====Fuzzy Searching====

**Fuzzy Searching** is a type of search which can be used to find close matches in situations where finding an //exact// match is unlikely.

For example, this is often used when trying to set up a production line for a specific type of product - you might want to search for a previous setup for a similar product. 

===Matching===

The **Match** option in the [[the capture list|capture list]] allows you to perform a fuzzy search.

{{search.png}}

Simply enter the values you're looking for - you can leave any items blank if they aren't relevant.

You'll then be taken to the nearest match, based on the //scoring criteria//.

===Fuzzy Search & Scoring===

It's called 'Fuzzy Searching' because it searches for a match based on a //score// rather than hard rules.

This allows the search to be customised to prioritise some attributes above others and deal with the differences in scale between search parameters. For example, you might have four different criteria when baking a cupcake...

  * Size
  * Weight
  * Toppings
  * Ambient Temperature

When you search for an ideal match, you'd like to find as close a match to all four of these as possible. But they are //not// equal.

You'd much rather get a close **size** match than an **ambient temperature** match, and toppings don't matter anywhere near as much as **weight**. 

Using fuzzy search, your ARDI administrator can customise the search to balance how important a match is for each of these key variables.