Complete Guide: How to Use Global Search (Ctrl+K) in InventoryPlus
Mastering Global Search (Ctrl+K) in InventoryPlus
The complete, non-technical guide to finding products, creating bills with quantity math, checking live stock, and running your store at lightning speed—without touching your mouse.
Whether you manage a busy retail counter, a supermarket, a pharmacy, or a wholesale warehouse, every second saved during customer checkout and daily bookkeeping translates directly to higher sales and happier customers.
Global Search is the built-in command center in InventoryPlus. By pressing Ctrl + K on your keyboard at any time, a sleek search palette pops up right in front of you. You can find anything in your business, jump to any screen, add bulk quantities directly to a sale, check live stock, view customer ledger balances, and print barcode labels in seconds.
1. How to Open Global Search
No matter where you are in InventoryPlus—whether you are working on a Sales Invoice, reviewing a Purchase Bill, or checking Day Book Reports—simply press:
Tip: You can also click the search icon at the top of your screen or press Esc at any time to instantly close the search window.
2. What Can You Search For?
Global Search understands your business items naturally. Simply type names, codes, barcodes, phone numbers, or bill numbers:
- Products & Items: Search by product name (e.g. Samsung Galaxy), item code (e.g. SAM-S24), or barcode (e.g. 890103000001).
- Customers & Suppliers: Search by customer name, store name, or mobile number (e.g. Apex Traders or 9876543210).
- Sales Invoices & Purchase Bills: Search by invoice number or bill reference (e.g. INV-1024 or BILL-55).
- Screens & Menus: Type the name of any menu or report you want to open (e.g. Stock Ledger, Profit and Loss, Customer Master).
- Quick Actions: Type commands to start new work (e.g. New Sale, New Purchase, Backup Data).
3. The Peek Preview Card: Live Stock & Rates at a Glance
When you highlight any product in search results, the Live Peek Preview Card on the right side instantly displays:
- Stock Status Badge: Green for In Stock, amber for Low Stock, and red for Out of Stock. (Service items and non-stock items cleanly display "Service Product" or "Non-Stock Item" without stock warnings).
- Live Pricing: Maximum Retail Price (M.R.P.), Standard Sales Rate, and Landing/Cost price (if your login permissions allow viewing cost).
- Available Quantity: Exactly how many pieces, boxes, or units are currently available in your active branch.
4. Fast Billing with Quantity Math (Multiplication Syntax)
When customers buy multiple quantities of an item, you do not need to click into the quantity box after adding the item. Type the quantity directly in the search bar:
Try These Real-World Examples:
- 10 * Fold7 → Adds 10 units of Samsung Galaxy Fold7 directly to your active sales bill.
- 5 x Oil → Adds 5 units of Cooking Oil directly.
- Paracetamol * 24 → Adds 24 strips to the billing invoice.
- 100 * Tata Salt → Instantly loads 100 packets into your invoice.
5. Category Filter Shortcuts (Target Exactly What You Need)
Use single-letter prefixes to filter results instantly:
| Shortcut Prefix | What It Filters | Example Query |
|---|---|---|
| p: or prod: | Only Products & Items | p: Pixel |
| c: or cust: | Only Customers | c: Rahul Sharma |
| v: or vend: | Only Vendors / Suppliers | v: Global FMCG |
| b: or bill: | Sales Invoices & Bills | b: 1045 |
| s: or screen: | Software Screens & Reports | s: Day Book |
| a: or act: | Quick Actions & Tasks | a: New Bill |
6. Stock Status Search (Find Low Stock & Out of Stock in Seconds)
Want to quickly generate a reorder list or see which products are sold out? Use the inventory filter prefix i:
- i: out → Shows all items that currently have 0 stock.
- i: low → Shows all items that have reached or dropped below their minimum reorder level.
- i: in → Shows only items that have positive stock available.
- i: neg → Shows any negative stock items that require physical stock adjustment.
Example: Type i: out mobile to see only mobile phones that are currently out of stock.
7. Searching by Amount & Price
Did a customer hand you an exact payment of Rs. 2,500 and you need to find the bill? Or do you want to browse products above a certain price? Type price comparison operators directly into the search bar:
- 2500 → Finds bills, vouchers, or items priced at 2,500.
- >5000 → Finds transactions or products with amounts greater than 5,000.
- <100 → Finds items or small invoices below 100.
8. The Contextual Action Menu (Press Tab or Right Arrow)
Whenever you select any result in Global Search, press Tab or the → Right Arrow key to slide open the Action Menu. This reveals specific, one-click options tailored to that exact item:
- For Products: Open Item Master Details, View Sales / Invoice History Report, or Print Barcode Labels.
- For Customers: View Customer Statement / Ledger, Create New Sales Invoice for this customer, or Copy Phone Number.
- For Suppliers: Open Accounts Ledger, View Outstanding Balance, or Create New Purchase Bill.
- For Invoices: View Bill Details, Reprint Invoice, or Open Return Voucher.
Press Esc or ← Left Arrow at any time to return to your search results list.
9. Everyday Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
Keep your hands on the keyboard and fly through your workday with these built-in hotkeys:
10. Pinning Your Everyday Items & Recent History
When you first open Global Search with an empty search box, it automatically displays your Pinned Favorites and Recent Items.
- To keep frequently billed items or daily screens at the very top, highlight the item and press Ctrl + P. A pin icon appears and keeps it handy every time you press Ctrl + K.
- To remove a pinned item, highlight it and press Ctrl + P again.
- Pinned items are safely isolated per company database, ensuring multi-company users never see items from another business.
Summary: The 3 Golden Rules for Fast Store Operations
- Press Ctrl + K from anywhere to start searching immediately.
- Use 10 * ItemName to bill bulk quantities without touching the mouse.
- Use Tab or Ctrl + L / Ctrl + Enter to jump directly into printing and reporting.
Open InventoryPlus today, press Ctrl + K, and experience the fastest way to operate your store!