Certain operators allow for flexible use of advanced querying techniques. Please see the guidelines below to get started and don't hesitate to reach out for help on a particular query. Note that the first part of this article will cover the basic search operators, the second part shows the new interface that you will find on Govly to get the most use of these operators and prevent search errors.
Basic Search Operators:
Spaces between words or phrases defaults to an AND operator. You may also type "AND" explicitly (case insensitive) or use the buttons to insert the AND.
| (pipe operator) signifies an OR operation. You may also type "OR" explicitly (case insensitive) or use the buttons to insert the OR.
- negates a single word or phrase. You may also type "NOT" explicitly (case insensitive) or use the buttons to insert the NOT.
"" wraps a number of words to signify a phrase for searching within the quotes. You may also use the buttons to insert the quotes.
* at the end of a word signifies a prefix query, the traditional wildcard.
( ) signify precedence, enclose like operators within parentheses. You may also use the buttons to add the ( ) but be sure to then place the cursor inside the parentheses to add other operators.
~N after a word signifies edit distance (how many letters off a word can be from your query to match).
~N after a phrase signifies slop amount (how many extra words are allowed between words in a phrase).
All searches are case insensitive.
For example:
Matches any opportunity that has both "Cisco" AND "printers" in the searchable text.
cisco printers
Matches any opportunity that has exactly "Cisco printers"in the searchable text
"cisco printers"
Matches any opportunity that has either "Cisco" OR "dell" in the searchable text.
cisco | dell
Matches any opportunity that has either "Cisco OR dell" AND "printers" in the searchable text. Notice the use of parentheses to ensure the correct logic. Without the parentheses, the query would match "Cisco" OR "dell AND printers".
(cisco | dell) printers
Matches any opportunity that has either "Cisco OR dell" AND NOT "printers" in the searchable text.
(cisco | dell) -printers
Matches any opportunity that has a word that matches the prefix "hyper" AND matches "storage".
hyper* storage
Matches the phrase exactly (case insensitive).
"Department of Energy"
Matches the following:
must include the exact phrase "Department of Energy"
AND must include EITHER "Oracle" OR "Dell"
AND must NOT include either "printers" OR "monitors"
all queries are case insensitive
"Department of Energy" (cisco | dell) -printers -monitors
Search Assistance:
The new Search Opportunities box has buttons that can be used to assist in creating your search. Rather than type in the search operators, use the buttons to insert them. Group like operators together and if more than one different operator, use parentheses to separate. Here is an example:
The four terms in the first set of parentheses are similar terms and use the OR operator. The second set of two terms also use the OR operator and are enclosed in parentheses, but are terms that are excluded as shown by the "AND NOT" operators. In other words, the search is looking for pandemic-related RFQs but not from the DoD and not any that request Cisco. This would be used by a company that is looking for short-notice pandemic requirements but is not a Cisco reseller and not interested in any pandemic requirements from the Department of Defense.
There is error checking built into the tool for ease of use and ease of problem identification.
This saves much time in troubleshooting a search that is giving too few hits or too many hits.
Please take the time to experiment with various operators and syntax to create the search that best finds what you are looking for.