# What Search Matches

Start with a few letters of each word you remember, in any order: the list keeps only what has all of them. This page lists what each search box looks at, how your store's search differs from the device's, and, for developers, how to add a field of your own. Can't find something? See [When a search finds nothing](#goes-wrong).

What each search box looks at: [Products](#products) · [Orders](#orders) · [Customers](#customers) · [Coupons](#coupons) · [Category, Tag and Brand](#category-tag-brand) · [Phone numbers](#phone-numbers)

## How the words you type are matched[​](#how-a-search-is-matched "Directe link naar How the words you type are matched")

* **Every word must match.** Spaces separate your search into words. Every word must appear somewhere in the product, order or customer details [listed below](#what-each-screen-searches); the words can be in any order. `shirt lovelace` finds an order for Ada Lovelace that has a shirt in it.
* **Any part of a word.** `saippua` finds `Kuorintasaippua`, and `jo` finds `Bjorn`. There is no minimum length outside the Logs screen.
* **Not capitals or accents.** `creme` finds `Crème`.
* **Punctuation inside a word stays.** `0.4`, `K-2`, `3/4` and a whole email address are each one word, never split at the dot or dash.

For example:

![The Product Panel with wat aim typed in the search field and one tile, Aim Analog Watch, with the count 1 product under it](/img/2.x/reference/search/en/tablet-light-regular--rs-1-terms.png)123

1. **Search products** — `wat aim` is two words. Each one is part of a word in the name, and they are typed in the other order.
2. **Aim Analog Watch** — the one product with both words in it.
3. **… product** — how many products match. Out-of-stock products are not counted while **In Stock** is lit; see [Search & Filtering](/nl/pos/product-panel/search-filtering.md#no-match).

The list updates a moment after you stop typing. Clear the field to get everything back. Results that come from your store follow these rules too, with [a few differences](#device-and-store).

Exceptions: Logs searches and punctuation around a word

* **Logs.** On the [Logs](/nl/support/logs.md) screen, a word shorter than three letters is left out of the search.
* **Punctuation around a word.** Leave it out: brackets, quotes, a `#` before an order number, a comma or full stop after a word. The device ignores it (`(shirt)` finds `shirt`, `#4120` finds order 4120), but your store searches for it as typed, so there `#4120` does not find order 4120.

## Phone numbers[​](#phone-numbers "Directe link naar Phone numbers")

Type a phone number as digits only, with no spaces, brackets or dashes. The digits are compared with the digits of the stored number, however it was written:

* `0412` finds `(04) 1234 5678`.
* `412345` finds `+61 412-345-678`.
* `0412` does **not** find `+61 412 345 678`.

The country code and the leading `0` are not converted: `0412` and `+61 412` are different digits.

## What each search box looks at[​](#what-each-screen-searches "Directe link naar What each search box looks at")

### Products[​](#products "Directe link naar Products")

On the Product Panel and the Products screen:

* Name, SKU and barcode.
* A variable product also shows when one of its options matches by SKU or barcode.

The barcode is whichever field your store uses for barcodes; see [Barcode Field](/nl/settings/wp-admin/general.md#barcode-field). A barcode **scan** is not a search: it looks for that exact code and adds the product to the cart. See [Barcode Scanning](/nl/pos/product-panel/barcode-scanning.md).

### Orders[​](#orders "Directe link naar Orders")

On the Orders screen:

* **Order:** the order number.
* **Billing:** first name, last name, company, email, phone.
* **Shipping:** first name, last name, company, phone.
* **Items:** each line item's name and SKU.

A line item matches by the **name it was sold under**, so an order is still found after the product is renamed. The shipping names are searched because a delivery or click-and-collect order is often looked up by the person collecting it, who is not always the person who paid.

### Customers[​](#customers "Directe link naar Customers")

On the Customers screen and in the cart's customer search:

* **Customer:** first name, last name, email, username, tax IDs.
* **Billing:** first name, last name, company, email, phone.
* **Shipping:** first name, last name, company, phone.

### Coupons[​](#coupons "Directe link naar Coupons")

On the Coupons screen and in the cart's coupon search:

* Code and description.

