New Resource Search Available Now

Admins in your iCarol system can now enable an Advanced Security Setting allowing certain users of your system to access a new version of the Resource Search.

When that setting is enabled for the user, they will begin using an optimized version of the Resource Search developed by our technical team and currently in Beta. While the search itself looks similar to the current search, this enhancement results in improved search performance and load times. A few notes before we share some details about the new search:

1. While we are ready to allow our users to use this new page, please note this is a Beta setting, which means the code is new and could contain some bugs. We ask that you report any bugs to our Support Team using your Online Case Management System. Please be sure to note that you are using the new search. To confirm which search you are using, look to the URL shown when you navigate to the main Resources page. If the URL ends in “ResourceMain2.aspx” then you are using the new search. Noting this to Support in your case will help solve problems faster.

2. Rather than opening this new search to all users in your system, you may first wish to enable it only for select members of your team. For example, you may find that your Resource Manager(s) and other Resource Specialists may be best suited to thoroughly test this new search, evaluate it, and report any problems to Support, before extending it to your entire staff.

Now, let’s take a look at a few key differences you’ll notice when using this new search.

First, when you begin a search you’ll see a moving indicator in the shape of the iCarol icon. This helps alert the user that the search is in progress.

When search results are listed, you’ll notice a few differences. Previously iCarol provided 15 results per page, while the new search displays 10 results per page. When your search returns multiple pages of results, you’ll notice that clicking on the next page will very quickly load the next 10 results. This is because all results are cached during the initial search rather than loading only when one advances to the next page, giving the user an improved experience and less scrolling, while retaining the ability to get to other resources easily and quickly.

On each individual page of search results, listed Agencies or Programs are numbered, clarifying their order in your list of results. Rather than show a “Details” button, the new search hyperlinks the record’s name, and clicking on that will bring you to the details page. Further, by hovering over the resource name, users are encouraged to right-click if they wish to view the details on a separate browser tab.

Overall, users should find that this new search delivers faster results along with user-friendly features that aid in one’s understanding of the results and how to navigate to the needed information. This will not only help your volunteers and staff become more comfortable with resource searching, but they’ll be able to connect help-seekers to appropriate information more quickly, help more people, and reduce client confusion.

To enable testing of this new resource search, take the following steps:

1. From the left main menu in iCarol, click on Vols-Staff
2. Identify the user for whom you wish to grant access to this search and click on their profile
3. Click the “Edit” button
4. Click on the “Admin” tab of the profile
5. Click on “Advanced Security Settings”
6. Scroll to the section under the heading “Resources” and check the box for “Uses the New Resource Search screen”
7. Click the “Save Settings” button at the top of the page
8. This user will now access the new Resource Search. You can disable this setting for this user at any time to return to the original search page.