| UI or UX | UI + UX - Persisted named filter criteria applied to a list, table, board, or dashboard | UI + UX - Grouped filter control panel for narrowing a current result set | UI + UX - Persisted named search criteria for rerunning a dynamic result set | UI + UX - Compact chip set for toggling or removing result filters |
| UI guidance | Place Save filter close to the active filter controls and show a criteria preview that names every stored field, operator, and value before users commit it. | Render filter categories as labelled form controls in a panel adjacent to the result set on wide layouts, with a visible result count and active-filter summary near the results. | Render Save search near the active query and result summary, and show exactly which query text, filters, scope, and sort will be stored. | Render filter chips as a compact set of short, consistently styled controls near the content they filter, with clear selected, unselected, focused, disabled, and removable states. |
| UX guidance | Use saved filter when users repeatedly apply the same filter values to a changing list and need to reuse those criteria across sessions or teams. | Use a filter panel to help users narrow the current list or search result set while preserving orientation, search query, sort order, pagination context, and selected values. | Use saved search when users repeatedly need the same dynamic result set and must rerun it without rebuilding query, filters, sort, and scope. | Use filter chips for quick, low-cost filtering when users can understand the available criteria at a glance and combine a few chips without opening a larger panel. |
| Good UI | A case queue exposes saved filters named High priority benefits and My review queue, each with status, team, priority, and date chips before users apply them. | A desktop search page shows a left filter panel with Status, Type, and Date groups, while active chips and the result count sit above the results. | A search results page shows Save search beside the result count, opens a naming dialog, and previews query, filters, scope, and sort before saving. | A search results page shows chips for Open, Urgent, Appeals, and Benefits below the search box, with selected chips using a checkmark and stronger background. |
| Bad UI | A star button saves the current table rows without showing which filters created them. | A filter drawer closes with no active count, leaving users unaware that filters are still hiding records. | A star icon saves an unnamed search with no confirmation or criteria summary. | A single pill labelled Filter sits alone and behaves like a vague button. |
| Good UX | A benefits worker applies High priority benefits to the current appeal search; the query stays appeal while status, team, and priority filters change. | A user selects Status: Open and Type: Appeal, applies the batch, lands back at the result summary, and sees 12 records with both criteria removable. | A user saves a search for Open renewal risks, returns next week, reruns it, and sees newly matching cases included. | A user taps Urgent and Appeals, sees the result count drop immediately, then removes Appeals without losing the search query or sort order. |
| Bad UX | Saving a filter freezes today's 14 rows, so tomorrow's newly urgent benefits cases never appear. | Applying a filter silently resets the query, sort order, current page, and view density. | Saving search stores only the current three results, so future matching records are missing. | Tapping a chip changes the page route and clears the result context. |
| Best fit | Users repeatedly need the same filter criteria on a list, table, board, queue, base view, or dashboard. | Users need to narrow the current search results, browse results, table, card grid, or list by multiple criteria. | Users repeat the same search criteria across sessions or operational cycles. | A few common filters should stay visible and directly toggleable near the content. |
| Avoid when | Users only need to adjust filters for the current session. | The result set is small enough that scanning is faster than filtering. | The query is a one-off lookup that users will not need again. | There are many criteria, ranges, dates, or grouped fields that need a panel or form. |
| Required state | No saved filter selected while current filters are still visible and saveable. | Default state with no user-applied filters and an explicit result count. | Unsaved current search with Save search available only when criteria are meaningful. | Unselected chip set state with no active filters and a clear result count. |
| Accessibility burden | Use labelled controls for saved-filter name, visibility, owner, criteria fields, operators, and values. | Use semantic form controls with fieldsets, legends, labels, and accessible names for filter categories and values. | Use labelled form fields for saved-search name, description, visibility, and subscription settings. | Use button semantics for interactive chips and expose selected state with aria-pressed or equivalent semantics. |
| Common misuse | Treating the visible table rows as the saved object instead of storing field, operator, and value conditions. | Hiding active filters inside a closed panel with no count, chips, or result-state summary. | Saving static result IDs instead of reusable criteria. | Using a lone chip as a generic Filter button. |