Easy Guide: “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central

“Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central gives users a practical way to find sales orders, invoices, items, customers, vendors, and other records without opening one list after another. When you know a document number, name, item number, or other identifying value, the feature can search across selected company data and present matching records in one place.

“Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central can be used across several common lookup workflows. This guide explains how the feature works, how to start a search, how to review results, and how to narrow the tables and fields included in future searches.

“Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central: What The Feature Does

With “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central, Business Central can search company data for a specific record or value. After keywords are entered, the search runs through the selected tables. Results begin appearing as each table is completed.

If the search contains more than one keyword, a returned record must contain all of those words within the selected fields. This makes a specific combination, such as a customer name and part of a document number, useful when a single term returns too many matches.

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Step-By-Step: How To Use “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central

1. Open Business Central.
   Sign in and confirm that you are working in the correct environment and company.
2. Open the Business Central search.
   Select the search icon in the upper-right area of Business Central.
3. Open Search Company Data.
   Enter Search Company Data in the search box, and then select the related result.
4. Enter the value you want to find.
   Use a sales order number, invoice number, purchase order number, customer name, vendor name, item number, description, external document number, or another value that may be stored on the record.
5. Review results as they appear.
   Business Central searches the selected tables one at a time. Review each result group for the record type you need.
6. Show additional matches.
   The results page initially shows the three most recently updated matching records for a result group. When more records are available, select Show All Results.
7. Open the correct record.
   Select the matching result to open its Business Central page. Confirm the customer, vendor, date, document number, or item information before making changes.
8. Refine and search again when needed.
   If the result set is too broad, add another identifying keyword. If no result appears, verify the spelling and try a shorter or different value that should exist on the record.

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Practical Examples For Finding Orders, Invoices, Items, And More

Use “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central To Find A Sales Order

1. Open Search Company Data.
2. Enter the complete sales order number when available.
3. If the number is unknown, try a customer name or external reference that should appear in the selected sales fields.
4. Review the Sales Header or related sales-document results.
5. Select the matching order and verify the customer and order details.

Find A Sales Or Purchase Invoice

1. Enter the posted invoice number, vendor invoice number, customer name, vendor name, or another recorded reference.
2. Review the matching sales or purchase document groups.
3. Select Show All Results when the correct invoice is not among the first displayed records.
4. Open the result and verify the document before using it.

Find An Item

1. Enter the complete item number for the most targeted search.
2. If the item number is unknown, enter a distinctive word from the item description.
3. Review the Item results and open the matching Item Card.

Find A Customer Or Vendor

Search by the customer or vendor number when available. A distinctive portion of the organization name can also help locate the correct master record, provided that the relevant name field is included in the search setup.

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How Search Results Work

When using “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central, Business Central presents results after finishing each selected table. The first view shows the three most recently updated matching records, and Show All Results expands a result group.

Sales, purchase, and service document headers represent multiple document types, including quotes, invoices, and orders. If a keyword is found on a document line, selecting the result opens the page for the document rather than displaying only the individual line.

Business Central also uses the popularity of tables to influence results. Selecting a result increases the popularity of its table, which can move that table higher in later results and help the record appear faster in future searches.

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Choose The Tables And Fields Included In “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central

The tables and fields available for the search can vary with the user’s Role Center. Although all available tables and fields are selected by default, searching everything can slow the process. Microsoft recommends excluding as many tables and fields as practical.

Choose the tables and fields that match the records users actually need to find. A sales-focused user might prioritize customer, sales-header, sales-line, posted sales invoice, and item information. A purchasing user might prioritize vendor, purchase-header, purchase-line, posted purchase invoice, and item information.

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Tips For Better Results With “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central

• Start with the strongest identifier: Use a complete order, invoice, customer, vendor, or item number when available.
• Add a second keyword: Combine two known values to reduce broad result sets.
• Try the recorded value: Search for the information as it is stored in Business Central, including punctuation or spacing when relevant.
• Use Show All Results: The first three matches may not contain the record you need.
• Verify before editing: Open the record and confirm its number, entity, and date before making changes.
• Tune the search scope: Keep the tables and fields that support real workflows and remove unnecessary ones.

Why This Business Central Function Matters

Users often know a reference value without knowing which Business Central page stores it. “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central offers a direct way to look for that value across the configured search scope. This can reduce navigation and help users move from a partial reference to the correct record.

For sales, purchasing, customer service, inventory, and accounting teams, “Search Company Data” in 365 Business Central is especially useful when a user receives a document number or name and needs to determine where the related record is stored.

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