Finding, sorting, and replacing data > Finding records > Making a find request
 
Making a find request
To find records, work in Find mode. You type search criteria (the value or values to find) into fields in a find request, which looks like a blank record. When you perform the find, FileMaker Pro searches for records that match the criteria you entered. Matching records replace any previous found set.
To make a find request:
1. Switch to Find mode by clicking Find in the status toolbar.
2. From the Layout pop-up menu, select a layout that contains the fields you want to search for.
If necessary, you can change layouts and enter criteria on more than one layout.
3. In the find request, select a text, number, date, time, timestamp, or calculation field to use for finding, and then type a value in the field.
You can use the Insert Operators list in the layout bar to help you enter criteria. For example, the search criteria Jo@n can be used to find the first names John and Joan. See Finding text and characters for more information on using operators.
You can click Omit to exclude records matching a specific set of criteria.
4. Click Perform Find.
Your find request returns a found set of records.The highlighted area of the pie chart Pie chart icon in the status toolbar indicates the portion of the total records displayed.
Tips
You can click the pie chart to switch between your found set and the omitted records in the database. When all records are displayed, the entire pie chart is highlighted.
You can see the last several find requests you have performed in a Recent Finds list.
To access a list of recent finds:
1. Do one of the following:
In Find mode, click Saved Finds.
In Browse mode, click the down arrow next to Find (Windows), or click and hold Find (OS X).
2. Choose a find request from the Recent Finds list.
Notes
You can do one or more of the following during or after performing a find request:
 
To
Do this
Cancel a find operation before it is finished and leave the previous found set unchanged
Press Esc (Windows) or Command-period (OS X).
Change or refine a find after performing it
Narrow an existing found set
Broaden an existing found set
Show all records
In Browse mode, click Show All, or choose Records menu > Show All Records.
In Find mode, choose Requests menu > Show All Records.
Note  You do not need to choose Show All Records before performing finds. FileMaker Pro always searches all records in the tables you specify unless you have narrowed the existing found set.
Open another window to perform a different find request on the same data
Save a find request
Access a saved find request
Save and send a snapshot link of the found set of records
Finds on unindexed fields (for example, calculation fields referencing related fields) can take longer than finds on indexed fields. See Defining field indexing options.
If a field’s values are indexed, you can use the index to enter values in find requests. See Using a field index.
You can’t enter search criteria in container fields, summary fields, global fields, or web viewers.
To find data in container fields, create a text or number field that describes or identifies the contents of the container field. Then perform a find on that field. See Using data in container fields.
When you perform a find in a related field, FileMaker Pro displays all the records that have a related record matching the criteria you enter. For example, in an Invoice file that is displaying line items as related records in a portal, you could find all invoices listing a computer by typing Computer in the Item field in the portal.
To delete recent finds, click the down arrow next to Find or click Saved Finds (Windows), or click and hold Find or click Saved Finds (OS X). Then choose Clear All Recent Finds from the list.
In Find mode, a badge Magnifying glass icon indicates a searchable field.
Related topics 
Finding text and characters
Finding numbers, dates, times, and timestamps
Finding ranges of information
Finding empty or non-empty fields
Finding duplicate values
Finding records that match multiple criteria
Finding records except those matching criteria
Viewing, repeating, or changing the last find
Hiding records from a found set and viewing hidden records
Constraining (narrowing) a found set
Extending (broadening) a found set
Saving a find request
Finding records based on criteria in a single field
Saving a find request
Managing saved find requests
Specify Find Requests and Edit Find Request dialog boxes