Saved Filters & Search Presets

Create, manage, and share reusable filter combinations for efficient tender discovery

Updated 2026-03-3014 min read

Saved Filters & Search Presets

Save your filter combinations as reusable searches. Get instant access to targeted tender lists, enable email alerts for new matches, and share searches with team members.

Why Save Filters?

Benefits of Saved Searches

Efficiency:

One click access to complex filter combinations
No need to recreate filters daily
Faster tender discovery workflow
Consistent search criteria

Alerts:

Email notifications when new tenders match
Stay current without manual checking
Never miss an opportunity
Customizable alert frequency

Team Collaboration:

Share searches with colleagues
Consistent opportunity tracking across team
Centralized market monitoring
Visibility into what team is pursuing

Market Intelligence:

Track specific market segments
Monitor competitor activity
Identify trends over time
Measure market size and growth

Tip

Create saved searches for each market segment you target. Examples: "DND Cloud Services $500K+", "Healthcare IT Quebec", "Environmental Consulting National". Check these daily or weekly for a systematic pursuit process.

Creating Saved Filters

Basic Saved Search

Advanced Search Configuration

Include Search Keywords: Filter criteria + text search = powerful precision

Example:

Category: IT Services
Department: National Defence
Value: > $500,000
Keywords: "cloud OR virtualization OR container"
Status: Active

Saves the complete query including keywords.

Date Range Handling:

Fixed Dates:

Closing: March 1 - March 31, 2026
Exact date range saved
Search results will narrow over time as dates pass

Rolling Dates (Recommended):

Posted: Last 7 days
Closing: Next 30 days
Relative dates update automatically
Search stays current as time passes

Best Practice: Use rolling dates for ongoing monitoring, fixed dates for historical analysis or specific time period research.

Multi-Filter Complexity:

Complex search example:

Source: CanadaBuys OR SEAO
Category: Professional Services (multiple subcategories selected)
Department: 15 federal departments selected
Location: Ontario OR Quebec OR National
Value: $250,000 - $2,000,000
Status: Active OR Closing Soon
Solicitation Type: RFP OR RFSO
Keywords: "(consult* OR advisory) AND (digital OR technology)"

All filters saved together, one-click to restore.

Managing Saved Searches

Your Saved Searches List

Access from:

Tenders Page: Dropdown in filter panel
Profile Menu: "Saved Searches"
Dashboard: Quick access widget

List View: Each saved search shows:

Search name
Description
Number of current matches
Last run date/time
Alert status (on/off)
Visibility (private/team/public)
Actions (Run, Edit, Share, Delete)

Sorting Options:

Alphabetical (A-Z)
Most recently used
Most matches
Date created
Alert status (alerts first)

Search Options:

Find saved searches by name
Filter by alert status
Filter by visibility
Group by category/purpose

Running Saved Searches

Quick Run:

Click search name in dropdown
Filters apply instantly
Results display immediately
Can refine filters further (doesn't change saved search)

Scheduled Runs:

Enable "Auto-run daily"
Search runs at specified time
Results emailed or in notification center
Dashboard widget shows latest results

Batch Run:

Select multiple saved searches
Run all at once
Combined results view
Export aggregated results

Editing Saved Searches

Modify Filters:

Run the saved search
Adjust filter values
Click "Update Saved Search"
Confirm changes

Or:

Go to Saved Searches list
Click "Edit" on search
Modify name, description, filters, alerts
Save changes

Version History:

See previous filter configurations
Restore earlier version
Compare changes over time
Understand why results changed

Deleting Saved Searches

Delete Individual:

Saved Searches list > Delete icon
Confirm deletion
Alert history preserved
Can recreate later if needed

Bulk Delete:

Select multiple searches
Delete all at once
Confirmation required
Permanent (no undo)

Warning

Deleting a saved search also deletes its alert configuration. If team members were using a shared search, they'll lose access. Consider archiving instead of deleting.

