How Search Works in Ginkgo

Ginkgo’s search is designed to work like asking a person — not like searching a database. You can describe things in ordinary language and Ginkgo will find the closest match, even if the name doesn’t match exactly.

What you can search for

Exact names: “Cordless drill”, “extension lead”, “passport”

Descriptions: “The thing for bleeding radiators”, “that blue bag we use for camping”

Approximate names: “Drill thing”, “the charger for the old camera”

Categories: “All the tools”, “kitchen stuff in the garage”

How the matching works

Ginkgo uses a combination of text matching and AI to find relevant items. This means:

• A search for “extension cord” will find items called “extension lead”
• A search for “screwdriver” will surface items in the “tools” category even if they’re not called exactly that
• Searching “batteries” might return both items labelled “batteries” and items described as “uses AA batteries”

Tips for better search results

Be specific about what you’re looking for. “Red toolbox in the garage” will return more useful results than just “toolbox”.

Include the location if you remember it. Mentioning “in the loft” or “somewhere in the bedroom” helps Ginkgo narrow results.

Try a different description if you don’t find it. If your first search doesn’t return what you’re looking for, try describing the item differently — what it looks like, what it’s for, or where you last remember seeing it.

When search doesn’t find something

If Ginkgo can’t find an item, it might be because:

• The item hasn’t been added yet
• It was added with a different name or description
• The location information is incomplete

Try browsing by location as an alternative — go to the room or area where you think the item might be and look through the list.