Using Hierarchical Search Names to Dominate Product Lookup in Dynamics 365

At the Waterdeep Trading Company, efficiency is the difference between a satisfied customer and a fireball in the storeroom. One of the simplest but most powerful tools we’ve implemented in Dynamics 365 to streamline inventory lookup is the Search name field — and we’re not just typing in product names. We’ve turned it into a structured hierarchy system that lets us search smarter, not harder.

What Is the “Search Name”?

In Dynamics 365, the Search name is a simplified identifier that helps users quickly find products without needing to remember the exact item number or full description. It’s used in lookups across sales orders, purchase orders, inventory journals, and more. But by default, it’s just text.

We decided to turn that text into a strategy.

Hierarchy-Based Naming Convention

Instead of entering plain names, we use uppercase, hyphenated codes that follow a logical structure. Each segment represents a tier of product classification — from category to product type to material and variant.

Format

[CATEGORY]-[PRODUCT]-[MATERIAL]-[VARIANT]

This makes every search name:

• Readable
• Standardized
• Filterable by segment

Segment Breakdown

Example Table

With this structure, a warehouse user typing STRG- can immediately filter to everything in the storage category. Type WPN-SWRD- and you’re only seeing swords. It’s as if your product list is pre-sorted by magic.

Why Uppercase?

We use uppercase exclusively for visual cleanliness and consistency. Mixed-case names slow down scanning and increase the chance of typos during data entry. When everyone follows the same uppercase-hyphenated structure, there’s less room for error — and a lot less shouting across the warehouse.

Benefits

• Faster product lookups in order entry and warehouse activities
• Simpler training for new users who only need to learn the hierarchy
• Improved filtering during Excel exports, reports, and analytics
• Consistency across environments, especially when syncing with e-commerce or external systems

Getting Started with Search Name Hierarchies

If you’re implementing or cleaning up your item master, now’s the time to adopt a structured search name strategy. Start by building a controlled vocabulary of category, product, material, and variant codes. Then roll it out in mass updates or via Excel templates.

Want to master more hidden inventory tricks like this? Grab the guides at adnd365.com/start and explore the public instance of our database at public.adnd365.com using

Login: npc@adnd365.com Password: N0nPl@yC#822!

Sharpen your lookup skills and become the inventory wizard Faerûn deserves.