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I’ve built a number of multi-layered Advanced Searches recently, and only after using them for a while, I realized that to add these custom searches into the Dashboard, I have to create Smart Groups, but I then found out that there is no direct way for me to convert a saved Advanced Search into a Smart Group! That is such a missed opportunity for streamlining two similar processes, to convert an advanced search used for testing results into a tangible Smart Group for long-term management.  Should I just stop building Advanced Searches and just build Smart Groups moving forward then? Just wanted to hear from the community about your thoughts and workflows on this matter.

Smart Groups have a fair amount of overhead associated with them, so if you are not using the group for scoping, it’s probably a good idea to stick with Advanced Searches.  At least that is the criteria that we use.

Smart Groups have a fair amount of overhead associated with them, so if you are not using the group for scoping, it’s probably a good idea to stick with Advanced Searches.  At least that is the criteria that we use.

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the quick reply! So if I plan to build something that would remind me if my students’ iPads have outdated iCloud backups (>14 days) or if their iCloud backups are not enabled for some reason, do you think I should try to script something that uses my already saved Advanced Search for that criteria then?  :)

For that kind of reporting, we do indeed use Advanced Searches, although we don’t actually have all of it automated.  I’m not the API expert on our team, but one of the guys has experience with automating things either through Google Scripts or with PowerAutomate for reporting that the bosses ask for on an ad hoc basis.  I don’t know if that helps any, but for whatever it is worth!

What Bruce said.  Smart groups are constantly recalculating causing strain on the tenant.  Advanced searches run at the time of “run”.  Easy to gather simple reports that aren’t made for scoping anything.

You can do what you’re asking via the API, but it’ll take some finessing to get everything you want migrated to a smart group.

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