Advanced Search

Advanced Search lets you build standalone search forms (keyword, dates, taxonomies, custom fields, sort) and send visitors to a results URL — typically a page that embeds a Progress Map.

This is an Ultimate module. Enable it under Ultimate Modules. No separate plugin.

When to use it

Use Advanced Search Prefer something else
Dedicated “Search listings” landing page On-map faceted chips → core search
Complex meta filters before seeing the map Drawing an area → Draw a Search
Multiple themed forms (rent vs sale) Simple keyword → Keyword Search

Enable

  1. Ultimate Modules → Advanced Search → Enable
  2. Save
  3. Look for the Advanced Search admin screens (forms CPT / menu under Progress Map)

Create a search form

  1. Add a new search form.
  2. Connect the form to a post type that Ultimate already maps (same types as Connect post types).
  3. Set the redirect URL — the page visitors land on after submit (must contain your results map or listing template).
  4. Add an optional title and description.
  5. Show/hide field labels and descriptions.
  6. Customize submit / reset button labels.
  7. Publish the form.

Search features you can add

  • Keyword — full-text style search across listings
  • Publish date — date ranges or filters
  • Sort by — let users choose ordering before results
  • Taxonomies — categories, tags, custom taxonomies
  • Custom fields — price ranges, selects, checkboxes, etc. (depending on field types supported in your build)

Only add fields that exist on the connected post type — empty filters confuse users.

Build the form layout

Arrange fields into rows/grids so the form matches your page design (multi-column on desktop, stacked on mobile). Preview on a real page, not only in admin.

Display the form

Shortcode

[cspm_advanced_search id="FORM_ID"]

Paste into any page (Elementor/Gutenberg shortcode block, classic editor, etc.).

Replace FORM_ID with the form’s ID from the admin list or shortcode helper.

Connect multiple search forms

You can run several forms (different post types or different field sets) that funnel into appropriate result pages. Keep redirect URLs distinct so queries don’t collide.

Messages & UX copy

Customize the messages shown during search (validation, no results, loading). Clear copy reduces support tickets more than extra fields.

Style the form

Without touching your theme CSS, you can usually adjust:

  • Border radius & shadow
  • Title / description typography
  • Grid background colors
  • Field styles
  • Button styles

For deeper branding, add theme CSS scoped to the form wrapper.

Import / export

Advanced Search supports import/export of forms between WordPress sites — useful for agencies cloning a directory stack. Export on the source site, import on the destination, then fix redirect URLs for the new domain.

Translation

Translate strings with WPML or PoEdit / .po files. After Ultimate updates, re-check translations for new strings.

End-to-end checklist

  1. Module enabled
  2. Form published and shortcode on a page
  3. Redirect page exists and embeds [cspm_main_map id="…"] (or your results template)
  4. Map query can accept the filtered population (or results mechanism your version uses)
  5. Test one taxonomy + one meta filter + keyword
  6. Test “no results” messaging

Troubleshooting

Issue Check
Shortcode prints raw text Module disabled or caching old PHP
Submit goes nowhere Redirect URL empty/wrong
Results ignore filters Results page/map not wired to search query params
Fields missing Wrong post type on the form

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