Goldenseal Business Accounting Software Customizing Topics-- Custom Indexing

Custom Indexing

How can I speed up the Find command when I have many records?

Starting with Goldenseal accounting software version 2.9, you can create a custom index for any field. The custom index will give you extremely fast finds when you look for data in that field.

HINT-- You can also use a custom index for faster entry of UPC or vendor price codes.

When do I need a custom index?

Create a custom index if you have thousands of records, if you use the Find command frequently, and if you frequently have to wait several seconds to find what you need.

EXAMPLES-- if you have thousands of Customer accounts, you might want to create a custom index for the Zip Code or Record Number fields so you can locate customer info more quickly. If you have thousands of Sales records, you might want to create a custom index for the Date field so you can locate sales by date more quickly.

Also create a custom index for Cost Item records if you plan to enter sales items by UPC Code or vendor product code.

How do I create a custom index?

To create a custom index for customer zip codes, follow these steps:

Choose Custom Layouts from the Options menu, and choose Accounts from the submenu.
Enter Customer Accounts into the Account Type popup field at upper left.
Choose New Field Index from the Edit menu.
You'll see a list of indexable fields. Scroll down to the Zip field, and select it.
Goldenseal will ask if you want to create a short text index (using only the first 7 characters). Click Yes if you only want to search for basic zip codes and postal codes. Click No if you want to search for longer text.
Goldenseal will ask if you are sure you want to add an index. Click OK.
Goldenseal will take a few seconds to check your records and build the index.

How do I use a custom index?

You don't need to do anything special to use a custom index. When you use the Find command on an indexed field, Goldenseal will perform the search in a fraction of a second, since it doesn't need to look through every record individually.

Are there any disadvantages?

A full text index takes up about 40K of hard disk space for every 1,000 records. A short text index takes up about 12K of hard disk space per 1,000 records, and a date, money or clairvoyant field index takes up 8 to 10K per 1,000 records.

When you add or change records, it will take a extra fraction of a second to update the index for each field. The delay may be noticeable if you have a large number of indexed fields.

HINT-- You probably only need to index a few fields that you use frequently as a Find criteria.

Goldenseal accounting software only indexes the first 31 characters in text fields (only the first 7 characters if you create a short text index). You probably don't want to index the Comments fields and other text fields which contain long text, since the Goldenseal software will not find any text after the 31st character.

Some fields don't show up in the list of indexable fields!

Goldenseal business software automatically indexes some fields such as account names, dates and amounts. You already will get extremely fast finds when you search on those fields, so they don't show up in the list.

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