Get help with LibCal

What are custom search filters?

The custom Search Filters that can be configured for your bookable spaces and seats allow you to provide additional classifications and context (beyond the existing filters for Accessible Space/Seat and Power Available) to your patrons when they are deciding which space/seat to book. This feature makes it easy to add filters to your public booking pages to designate: which spaces include a desktop PC, which spaces are suitable for large groups, which seats are in a quiet area, and much more! 

The search filters that Admins create are associated with an icon of your choosing (using Font Awesome 4 icons), so that your users can quickly tell what each filter represents when they're looking for a space/seat. And to make the management of your custom filters a simple process, you can assign (and un-assign) filters to your spaces/seats in bulk—in addition to being able to designate assigned filters for spaces and seats individually.

Add a new search filter

1. Go to Admin > Spaces & Equipment.
2. Click on the Search Filters tab.
3. Click the Add New Search Filter button.
   1. Reminder: Filters for Accessible Seat/Space and Power Available exist by default, so you do not need to create additional custom filters for them—though you can edit or delete these filters if needed.

4. On the Create Search Filter modal, enter the Label for the filter.
   • This label will be displayed on the public booking pages for the filter.
5. Select the Icon to be used for the filter.
   • This icon will be displayed on the public booking pages for the filter.
   • Available icons come from the Font Awesome 4 icons library.
6. Click the Create button. 

Assign and un-assign search filters in bulk

From the Admin > Spaces & Equipment > Search Filters tab you can manage the associations of your search filters with your spaces and seats in bulk—allowing you to assign and un-assign filters to multiple spaces and seats at once. 

Bulk assign spaces

1. Go to Admin > Spaces & Equipment.
2. Click on the Search Filters tab.
3. Click the Bulk Manage Associations button.

4. On the Bulk Manage Search Filter Associations page, stay on the Bulk Assign Spaces tab.
5. Select the Location that contains the category of the spaces.
6. Select the Category that contains the spaces.
7. Click the List Spaces button.
   • After listing the spaces, the available filters and spaces will be displayed on the page.
8. Select the checkbox for each of the Search Filters that you want to assign to the spaces.
9. Select the checkbox for the Spaces where you want to assign the filters.
   1. Filters that have been assigned to a space previously will be listed next to their name.
10. Click the Save button. 

Bulk assign seats

If you subscribe to the Seat Bookings module, you can also manage the assignment of your custom search filters to your bookable seats in one central location. 

1. Go to Admin > Spaces & Equipment.
2. Click on the Search Filters tab.
3. Click the Bulk Manage Associations button.

4. On the Bulk Manage Search Filter Associations page, click on the Bulk Assign Seats tab.
5. Select the Location that contains the category of the seats' container space.
6. Select the Category of the container space.
7. Select the Space where the seats are assigned.
8. Click the List Seats button.
   • After listing the seats, the available filters and seats will be displayed on the page.
9. Select the checkbox for each of the Search Filters that you want to assign to the seats.
10. Select the checkbox for the Seats where you want to assign the filters.
    1. Filters that have been assigned to a seat previously will be listed next to their name.
11. Click the Save button. 

Bulk un-assign filters

If you need to remove a filter from a large number of spaces and seats quickly, Admin-level users can unassign the filter in bulk. 

1. Go to Admin > Spaces & Equipment.
2. Click on the Search Filters tab.
3. Click the Bulk Manage Associations button.

4. On the Bulk Manage Search Filter Associations page, click on the Bulk Un-Assign Filters tab.
5. Select the Location that contains the spaces and seats you are working with.
6. Select the Search Filter that you wish to unassign from your spaces and seats.
7. Click the List Resources Using Filter button.
   • After listing the resources, the spaces and seats—broken down by category—that are assigned to the filter will be displayed on the page.
8. Select the checkbox for each space and/or seat that you want to unassign from the filter.
   1. Filters that have been assigned to a space/seat previously will be listed next to their name.
9. Click the Unassign button. 

Manage your search filters

On the Admin > Spaces & Equipment > Search Filters tab you can:

1. In the Used By Spaces column, see the total number of spaces, across all locations, that are currently assigned to each filter.
2. In the Used By Seats column, see the total number of seats, across all locations, that are currently assigned to each filter.
3. Click the Edit Filter () icon in the Action column to change the label or icon used by the filter.
4. Click the Delete Filter () icon in the Action column to permanently delete the filter.
   • When deleting a filter you will have the option to reassign spaces/seats to another filter or simply delete the filter without changing any assignments.
5. Use the Bulk Manage Associations button to assign and unassign filters en masse.
6. Use the Add New Search Filter button to create a new filter.
7. Filters for Accessible Seat/Space and Power Available are included by default, but they can be edited or removed at any time.
   • If you no longer see these filters listed they may have been renamed or deleted.