Email Alerts

Configuring Alerts

Alert Settings:

Enable alerts when saving or editing search:

Frequency Options:

Immediate: Email as soon as new tender matches (within minutes)
Daily Digest: One email per day with all new matches
Weekly Summary: One email per week, sent Monday morning
Custom Schedule: Specify days and times

Alert Content: Choose what's included in emails:

☑ Tender title and reference number
☑ Department and category
☑ Closing date and days remaining
☑ Estimated value
☑ Brief description
☑ Link to full tender detail
☑ "Save to Opportunities" quick action

Delivery Options:

Email Address: Which email receives alerts (default: account email)
CC Others: CC colleagues or team email alias
Subject Line: Customize subject (default: "New tenders match: [Search Name]")
Format: HTML (formatted) or Plain Text

Quiet Hours:

Don't send immediate alerts outside business hours
Queue for next delivery window
Respect time zones
Weekend delivery on/off

Managing Alerts

Alert Dashboard:

View all your alert-enabled searches:

Search name
Current matches
New matches (since last alert)
Last alert sent
Next alert scheduled
Alert frequency
Actions (Pause, Edit, Delete)

Pause Alerts:

Temporarily stop alerts without deleting search
Useful when on vacation or during busy periods
Resume anytime
Alert history preserved

Alert History:

See all past alerts sent
When sent
How many tenders included
Click through to tender details
Resend alert email

Alert Statistics:

Total alerts received
Average new matches per alert
Conversion rate (alerts → saved opportunities)
Most productive saved searches

Alert Best Practices

Avoid Alert Fatigue:

Too Broad: ❌ "All active federal tenders" → 50+ alerts daily → Overwhelming

Too Narrow: ❌ "DND cybersecurity assessments in Ottawa over $2M closing this week" → 1 match every 6 months → Not useful

Just Right: ✅ "DND cybersecurity services $500K-$5M national scope" → 2-3 alerts per week → Manageable and relevant

Frequency Selection:

Immediate Alerts:

High-priority markets
Time-sensitive opportunities
Competitive markets where speed matters
Low-volume searches (< 5 matches/week)

Daily Digest:

Regular monitoring needs
Moderate volume (5-20 matches/week)
Balanced approach
Most common choice

Weekly Summary:

Secondary markets
High volume searches
Strategic long-term opportunities
Market intelligence (not active pursuit)

Alert Tuning:

Start with daily digest
Adjust based on volume
Split high-volume searches into more specific searches
Consolidate low-volume searches

Tip

Create separate saved searches for "Active Pursuit" (immediate alerts) and "Market Monitoring" (weekly summaries). This keeps urgent opportunities front-of-mind while staying aware of broader market without inbox overload.

Share with Organization:

Make search available to team:

Edit saved search
Change visibility to "Team"
Search appears in team members' saved searches
Team members can run, but not edit
You retain ownership and edit rights

Team Benefits:

Consistent opportunity tracking
Coordinated pursuit strategy
Avoid duplicate efforts
Central market intelligence

Permission Levels:

Owner: Full edit and delete rights
Editor: Can modify filters and alerts (if you grant)
Viewer: Can run and use, cannot modify

Team Organization:

Create folder structure for team searches
Naming convention: "[OWNER] - [PURPOSE]"
Tag searches by market, priority, purpose
Assign search ownership to team members

Generate Public Link:

Share search with anyone (no account needed):

Edit saved search
Enable "Public link"
Copy generated URL
Share URL via email, chat, etc.

Public Link Features:

Anyone with link can run search
See current results matching criteria
No editing capability
No alert access
Can save results as their own search (if they have account)

Use Cases:

Share with clients showing relevant opportunities
Send to partners for teaming discussions
Include in proposals showing market knowledge
Post on website/blog for thought leadership

Security Options:

Password protect link
Expiration date (auto-disable after date)
View count limit (disable after X views)
Revoke link anytime

Link Management:

See who accessed public link (if logged in)
View access count
Regenerate link (old link breaks)
Disable all public links

Exporting Search Definitions

Export Configuration:

Export search as JSON
Share file with colleagues
Import on their account
Preserves all filter settings
Useful for offline documentation

Team Templates:

Create search templates
Team members import and customize
Standardize search strategies
Onboard new team members faster

Saved Search Organization

Folders and Categories

Create Folders: Organize searches into folders:

By Market: Federal IT, Provincial Healthcare, Municipal Infrastructure
By Priority: High Priority, Active Pursuit, Market Monitoring
By Department: DND, PSPC, Health Canada, etc.
By Type: Competitive Intelligence, Market Analysis, Active Opportunities

Folder Actions:

Run all searches in folder
Enable/disable alerts for entire folder
Share entire folder with team
Export folder (all searches)

Drag-and-Drop:

Drag searches between folders
Reorder within folders
Nest folders (sub-folders)
Visual organization

