointments
• Marketing to specific neighborhoods

Finding Clients You Can Email

Search for @ to find all clients who have email addresses on file. This is handy when you want to send out updates or marketing materials.

Finding Local Phone Numbers

Search by area code (like 512) to find clients with local numbers. Useful when you want to make calls during a specific time zone's business hours.

Reviewing Recent Additions

Sort by date created (newest first) to:

• See clients you added today or this week
• Follow up with recent additions
• Make sure new entries are complete

Identifying Your Best Customers

Sort by lifetime value (highest first) to:

• See your most valuable relationships at a glance
• Prioritize responses to high-value clients
• Look for upselling opportunities

Search in Other Parts of SemaQuote

Client search isn't just on the Clients page. You'll find it throughout the app.

When Creating Quotes

The quote creation form includes a client search field:

• Start typing a client name
• Matching clients appear in a dropdown
• Select the right client to auto-fill their information

When Creating Invoices

Invoice creation works the same way:

• Search for existing clients
• Select to populate invoice details automatically

Voice Quote Creation (Mobile Pro)

When using voice to create quotes, just mention client names naturally:

• "Quote for John Smith..."
• The AI matches names against your client database
• Existing clients are linked automatically

Performance Notes

Large Client Lists

SemaQuote handles large client databases smoothly:

• Results paginate automatically
• Only visible clients are rendered at once
• Search happens efficiently on the server

Mobile Optimization

The mobile app includes specific optimizations for smooth performance:

• Fixed-height list items for smooth scrolling
• Smart rendering to prevent slowdowns
• Keyboard dismisses when you scroll for a better experience

Tips for More Effective Searching

Be Specific When You Can

More specific searches give better results:

• "John Smith Austin" is better than just "John"
• Full phone numbers are more accurate than partials

Partial Information Is Fine

Don't worry if you only remember part of the info:

• Last name only usually works
• Last four digits of a phone number
• Just the street name from an address

Try Different Approaches

If your first search doesn't find what you need:

• Try a different field (name vs phone vs city)
• Check for spelling variations
• Search for unique details you remember

Better Data Means Better Search

The quality of your search results depends on your data:

• Use consistent naming formats
• Fill in complete address information
• Keep phone and email entries accurate

Troubleshooting

Search Returns No Results

• Double-check your spelling
• Try a shorter, more general search
• Make sure the client wasn't deleted
• Clear the search and browse manually

Too Many Results

• Add more specific terms to narrow things down
• Include multiple identifying details
• Use city or state to filter by location

Search Seems Slow

• Check your internet connection
• Large result sets may take a moment to load
• Pull to refresh if the list seems stuck

Can't Find a Client You Know Exists

• The client may have been soft-deleted
• Check for spelling variations in their name
• Try searching by phone or email instead
• Browse your complete client list manually