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Macro’s unified search lets you find anything across your entire workspace - emails, messages, documents, tasks, files, and more - all from one search interface.

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Key Features

Unified Results

Search across all content types in a single query

Advanced Filters

Use powerful query syntax to refine results

Instant Results

Fast, indexed search returns results as you type

Full-Text Search

Search inside PDFs, documents, and file contents
The simplest way to search is to just type your query:
1

Open search

Press Cmd+K or click the search bar
2

Type your query

Enter keywords or phrases to search for
3

Review results

Results appear as you type, organized by type
4

Navigate to result

Click or press Enter to open the selected result
Search begins after you type at least 3 characters and returns results instantly as you continue typing.
Macro searches across all content types:

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Documents

  • Full document text content
  • Document titles and headings
  • @mentions within documents
  • Document metadata (owner, dates)

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Email

  • Email subject lines
  • Email body content
  • Sender and recipient information
  • Email attachments

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Messages

  • Channel message content
  • Thread replies
  • Direct messages
  • Message attachments

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Tasks

  • Task titles and descriptions
  • Task status and assignees
  • Project names
  • Due dates and deadlines

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Files

  • File names and metadata
  • PDF text content
  • Image metadata
  • File descriptions

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People

  • User names
  • Email addresses
  • User profiles

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Advanced Query Syntax

Use powerful filters and operators to refine your search:

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Filter by Type

Search specific content types: 
type:email quarterly report
type:task urgent
type:document architecture
type:file contract
type:channel announcement
You can search multiple types at once: type:email,document budget review

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Filter by Status

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Email Status

type:email inbox:true
type:email inbox:false  # Archived emails

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Task Status

type:task status:completed
type:task status:in_progress
type:task status:todo

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Date Filters

Search by creation, modification, or due dates: 
type:task due:[1 week]           # Due in the next week
type:email created:[today]       # Received today
type:document updated:[3 days]   # Modified in last 3 days

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Date Syntax

  • [today] - Today
  • [yesterday] - Yesterday
  • [this week] - Current week
  • [1 week] - Next 7 days
  • [1 month] - Next 30 days
  • Specific dates: [2024-03-15]

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Text Search

Search for exact phrases: 
"quarterly review"        # Exact phrase
"project status"          # Must contain this exact phrase
type:email "urgent"       # Emails containing "urgent"

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Combined Queries

Combine multiple filters: 
type:task status:todo due:[1 week]
type:email inbox:true "customer feedback"
type:document updated:[today] architecture
Filters are combined with AND logic - all conditions must match for a result to appear.

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Search Examples

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Find Recent Emails

type:email inbox:true created:[today]
Shows all unarchived emails received today.

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Find Overdue Tasks

type:task status:todo due:[yesterday]
Shows incomplete tasks that were due before today.

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Find Contract Files

type:file "contract"
Finds all files with “contract” in the name or content.

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Find Recent Documents

type:document updated:[3 days]
Shows documents modified in the last 3 days.

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Find Channel Discussions

type:channel roadmap
Searches channel messages for “roadmap”.

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Search Results

Results are organized for easy scanning:

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Result Cards

Each result shows:
  • Icon: Visual indicator of content type
  • Title: Document name, email subject, task title, etc.
  • Preview: Snippet of content with search terms highlighted
  • Metadata: Sender, date, status, or other relevant info
  • Location: Where the content is located (channel, project, etc.)

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Highlighting

Search terms are highlighted in:
  • Result titles
  • Content previews
  • Full document view after opening
Highlights help you quickly scan results and find the most relevant content.

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Search Shortcuts

ActionShortcutDescription
Open searchCmd+KOpen the search interface
Navigate results↑ ↓Move through search results
Open resultEnterOpen the selected result
Close searchEscClose search without selecting
Macro includes powerful PDF search capabilities:
  • Full-text extraction: Search inside PDF contents
  • Intelligent parsing: Understands PDF structure
  • Highlighted results: See search terms in context
  • Fast indexing: PDFs are indexed for instant search
When you upload a PDF or receive one as an email attachment, Macro automatically extracts and indexes the text for searching.

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Search Best Practices

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Start Simple

Begin with basic keywords and add filters as needed:
  1. Start: budget
  2. Refine: type:document budget
  3. Narrow: type:document budget updated:[1 week]

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Use Specific Filters

Narrow results with targeted filters:
  • Use type: to search specific content
  • Add date filters for time-sensitive searches
  • Combine filters for precise results

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Search for Exact Phrases

Use quotes for multi-word searches:
  • "product roadmap" (exact phrase)
  • product roadmap (both words, any order)

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Leverage Natural Language

Use conversational date filters:
  • due:[tomorrow]
  • created:[this week]
  • updated:[3 days]
Experiment with different filters and combinations to find what works best for your workflow.

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Integration with Other Features

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With AI Chat

AI Chat can search your content:
  • Ask “Find emails about the Q4 budget”
  • “Show me tasks due this week”
  • “What documents mention the API redesign?”
Search finds @mentions:
  • Search for documents that mention specific tasks
  • Find where emails have been referenced
  • Discover connections in your knowledge graph

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With Channels

Search within channels:
  • Find specific discussions
  • Locate shared files
  • Review decisions and agreements

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Search Architecture

Under the hood, Macro uses:
  • Full-text indexing: All content is indexed for fast retrieval
  • Partial matching: Results appear as you type
  • Real-time updates: New content is indexed immediately
  • Distributed search: Scales to large workspaces
Search indexes are updated in real-time. When you create or modify content, it becomes searchable within seconds.

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