Quick Case Search

The Quick Case Search is the simplest way to search for a matter in SmartAdvocate. It can be found at the top center of nearly every screen in SmartAdvocate (the Intake Wizard and Contact Card screens being exceptions) and consists of the following, from left to right:

There is a selector, which allows you to choose whether the results contain only open cases, only closed cases, or both. (Note: for most parameters, selecting "open" will return everything not formally closed, including cases without a status, and for some parameters it will also return non-case contacts.)
The drop down list allows you to choose your search parameter, the data column by which to search. The default is to search by Case # / Plaintiff, although you can change this default to any of the other search parameters under User Preferences.
An input field (or two, in the case of date ranges) allows for you to enter your search string, which is the series of characters that will be fed into the search system.
There are two magnifying-glass icons, the first with an arrow pointing down and to the left, the second with an arrow pointing up and to the right. Clicking the first will present the search results to you in the same tab in which you are currently working. Clicking the second will present them to you in a new tab. You can also press Enter instead of clicking either of these buttons to get the search results; by initial default, doing so will present them to you in a new tab. You can change that behavior in User Preferences. (See User Preferences for details.)
Lastly, there is a question mark icon. Clicking this will present you with a very basic overview of search string behavior (Boolean searching) for the "Case # / Plaintiff" parameter.