13.6 Synonym Files

It is possible for you to create a file of synonyms which will assist the users in their search for items. For example, you may have a supplier who uses the word ‘flashlight’ throughout their catalogue. However your users and other suppliers use the word ‘torch’. You can therefore link the words torch and flashlight in your synonym file so that any searches for “torch” will also return items containing the text “flashlight” and vice versa.

To do this you simply complete an excel spreadsheet containing 2 columns. The first column must contain an identifier which must be one word long. The column on the right should contain as many synonyms as required with the word OR separating each of them as below.

Synonyms do not need to be case sensitive.

Identifier Synonyms

Torch torch OR flashlight

Tipex tipex OR tippex OR tip-ex OR tip ex OR correction fluid OR snowpake

Briefcase briefcase OR attaché OR backpack

cable cable OR cbl

CD cd OR disk OR compact disk

CDRW cdrw OR cdw OR cd OR rewrite