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# Filter by a sentence, search all columns, or compare two numbers

> Use Mammoth's Ask, Search and Compare Explore Cards to filter rows in plain words, find a value in every column, and plot two number columns as a scatter.

The Ask, Search and Compare cards are Explore Cards that aren't tied to one column. Add them from **Add card** in the Explore panel (the **Explore** toggle in the data editor's action bar): **Describe a filter in plain words**, **Search all columns** or **Compare two number columns**. As with any explore filter, filtering needs edit access to the workspace, and their filters count toward the filter badge beside **Explore**.

These cards filter rows and have no chart, so they can't be added to a dashboard. Like column cards, each one counts within the filters of the cards to its left. See [Explore Cards](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/explore/explore-cards/).

## Filter rows by describing them in plain words (Ask card)

The **Ask** card turns a sentence into explore filter rules. Add it with **Add card** > **Describe a filter in plain words**.

1. Type in the box (**Describe the rows you want, in plain words**). The card suggests examples: "channel is Amazon and quantity over 2", "order date in 2024", or "product name contains leather".
2. Press Enter, or click the arrow button (**Turn into a filter**). Shift+Enter adds a new line. The button turns on once you type at least three characters, and stays off until you change the words.
3. Read the rules under **Understood as**, for example "channel is Amazon" and "quantity > 2". The footer shows how many rows match, for example "12 of 480 rows match".
4. Click **Filter** to show only those rows, or **Exclude** to hide them.

Once applied, the heading changes to **Showing rows where** (or **Excluding rows where**), and **Remove filter** takes the filter off. Remove one rule with the **x** beside it (**Remove this rule**); an applied filter updates straight away. A new sentence replaces the rules but is not applied until you click **Filter** or **Exclude** again.

If the card can't read your words, it shows "Couldn't turn that into a filter. Name a column and a value, e.g. "channel is Amazon"." and keeps the previous rules, with the note "Still using your last question".

The Ask card uses an AI model to read your sentence. It is not the AI Agent. Its count is taken within the filters of the cards to its left.

## Find a value in any column (Search card)

The **Search** card finds a word or number across columns. Add it with **Add card** > **Search all columns**. A View has one Search card at most: a check mark beside **Search all columns** shows it is already open.

Type in the box (**Search every column…**). After two characters, matching rows are highlighted in the grid as you type, and the footer counts them, for example "37 rows match". Press Esc to clear the search. Matches are counted within the filters of the cards to the left.

| Option | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **in: All columns** | Picks which columns to search: **All columns**, or tick single columns. The label changes to the column name or a count, for example **in: 3 columns** |
| **Show only matches** | Filters the grid to rows that match in any searched column. Click again to turn it off |
| **Hide matches** | Hides rows that match. Rows with a blank value in the searched columns are kept |
| **Which columns match?** | Counts matching rows per searched column and lists the columns with a match under **Matching columns**, most matches first. Click a column to search only that column. If no single column holds the term, the card says "No single column holds a match." |

How a term matches depends on the column type:

- Text columns match when the value contains the term. Case does not matter.
- Number columns match only when the term is a number equal to the value.
- Date columns match when the term reads as a date, for example a year, and the date falls in it.

Highlighting follows your typing on any size of View. On a View with more than one million rows, the count waits for Enter, because each count reads every searched column. Until you press Enter, the card shows "Matches are highlighted in the grid · press Enter to count them". Once **Show only matches** or **Hide matches** is on, a new term on such a View also waits for Enter before it filters again.

## Plot two number columns against each other (Compare card)

The **Compare** card draws a scatter plot of two number columns. Add it with **Add card** > **Compare two number columns**. It needs at least two number columns in the View; otherwise the menu entry is off and the card shows "Needs two number columns".

| Option | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **X** (**Horizontal axis (X)**) | The number column along the bottom |
| **Y** (**Vertical axis (Y)**) | The number column up the side |
| **Colour points by** | Colours points by a text column. The seven most common values get their own colour; the rest (blanks too) are grouped as **Other**. The default is **No colour** |
| **Size points by** | **Number of rows** (the default) sizes each point by how many rows it holds. **All the same size** draws equal points. Pick a number column to size points by its values |

Points are grouped into buckets so the plot stays fast on large Views. The card draws up to 20,000 points. Beyond that it shows "Showing the 20,000 busiest points only. Filter the view to see the rest." Rows with a blank in either axis column are left out. If none have both values, the card shows "No rows have both values."

To filter on the plot:

1. Drag a box around points (**Drag a box around points to select them**). The footer counts the rows in the box.
2. Click **Filter** to keep them, or **Exclude** to hide them.

Once applied, the footer describes the box, prefixed with **Excluding** for an exclude, and **Remove filter** takes it off. Changing an axis removes the box and its filter.

## Related

- [Explore Cards](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/explore/explore-cards/): column cards, the filter badge, and saving filters as a task.
- [Text, number and date cards](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/explore/card-types/): what each column card shows.
- [Filter rows](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/filter-rows/): make a filter permanent in the pipeline.
- [Metrics](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/explore/metrics/): numbers that follow your explore filters.

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Source: https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/explore/ask-search-compare.md · Updated: 2026-11-08