Tagging System

Apply Tags: Tag searches for flexible organization:

#urgent - High priority, check daily
#partnership - Shared with partners
#competitive-intel - Market research
#re-compete - Tracking re-competitions
#new-market - Market entry efforts

Tag Filtering:

Filter saved searches by tag
Combine tags (AND/OR logic)
Tag-based alert grouping
Tag-based dashboards

Tag Management:

Create custom tags
Color-code tags
Rename tags (updates all searches)
Delete unused tags

Search Templates

Pre-built Templates:

Cothon provides starter templates:

By Department:

National Defence IT Services
PSPC Professional Services
Health Canada Medical Services
Transport Canada Engineering
[20+ more departments]

By Category:

Cloud Computing Federal
Cybersecurity All Sources
Application Development
Project Management Consulting
Data Analytics and BI
[30+ more categories]

By Strategy:

High-Value Opportunities ($1M+)
Quick Win Contracts (< $100K, < 30 days)
ACAN Monitoring (sole-source opportunities)
Re-compete Tracking (ending contracts)
Indigenous Set-Asides

Using Templates:

Browse template library
Select template
Customize for your needs (add departments, adjust values)
Save as your own search
Enable alerts

Contributing Templates:

Share your successful searches as templates
Help community
Recognition for contributors

Advanced Techniques

Boolean Search Combinations

Saved Search #1: "Federal Cloud Migration"

Category: IT Services
Keywords: "cloud migration OR cloud adoption"

Saved Search #2: "Large Federal Contracts"

Source: CanadaBuys
Value: > $1,000,000

Combined Search: Run both, intersect results:

Tenders that match BOTH searches
Large federal cloud migration opportunities
Most precise targeting

Union Search: Run both, combine results:

Tenders matching EITHER search
Broad opportunity discovery
Maximum coverage

Market Sizing Searches

Quarterly Market Assessment:

Saved Search: "Q1 2026 Healthcare IT Awarded"

Category: Healthcare + IT
Status: Awarded
Award Date: Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2026

Run quarterly:

Total market size (sum of award values)
Number of contracts awarded
Average contract size
Vendor market shares
Trend vs. previous quarters

Annual Trend Analysis: Create similar search for each year:

"2024 Healthcare IT Awarded"
"2025 Healthcare IT Awarded"
"2026 Healthcare IT Awarded"

Compare results year-over-year:

Market growth rate
Category shifts
New entrants
Dominant players

Competitive Tracking

Competitor Watch:

Saved Search: "MegaCorp Wins"

Status: Awarded
Vendor Name: "MegaCorp Inc."
Alert: Immediate

Get notified when competitor wins:

See what they're winning
Understand their focus areas
Identify where you compete
Learn from their wins

Create for Top 5 Competitors:

Monitor each competitor
Compare win patterns
Spot market shifts
Identify white space

Re-compete Tracking

Ending Contracts Search:

Saved Search: "DND IT Contracts Ending in 6 Months"

Department: National Defence
Category: IT Services
Status: Awarded
Contract End Date: (Today + 6 months) to (Today + 9 months)

Re-compete Strategy:

Alert fires when contract ending soon
Research original award (incumbent, value, scope)
Monitor for re-compete RFP
Prepare displacement or partnership strategy
Bid when RFP released

Multi-Department Re-compete Monitoring: Create similar searches for each target department.

Search Performance Analytics

Search Metrics

For Each Saved Search:

Match Metrics:

Current matches
Average matches per week
Match trends (growing/shrinking)
Highest match count
Lowest match count

Conversion Metrics:

Matches → Saved to opportunities
Saved opportunities → Bid analyses
Bid analyses → Proposals submitted
Proposals → Wins

Conversion Funnel:

100 Matches → 20 Saved (20%) → 8 Analyzed (8%) → 3 Bids (3%) → 1 Win (1%)

ROI Analysis:

Time saved using saved search
Opportunities discovered
Wins attributed to search
Revenue from wins

Optimization Recommendations

AI suggests improvements:

Too Broad: "Your search 'Federal IT' returns 200+ matches per week. Consider narrowing to specific subcategories or departments for better focus."

Too Narrow: "Your search 'Quantum Computing DND Ottawa' has had 0 matches in 90 days. Consider broadening to 'Advanced Computing DND' or removing location constraint."

Optimal Ranges: