iSearch 2.7 and RFI portfolios vs. iCode feature comparison – iCode Support

Background

iCode was developed as a standalone coding tool to improve OPA’s project coding capabilities and work alongside the new version of iSearch (3.0). The previous portfolio tool, which was integrated into iSearch 2.7, had limitations, including the inability to maintain a fully static dataset. Over time, OPA also identified additional improvements and requested features that have been incorporated into iCode, as identified in the table below.

Most features available in the previous portfolio tools have been retained in iCode to support feature parity. iCode also includes improvements to the user interface, visualizations, data flexibility, and coding functionality.

The table below summarizes key differences between the legacy tools and iCode and shows where corresponding features can be found.

		iSearch 2.7 portfolios and RFI tool	iCode	iCode User guide article
Application-level differences	Static portfolios	To create a fully static portfolio, you needed to upload the data rather than add records directly from iSearch. Otherwise, metrics associated with the records could change over time.	iCode supports fully static projects because it is a standalone platform.	Create a project
	Data	Data is pulled from iSearch 2.7, and all metrics update automatically.	Pulls data from iSearch 3.0. Metrics will not update unless the project is set to Dynamic. To update metrics, such as RCR or Award Status, without adding new records, add a search containing the existing System IDs and set it to Dynamic. When adding multiple sources, fields selected from previous sources are retained by default.	For more information on data differences in migrated projects, see the iSearch 2.7 Portfolios vs. iCode Projects (Ported/Migrated) article. For instructions on making different projects in iCode, visit: Create a project
	Modules/ datasets	Users needed to navigate to individual modules in iSearch to find their portfolios.	Projects from different data sources are available in one place. Dataset Name is planned as a future field that will appear alongside Source.	iCode landing page
	Filters/ Facets	Filters/facets are automatically set.	Filters are generated automatically based on fields configured as Filterable. You can adjust field settings to make eligible fields available as filters.	Filters View
	Upload (additional) data	Available under Manage Content: Upload Data.	Use Upload Fields, rather than Manage Content: Add Content, when you only need to add fields or data to existing records.	Upload Fields tutorial
	Coding buttons	Separate Code All Records and Code Results Set options.	The Start Coding button supports both workflows and adjusts based on the current set of records.	How to Code tutorial
	Manage Portfolio	Use Manage Portfolio to manage coding fields, users, highlighting, and other portfolio settings. Only Managers and Super Curators can access this feature.	Use Settings from the left-side panel to access options such as Add Collaborators, Setup Coding Fields, Highlight keywords, and Modify View. Only Managers can access Settings; it is not available to Coders or Viewers.	Settings Overview
	Manage Content	Use Manage Content to add records from sources such as spreadsheets and searches to a portfolio. Only Managers and Super Curators can access this feature.	Use Manage Content under Settings to add or manage records in a project. To add fields or other data to records already in the project, use Upload Fields. Only Managers can access Settings; Coders and Viewers cannot use Manage Content to change project records.	Overview (Manage Content)
New features	Search Assistance	Not available.	Helps users create queries to search within a project without needing to know search syntax.	Search Assist
	Coding view	Managers or Super Curators needed to hide other coders’ fields in Record View to keep coding blind.	The Coding panel displays only the current user’s coding fields. Managers can switch to Review to view responses from all coders.	Coding Fields and Vocabularies
	Sections	Sections are created automatically when adding data from iSearch. Custom sections cannot be created.	Users can create custom sections and reorder fields. When source data is added using an iSearch URL, the corresponding iSearch sections are also created automatically.	Modify View/Manage Sections
Improved features	Highlighting	Each keyword must be set up individually, and previously selected fields are not retained when adding another keyword. Color selection is also more complex.	When adding another keyword, the fields selected for the previous keyword are retained by default. The color picker is also easier to use.	Highlighting
	Visualizations	Charts must be created manually.	Charts are generated automatically based on the data included in the project.	Charts View
	Vocabularies	Vocabularies can be complex to create. Reusing and editing an existing vocabulary can change the original vocabulary.	Vocabularies are managed separately within each project. You can copy an existing vocabulary into a project and edit the copied version without changing the vocabulary used in other projects.	Coding Fields and Vocabularies
Features in development	Preferences	These can be set under User Preferences. Managers and Super Curators can choose to Save for themselves or Save for Portfolio Users to save for all users.	Currently, Modify View allows Managers to set viewing preferences for all users in the project. The ability for Coders and Viewers to set individual preferences is in development.	Modify view
Features in development	Modify displayable fields	Users can temporarily change which fields are displayed in Record View. These changes apply only to the individual user and the current session.	The same button, or similar, is planned to exist in Record View of an iCode project.	N/A
Future features	Copy curatable/ coding field	Users can copy and paste a coding field created in another project.	The same button, or similar, is planned to exist in Record View of an iCode project.	N/A
	Masking	Used to hide records in a portfolio because records could not be deleted.	The same button, or similar, is planned to exist in Record View of an iCode project. Currently, to remove field values from existing records, you can reupload data using the existing record ID with associated field values removed. You can also add an additional field to tag records (such as "do not use").	N/A
	Copy portfolio	Users can copy a portfolio from the portfolio list.	The same button, or similar, is planned to exist in Record View of an iCode project.	N/A

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