Building IR keys

Applies to User Roles:

System Administrator

Define IR keys using the standard Database Dictionary utility in Service Manager. IR keys are composed of one or more array or scalar text fields. IR keys that combine array and scalar fields should define an array field as the first element of the key.

Use only text fields in an IR key. A text field is an array or scalar field that contains arbitrary information that not used for traditional queries. For example, the device file contains a scalar field called description. This field contains descriptive text about a device, such as:

  • Does not support the new drawing package.
  • This modem needs ventilation on the top and sides.

The assignment file contains an array field called operators. The operators array contains the exact login name of Service Manager operators, and is not a good candidate for an IR key since IR searches are relevance searches.

Follow these rules when defining IR keys:

  • If a query contains a field that is part of an IR key, Service Manager always performs an IR search. IR Expert selects and presents records based upon relevance.
  • If a query contains a field that is part of an IR key, your sort criteria are honored. IR queries always sort by relevance.

You can combine IR queries with traditional queries to specifically limit the answer set.

Related topics

IR Expert
Special considerations for using IR Expert
IR Expert scirexpert file
Updates to IR files
Customizing IR Expert
Database dictionary and IR Expert
IR keys and non-IR keys
Multiple files containing IR keys
Find Solution
How IR Expert evaluates documents for relevance
Creating an IR file

Access IR Expert
Edit queries for Find Solution
Implement IR searches
Load data files with IR Expert keys
Start IR Asynchronous mode