### Category, Tag and Brand[​](#category-tag-brand "Directe link naar Category, Tag and Brand")

In the Category, Tag and Brand filter lists:

* Name.

## On the device and in your store[​](#device-and-store "Directe link naar On the device and in your store")

A search looks at what is already on the device first, so results show at once. For **products**, **customers** and **orders** it also asks your store, so a record this device has not downloaded yet still turns up. **Coupons** and the **Category**, **Tag** and **Brand** lists are searched on the device only. Offline, every search finds only what is on the device.

Your store matches the same fields by the same rules, with a few differences.

Differences for order numbers, customer names, item SKUs and long searches

* **Order number.** Your store finds the order with exactly that number, and also matches the number a sequential order number plugin gives an order. The device also finds numbers that contain it: `412` finds order 4120 on the device.
* **Customer display name.** Your store also matches the name WordPress displays for the customer.
* **Line item SKU.** Your store matches the product's current SKU; the device matches the SKU the line had when the order last came down to it.
* **Long searches.** Your store matches up to ten words one by one. Keep a search to a few words.

## When a search finds nothing[​](#goes-wrong "Directe link naar When a search finds nothing")

* **Nothing comes back** — check each word for a typo: one word that matches nothing hides every result. Take a word out and try again.
* **The phone number isn't found** — type the digits only, as they were stored. Leave out a country code if the number was saved without one, and the other way round.
* **It's offline** — only records already on the device are found. See [Store health → Database](/nl/support/store-health.md#coverage) for how much is on this device.
* **On the [Logs](/nl/support/logs.md) screen** — a word shorter than three letters is left out of the search.
* **The product list stays short** — a filter is still on. See [Search & Filtering](/nl/pos/product-panel/search-filtering.md#no-match).

## For developers: change the searchable fields[​](#developers "Directe link naar For developers: change the searchable fields")

Why there is no setting, and how to add a field of your own

### Why there is no setting for search fields[​](#why-there-is-no-setting "Directe link naar Why there is no setting for search fields")

The fields above are fixed, in the POS and in WP Admin. A field on a record only matches when the word you typed is in it, so searching more fields does not bring back wrong results, and a fixed list keeps the device and your store searching the same fields. A field your store adds, such as a loyalty number, is added by a developer with one filter.

### How your store matches[​](#store-matching "Directe link naar How your store matches")

* **Order numbers** are matched against the WooCommerce order ID and the `_order_number` and `_order_number_formatted` meta that sequential order number plugins write.
* **Capitals and accents** are left to the database collation. WordPress's default collation ignores both, so `creme` still finds `Crème`.

### Add a field of your own[​](#adding-a-custom-field "Directe link naar Add a field of your own")

`wcpos_search_fields` receives a collection's search declaration and the collection slug. Before WCPOS 2.0 this filter was named `woocommerce_pos_search_fields`; that name still works, but it is deprecated since 2.0 and is removed in 2.2 at the earliest (see [Hook naming](/nl/extensions.md#hook-naming)). To make a customer findable by a loyalty number stored in user meta:

```
add_filter( 'wcpos_search_fields', function ( array $search, string $collection ) {

	if ( 'customers' === $collection ) {

		$search['meta'][] = 'loyalty_number';

	}

	return $search;

}, 10, 2 );
```

For orders, append to `$search['posts']['meta']`; the key is searched in post meta on legacy storage and in the order meta table under HPOS.

A key added for **customers** or **orders** is searched in both places: your store matches it in its query, and the POS adds it to its search on the device as well, because `wcpos/v2/site` publishes the keys a store added. Three limits:

* Only keys **without a leading underscore** reach the device. A key such as `_private` is searched by your store only.
* A key added later reaches the POS the next time it starts: a reload in the browser, or opening the app again.
* Keys added for **products** or **variations** (`$search['posts']['meta']`) are searched by your store only.

Store the value the way the cashier will type it, or as digits for a number: the filter adds a field to the list, it does not change how a word is matched.

## Related Documentation[​](#related-documentation "Directe link naar Related Documentation")

[Search & FilteringFind a product and narrow the list](/nl/pos/product-panel/search-filtering.md)

[CustomersFind and edit your customers](/nl/customers.md)

[OrdersFind an order and act on it](/nl/orders.md)