Help
Document Search HelpDocument Search Help
You can perform searches by entering one or more pieces of information about a document. For example, if you know a person's name, you can simply enter it into the Grantor or Grantee field. If you know the date range of the document, you may also enter it. The more information you enter, the more focused the search results will be.Document Type
If you know the type of document you are looking for, you can uncheck the 'Search All Types' box and then select the type of document from the list.Instrument Number
If you know the Instrument Number, you can simply enter it and press enter. Please note that the instrument number must contain the four digit year. For example, 2004000019, 2004-000019, and 200419 are all valid formats. But 0419 and 04-000019 are not.Date Range
You can enter a date range to help focus your search results. If you know the exact date of a document, enter the same date in the Start and End date.Name Searches
There are three fields used for doing name searches: Grantor, Grantee, and Grantor/Grantee. The Grantor and Grantee fields will search only those fields. The Grantor/Grantee field will search for names that appear in either the Grantor OR the Grantee field.Exact Match and Advanced Searches
All three of the name fields have two different types of searching: Exact Match and Advanced. 'Exact Match' searches will search for a name in the exact order you entered it. You will need to enter it Last Name first. For example, if you enter:
| Franklin Benjamin | Exact Match |
The system will return documents belonging to Benjamin Franklin but not Franklin Roosevelt.
'Advanced' searches work more like an Internet search engine. The order of the words doesn't matter. For example, if you enter:
| Franklin Benjamin | Advanced |
The system will return document belonging to Benjamin Franklin and Franklin Roosevelt and Benjamin Moore.
Wild Cards
The * character is a wild card character. It can be used in both Exact Match searches and Advanced searches. It can be substituted for any other character or characters. For example, if you enter:
| Frank* Ben* | Exact Match |
The system will return documents belonging to Benjamin Franklin, Ben Frank, and Bennie Frankenstein. This can be useful if you are unsure about spelling.
Advanced Search Operators
Performing Advanced searches with no operators will return documents containing any of the words you entered. By using certain modifiers, or Operators, you can focus your search.
+
The + operator tells the system that this word must appear in the document. For example, if you enter:
| Franklin +Benjamin | Advanced |
The system will documents belonging to Benjamin Franklin, but not Franklin Roosevelt.
-
The - operator tells the system that this word must NOT appear in the document. For example, if you enter:
| Franklin -Benjamin | Advanced |
The system will return documents belonging to Franklin Roosevelt, but not Benjamin Franklin.