Field Constraints

Field constraints are used to locate records based on values in a record’s fields.

To create a field constraint:

Click the + Field button. Select a field using the dropdown. Once selected, choose a search operator, and enter a search value. The operators available depend on whether or not the field is controlled, and the data type of the field.

All field constraint operators, with the exception of is blank, imply that the field is not blank. For example, Color is not red will only find records where Color has a value, and it is not red; it will not find records where Color is blank. A search for Color is not red or Color is blank will find both.

If a search operator expects a value, but the value field is left blank, the constraint is ignored.

Non-controlled Fields

For non-controlled fields, the operators available for each data type are:

Text

When a search value is known to occur at the beginning of a field, Field matches value* is much faster than Field contains value.

When a search value is known to be the exact content of a field, Field is value is much faster than either Field contains value or Field matches value.

Number

Date

Timestamp

A timestamp field holds a specific moment in time, to the millisecond. In CollectionSpace records, the Created Time and Last Updated Time fields are stored as timestamps.

Structured Date

Structured dates represent a date range. All constraints on structured dates operate on the earliest date and latest date of this range. These earliest and latest date fields are automatically computed from the values entered into the structured date’s earliest/single and latest year, month, day, and era fields.

Boolean

A boolean field holds a true/false value, and is usually represented by a checkbox.

Controlled Fields

Controlled fields include those that are bound to static option lists or dynamic term lists (using dropdown menus) and to authorities (using autocomplete inputs).

For controlled fields, the following search operators are available: