Keyword Search
Just type in a word or term and click on Search. This is probably the most common form of search and will usually find what you are looking for. In order to keep the number of records returned at a manageable level, the search will only work for words of three letters or more.
If you have a lot of records in your initial search results, you can refine them by using the geographical filters that indicate the area covered by the service or organisation, or by organisation type. Check out how to use the filters further down this page as it is the same method as described under Broaden your search. If you get no results or too few, try using a synonym* or use fewer words in your search term.
*We have a list of synonyms, so if your synonym works, we'd like to hear about it so we can add it to the list. Thank you!
Broaden your search
To use the full range of search options, go to the Broaden your search page by clicking on the button. Once you are there, any of the search options may be used on their own or in combination. For example enter 'care homes' in the keyword search and 'Aberdeenshire' from the geographical filter', or 'Aberdeenshire' and 'Scottish Charity' from Organisation Type.
Select a Geographical Region
Click on the dropdown box to select a region 'All' is selected by default but by clicking on the menu all the options will be visible. If the first region selected is within Grampian, there is will be a choice of sub-regions. They will be loaded into another dropdown menu from which you may make a further selection if you wish to. For example, click on the menu and select 'Aberdeenshire' from the dropdown box. Wait a second or two (slightly longer if your connection is rather slow) and another dropdown box will appear. From the second box, you can select an Administrative Area, for example Buchan or Formartine, or you can select a town or village within that area. When you have finished making your selections, click on Search.
Aberdeen City is similarly divided into Neighbourhoods and areas within Neighbourhoods and Moray has a dropdown box for towns and villages.
Select an Organisation Type
Click on the dropdown box to see the list of options and make your selection. Please note that charities are listed either under Scottish Charity for a charity registered in Scotland or Registered Charity where they are registered in the UK.
Make your selection and click on the Search button below.
Organisation A-Z
If you already know the name of the organisation or service you are looking for, this is a useful search. When you have clicked on the link to take you to the start, you will be asked to select the first letter. Having done this, you will be given the choice of first and second letters, for example Aa, Ab, Ac, Ad ... This is very useful for some names although less useful in the case of Ab given the number of records with Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire as their first word!
This A-Z list gives the full name by which the organisation is usually known. If you are not sure of this name, it may be easier to user the keyword search.
Browse by Category
Click on the Browse by Category title to expand the list to the top level categories. Make your selection from this list and you will be taken to a page that displays the sub-categories within it in a tree form. Links to search results can be made from every level. For example, under Community and Social Care, you could select Older People, Day Care - Older People, Day Care for Older People. The higher sub-categories in the tree will include all the lower ones so if you have too many results, it will pay to go lower down the tree - in this case 'Day Care for Older People'. If on the other hand, you have no or too few results, search higher up the tree - in this case 'Older People'.
As in any search results, you can also use the geographical or organisations type filters to refine. To close up the Browse by Category facility, click on the title again.