Search across ALLO

Use global Search when you know a word, title, person, or command

Global Search helps you jump to work across ALLO without first opening the right project, canvas list, dashboard, or people page. It is best when you have a clue: a canvas title, project name, teammate, file name, dashboard, goal, or command.

Search is also a command entry point. Before you type a query, it can show common actions, recent searches, and suggested resources. As you type, it can suggest matching people or work and show results grouped by type.

For the difference between Search, Activity, and Starred, see Search and activity overview.

Open Search

Open Search from the Search button in the top bar. You can usually use Command+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows and Linux. If the shortcut does not open Search, click the topbar Search button instead.

When Search opens, you may see recent searches, suggested resources, or common commands before typing. This idle state is useful when you do not have an exact term yet and want a fast way to create, navigate, or reopen work.

Search is meant for jumping, not browsing. Type the strongest clue you have, then open the result directly instead of navigating through every project or canvas by hand.

Start typing when you know what you want. Search updates suggestions and results as your query becomes more specific.

Search by the clue you have

Use the most distinctive word you know. A short, unique term often works better than a full sentence. For a canvas titled Q4 enterprise launch review, try enterprise or launch before typing the whole title. For a person, type their name or email. For a file, type a filename word, then use Files if you need file-specific filters.

If you are searching for a project or canvas with a common name like Planning, add another word you remember: client name, team, quarter, or owner. Search results are only as useful as the clue you provide.

If you do not know any text, use Activity for recent changes or Home recent work for work you opened recently.

Use suggestions and tabs

Search can show suggestions while you type. Suggestions are useful for people, recent work, and resources that closely match the query. Choosing a suggestion can take you directly to the item without scanning a longer results list.

Search results may be grouped by resource type or shown with tabs and counts. Use those groupings to narrow the result set. If you are looking for a canvas, check canvas results. If you are looking for a teammate, check people results. If you are looking for a dashboard, check dashboard results.

If a tab has no results, it may mean there is no accessible match in that resource type, or your query is too narrow. Clear the query or try a different word.

Open a result

Select the result you want. A canvas opens in the canvas area, a project opens in Projects, a file may open through its file context or containing work, a dashboard opens in Dashboards, and a person opens in the people or profile context supported by your workspace.

If a result opens but you cannot edit, your role may be view-only. Search finds accessible work; it does not grant edit permission. If you need a different role, ask the owner or admin. See Read-only access.

If the result fails to open, the item may have been deleted, moved, or had its permission changed after Search found it. Refresh and try again, then use When search misses a result.

Search respects workspace and access

Search runs in the current workspace and follows your current access. If you have multiple workspaces, use Switch workspaces to open the workspace where the work lives before searching. A project in one workspace will not appear in another workspace’s search results.

Search also follows sharing rules. A shared canvas may be available through Shared with me even when you cannot browse the whole project. A private project may appear for its members but not for everyone else. A deleted item may require Trash instead of Search.

If a teammate sees a result you cannot see, compare workspace, account, role, project access, canvas share, and guest status. Do not assume the search text is the problem until access is checked.

Search versus local search

Use global Search when you want one entry point across many resource types. Use local search when you are already inside a specialized surface.

All canvases search is better for browsing canvases with canvas-specific sort, filters, grid/list view, and card menus. See Find canvases.

Files search is better for file rows, file type filters, upload dates, uploader, and download or preview actions. See Filter files.

Project filters are better for narrowing project canvases by status, owner, tag, Due date, or project view. See Use tags and filters.

Shared with me is better when you remember that someone specifically shared the work with you. See Shared with me overview.

Trash is better for deleted work. Search should not be your first tool for recovery.

Search commands

Global Search may show commands before or while you type. Commands are actions like creating or opening common areas rather than ordinary work results. Use commands when you know the action you want and do not need to find an existing item first.

If you are not sure whether a result is a command or work item, check the label and icon. Commands perform an action; work results open an existing canvas, project, file, person, dashboard, or goal.

Improve search results

Try fewer words. If final client legal deck approved returns nothing, try legal, client, or the project name.

Try a different name. Work may have been renamed after you last saw it. Search by client, team, owner, or a word from the old title.

Check the resource tab. You may be looking at people results while the item is a project, or file results while the item is a canvas.

Clear filters in the local surface. If global Search opens the correct area but the item is hidden there, local filters may still be active.

Check the workspace and account. This is the most common cause when a link works for someone else.

When Search cannot find it

Use When search misses a result when you have tried a few terms and still cannot find the work. The most likely causes are wrong workspace, missing permission, changed title, local filters, deleted work, shared access, or search timing after a recent creation.

If the item is urgent, ask the owner for a direct link while you troubleshoot. A direct link can confirm whether the item exists and whether your account has access. If the link opens but blocks you, use When you can't access work.