Searching and Filtering Assets

With hundreds or thousands of assets, finding specific equipment quickly is critical. This guide shows you how to use UniAsset's search and filter tools effectively.

Global Search (Fastest Method)

What is Global Search?

Global Search searches across all asset fields instantly as you type.

Location: Top-center of every page (search box with magnifying glass icon)

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+K (Windows) or Cmd+K (Mac)

What Global Search Finds

Global Search looks in these fields:

• Asset Name
• Serial Number
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Assigned User (name)
• Location
• Department
• Category

How to Use Global Search

1. Click search box (or press Ctrl+K)
2. Start typing your query
3. Results appear instantly as you type
4. Click a result to view asset details

Global Search Examples

💡 TIP: Global Search is the fastest way to find a specific asset. Use it instead of manually browsing asset lists.

Advanced Filters (Precise Control)

When to Use Advanced Filters

Use filters when you need to:

• Find all assets meeting multiple criteria (e.g., "All Active laptops in IT Department")
• Generate specific asset lists for reports or audits
• Review assets by category, location, status, or department

Accessing Filters

1. Go to Dashboard → Assets
2. Click Filters button (top of asset list)
3. Filter panel opens on right side

Available Filters

Category Filter

What it does: Show only assets in selected category

How to use:

• Click Category dropdown
• Select one or more categories (checkboxes)
• Asset list updates instantly

Example: Show only "Computers & IT" assets

Status Filter

What it does: Filter by operational status

Options:

• Active
• In Maintenance
• Damaged
• Disposed
• Custom statuses (if created)

Example: Show all "Damaged" assets requiring repair/dispose decisions

Location Filter

What it does: Show assets at specific location(s)

How to use:

• Select one or more locations
• Useful for site audits ("Count all assets in Warehouse A")

Department Filter

What it does: Show assets owned by specific department

Example: "Show all assets in IT Department" for budget review

Assigned To Filter

What it does: Show assets assigned to specific user OR unassigned assets

Options:

• Select specific user (by name)
• "Unassigned" (assets with no user assignment)

Example: "Show me all laptops available for assignment" (Category = Computers & IT, Assigned To = Unassigned)

Purchase Date Range

What it does: Filter by when asset was purchased

Use cases:

• "Show assets purchased in last 12 months"
• "Show assets purchased before 2020" (old equipment needing replacement)

Warranty Expiry Range

What it does: Show assets with warranties expiring in specific timeframe

Use cases:

• "Warranties expiring in next 30 days" (plan renewals)
• "Assets with expired warranties" (evaluate extended warranty options)

Combining Filters (Multi-Dimensional Search)

Filters work together (AND logic). Examples:

Example 1: Available Laptops for New Hire

Filters:

• Category = "Computers & IT"
• Status = "Active"
• Assigned To = "Unassigned"

Result: All unassigned, active laptops ready for deployment

Example 2: Operations Assets in Warehouse Needing Attention

Filters:

• Department = "Operations"
• Location = "Warehouse A"
• Status = "Damaged" OR "In Maintenance"

Result: Operations-owned equipment in Warehouse A that needs repair/decision

Example 3: High-Value Assets Approaching End of Warranty

Filters:

• Purchase Price > $1,000
• Warranty Expiry = Next 30 days

Result: Expensive assets with expiring warranties (consider extended warranty)

Clearing Filters

To reset all filters:

• Click Clear All Filters button
• Asset list returns to showing all assets

Sorting Asset Lists

How to Sort

Click column headers to sort:

• Name (A-Z or Z-A)
• Serial Number (alphanumeric)
• Purchase Date (newest first or oldest first)
• Purchase Price (highest to lowest or vice versa)
• Status (alphabetical)
• Category (alphabetical)

Common Sorting Use Cases

Find most expensive assets:

1. Click Purchase Price column header
2. Sort descending (highest first)
3. Review top assets

Find newest assets:

1. Click Purchase Date column header
2. Sort descending (newest first)

Find oldest assets (candidates for replacement):

1. Click Purchase Date column header
2. Sort ascending (oldest first)

Saved Searches (Future Feature)

The ability to save frequently-used filter combinations is planned for a future release.

Workaround:

• Bookmark the filtered URL in your browser
• Example: Bookmark "Available Laptops" filter to quickly access list

Exporting Filtered Results

Once you've filtered assets, you can export the results:

1. Apply filters
2. Click Export button
3. Select format:
   • CSV (for Excel/Google Sheets analysis)
   • PDF (for printing/sharing reports)
4. File downloads with only filtered assets

Use cases:

• Export "All Operations assets" for department budget review
• Export "Assets in Warehouse A" for physical audit checklist
• Export "Damaged assets" for repair decision meeting

Common Search Scenarios

Scenario 1: "Where is the Dell laptop with serial ABC123?"

Method: Global Search

1. Press Ctrl+K
2. Type "ABC123"
3. Click result
4. Asset detail page shows location and assignment

Scenario 2: "List all assets assigned to Jane Smith"

Method: Advanced Filters

1. Dashboard → Assets
2. Filters → Assigned To = "Jane Smith"
3. View list (can export for Jane's offboarding checklist)

Scenario 3: "What laptops are available for the new hire starting Monday?"

Method: Advanced Filters

1. Dashboard → Assets
2. Filters:
   • Category = "Computers & IT"
   • Status = "Active"
   • Assigned To = "Unassigned"
3. View list of available laptops

Scenario 4: "Audit all assets in Boston office"

Method: Advanced Filters

1. Dashboard → Assets
2. Filters → Location = "Boston Office"
3. Export to CSV or PDF
4. Use as audit checklist

Scenario 5: "Which assets have warranties expiring this month?"

Method: Advanced Filters

1. Dashboard → Assets
2. Filters → Warranty Expiry = This Month
3. Review list and plan renewals

Best Practices

1. Use Global Search for Known Assets

If you know the serial number, name, or assigned user:

• Use Global Search (Ctrl+K) for instant results
• Faster than navigating to Assets page and filtering

2. Use Filters for Lists and Reports

When you need a list of assets meeting criteria:

• Use Advanced Filters for precision
• Export results for sharing/printing

3. Combine Filters for Complex Queries

Don't use filters one at a time:

• ✅ Apply multiple filters together
• ❌ Filter by category, review, then filter by status separately (inefficient)

4. Export Before Making Bulk Changes

Before bulk operations (e.g., changing status for many assets):

1. Filter assets
2. Export list
3. Review exported list
4. Proceed with changes
5. Keep export as backup/record

Related Articles

• Creating Assets — Add new assets
• Editing Assets — Update asset details
• Categories, Locations, Departments — Organizational structures
• Exporting Data — Export assets to CSV/PDF

Need Help?

If you can't find an asset you're looking for, contact support at support@uniasset.app.