Searching for Files and Folders

Content Manager enables Admins to search for files and folders across their organization that are owned by the organization’s managed users. Admins can narrow search results by using filters, and can also search by file ID and by shared link.

​

Keyword search

​

Supported Search Syntax

​

Boolean Terms

OR: “OR”; search for either part of the query, OR is a default operator and takes precedence over AND, for example, query= ‘a b’ → ‘a OR b’ ; query=’a AND b c’→ ‘a AND (b OR c)’. AND: “AND” , search for documents containing both keywords using AND operator. NOT: “NOT” , NOT takes precedence over OR and AND and excludes files containing specific keyword(s), for example, ‘apple AND NOT orange’, ‘apple NOT orange → ‘apple OR (NOT orange)‘‘; queries starting from NOT are not supported.

​

String Queries

EXACT SEARCH: “ ”, search for exactly specified sentence placing it between quotations for example, “apple juice“. FIELD_NAME: “name:”, search specifically for file/folder names only using “name:” attribute for example, “name:apple“. FIELD_CONTENTS: “contents:”, search specifically in files content only field using “contents:” attribute for example, “contents:apple“.

​

Nested Queries

OPEN_PAREN: “(“ and CLOSE_PAREN: “)”: build a nested query by including lower level conditions between “()“special characters for example, a OR (b AND c). Punctuation and Special Characters The Box search engine ignores the following punctuation and special characters: !”#$%&’()*+,\-./:;<=>?@[\\\]^_`{|}~. If punctuation characters are within a word, the search function divides the word around the punctuation characters and returns occurrences of the multiple resultant strings, along with a concatenated version of the word. Space will result in splitting keyword into two new ones for example, ‘app le’→ ‘app OR le‘.

​

Ignored characters

The following characters will be ignored: ’(’ - opening parenthesis alone ’)’ - closing parenthesis alone ’()’ - empty parenthesis’ ""’ - empty quotation ‘keyword ’ - whitespace at the end ’ keyword’ - whitespace at the beginning ‘field:’ - search for ‘field’ (other by name:, contents:) Examples of using ignored characters: ’)(ala AND ma) kota(’ a- outermost parenthesis will be ignored. ’)(ala AND ma)’ - first parenthesis will be ignored.

​

Known Search Limitations

• Indexing is limited to 10 Kb
• Maximum amount of returned results: 10 k
• Maximum search query length: 512 characters for ASCII and non-ASCII, including operators. The only exceptions are for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, where the maximum query length is 32 characters.

​

Searching File or Folder ID

This feature enables Admins to find a file or a folder by copying and pasting its ID. To find a file or folder based on its ID:

1. For a file, preview the file. For a folder, open the folder.
2. Copy the item’s ID. The ID is the string of numbers that follows the last “/” character in the URL.
3. In the search field at the top of the Box window, paste the ID. Box displays a suggestion to Search by File & Folder ID.
4. Either select Search by File & Folder ID, or press the Enter key.

When Admins search by file and folder ID:

• If Admins click Search by File & Folder ID, Box returns exactly one result, if it exists.
• If Admins press the Enter key instead of clicking Search by File & Folder ID, Box returns an item related to the ID and any file that includes this shared link in its content; for example, a report.
• Box displays the Matching ID indicator in the last column on the search results.

​

Searching Shared Links

This feature enables Admins to quickly find requested content by pasting the shared link into the search field. To search by shared link:

1. Paste the shared link’s URL into the search field at the top of the Box window. Box displays a suggestion to search by shared link.
2. Either select Search by Shared Link, or press the Enter key.

When Admins search by shared link:

• If Admins click Search by Shared Link, Box returns exactly one result, if it exists.
• If Admins press the Enter key instead of clicking Search by Shared Link, Box returns an item related to the shared link and any file that includes this shared link in its content; for example a report.
• Box displays the Matching Link indicator in the last column on the search results.

​

Search Filters

This section describes the Advanced Filters, keyword requirements, and supported search syntax Admins can use in Content Manager search.

​

Advanced Filters

Advanced filters allows users to narrow the scope of search by specifying multiple search criteria. Filtering Search Results

1. In the search bar, select Filters ().
2. In the Filters sidebar, select one or more filters.
3. Select Search.

To clear all search filters:

1. In the search bar, select Filters ().
2. Select Clear All.

Users Returns content that selected user(s) owns or has access to. Enter one or more names(max 50) to filter by content owned only by the user(s) in the filter. As the string is typed, a drop-down will display all users with names beginning with the characters typed. Type Returns content of selected types, default is All. This filter allows Admins to filter the search by selecting folders and by selecting one or more file types. File types include:

• Audio
• Box Note
• Document
• Drawing
• Image
• PDF
• Presentation
• Spreadsheet
• Video
• 3D

Date Range Returns content created in box within specific date range (when the first version of the file was uploaded to Box). This filter allows Admins to limit the search results to a date range. The dates are file creation dates. Admins can enter only a Start Date to filter by files created on that date or later, only an End Date to filter by files created up to and including that date, or both a Start Date and an End Date to filter by files created between those dates, inclusive. Locations This filter allows Admins to select location type or a specific folder. For location type, Admins can select Active files and folders and Archive. For a specific folder, select Select Folder, and then search for and select a folder.

• In specific folder returns only active content from specific folder meeting other criteria.
• Archive is available for only E-Advanced accounts.
• Depending on use case, you can check or uncheck any combination of checkboxes. By default, search returns results from all locations, and you can distinguish content from archive and trash by the visual badge on the file’s icon. The breadcrumb for trashed items indicates the trashed item’s original location.

Metadata Returns content with selected metadata template / template values. This filter allows Admins to limit the search results to files that have the selected metadata template applied. File Name Returns content containing specified keyword in name. This filter allows Admins to limit the search results to filenames that contain the text that was entered in the field. Classification Select a value from existing classification labels. Content with that classification will display in the search results. Items in the search results can be selected and classified in bulk.

​

Keyword Requirements

The only filters that work without a keyword are Name and Metadata. In all other cases it is required to provide a Keyword together with additional filter. This is order to limit very broad searches. At the moment it is not possible to search with the following:

• Keyword and all filters set to default values
• File type filter only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Date range filter only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Date range+ file type filters only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Custodian filter only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Custodian+ file type filters only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Folder location filter only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Folder location + file type filters only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Folder location + date range filters only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)
• Folder location + custodian filters only (without a keyword, name or Metadata)