When processing a sales transaction, cashiers need to find products quickly to keep the checkout process running smoothly. As a store's product catalog grows, finding the right item can become more challenging if the search method does not match the cashier's workflow.

The Auto Complete Code Query configuration in the Sell module allows you to choose how products are searched based on the product code entered by the cashier. You can select whether the search starts with the beginning of the product code or looks for the entered characters anywhere within the code.

This setting is useful for stores with many products that want to improve the product search process during sales transactions. In this article, you will learn how to configure Auto Complete Code Query and understand the differences between Starts With and Contains.

After choosing, click Save for keep the changes.

The Starts With method searches for products based on the beginning of the product code. The system matches the characters entered in the search field from the first character of the code, following the same order as the keyword.

For example, if you enter TS-, the system will find products with codes such as TS-BLK-001 and TS-BLU-002. However, a product with code CAP-TS-001 will not be found because TS- does not appear at the beginning of the code.
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This method is recommended for stores with many products, especially when product codes follow a consistent format. By searching from the beginning of the code, the results can be more targeted, helping cashiers find products faster when adding items to the cart.

The Contains method searches for products based on characters found anywhere within the product code. The keyword does not have to start from the beginning of the code, as long as the characters appear in the same order.

For example, if you enter TS-, the system can find products with codes such as TS-BLK-001, TS-BLU-002 and CAP-TS-001. Both products are found because their codes contain TS-.

This method is useful when cashiers only remember a specific part of the product code, such as a model number or color code. However, if many products contain the same characters, the search may return more results, requiring the cashier to select the correct product from a longer list.

Tip: For stores with a large product catalog, use Starts With to make product searches more targeted. Contains is useful when you need more flexibility in searching for product codes.