Searching and Browsing

Search

Users can search for clients, groups, and centers in Mifos by name and by ID, and they can search for loans and savings account by account number. Search fields are displayed on both the Home tab and the Clients & Accounts tab.

The system performs a name search first and then an ID search on the user entry. Search results show the total matches within the user’s data scope, starting with the user-specified keyword. It displays 20 results per page, and allows the user to navigate between the pages.

Names:  Users can search for any client, group, and center names and the system returns matches within the user’s data scope. For example, a search for John results in all client, group, and center names that start with john (like <value>%) and belong to a branch within the user’s data scope.

The system searches a client’s first, second last and last name, but not middle name.

If a user searches for a client name consisting of multiple words, the system treats these as a single word. For example, if a user searches foran or anne m, then anne marie will be one of the results. But if a user searches for marie, then anne marie will not be a search result. Results are displayed by client type, with client names followed by groups, followed by centers. Each type is sorted, with clients sorted by last name and then first name only.

IDs: Users can search by client ID, client's government ID, group ID, center ID, and loan and savings account numbers. When using this search method, the ID or number entered must be exact, otherwise no results are displayed.

Search results

Search results for a client/group/center ID or name include links to the following:

• Client/group/center details page
• Loan account(s) details page for the client
• Savings account(s) details page for the client
• Parent information: branch home page of the client; center details page of the client; and group details page of the client

Here is a sample:

Search results performed on loan/savings account system ID include a link to the account details page of the searched ID.

Using search to create a new client account

To create a new client account in Mifos, the user begins by searching for the group to which the client will belong. The results show the groups that match the search criteria, together with the branch/center to which each group belongs.

The user then clicks the appropriate group name to begin entering the client information. A user also searches for groups when transferring a client from one group to another.

Using search to create a new group

To create a new group record in Mifos, the user begins by searching for the center to which the group will belong. The results show the centers that match the search criteria, together with the branches to which each center belongs. The search results are sorted first by branch name and then by center name. [what about area offices?]

The user then clicks the appropriate center name to begin entering the group information. A user also searches for centers when transferring a group to another center in the same or a different branch.

Browsing

On the Clients & Accounts tab, under Select a Branch Office, users can navigate as follows:

• From the list of branch offices (in the user’s data scope) > to a list of all loan officers of a particular branch > to a list of all active centers (or groups if center hierarchy doesn’t exist) of a particular loan officer > to the selected center details.
• Loan officers can then browse the centers (or groups if center hierarchy doesn’t exist) assigned to him/her.

If a branch has no loan officers, the results display “No loan officers available.” If a loan officer has no centers assigned to him/her (or groups if the center hierarchy doesn’t exist) the results display “No centers/groups available.”

In addition, on the details page of client, group, center, loan and savings accounts, users can navigate as follows.

Advanced search

Since Mifos 2.6.0 version, on Home page there are available advanced search filters. If you can not see filters, there is a need to click on "show" link under default search box (filters should be enabled by default).

There is possibility to filter search results by:

• Creation date (start date and end date)
• Clients (status, gender, citizenship, ethnicity, business activity) 
• Groups (status)
• Centers (status)

To display all clients/groups/centers type "%" into search box.