# System admin portal to search public, private and direct channels

**URL:** <https://forum.mattermost.com/t/system-admin-portal-to-search-public-private-and-direct-channels/3705>\
**Category:** Troubleshooting\
**Created:** [August 17, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/system-admin-portal-to-search-public-private-and-direct-channels/3705 "2017-08-17T13:29:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jakef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@jakef](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/jakef)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/system-admin-portal-to-search-public-private-and-direct-channels/3705/1 "2017-08-17T13:29:09Z")

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Is there the ability within the compliance functionality to search across all message types (public, private and direct)?

The compliance reporting so far seems to only report on public and private channels, which means we don’t have an audit trail on direct messages.

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**Author:** ![MusikPolice](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/musikpolice/32/1451_2.png) [@MusikPolice](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/MusikPolice)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/system-admin-portal-to-search-public-private-and-direct-channels/3705/2 "2017-08-28T12:49:12Z")

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We’re working on some new compliance functionality that should help to address these concerns. You can take a look at the preliminary design doc [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xg-7ygCNs4y1J2GcR7GM2ZHc-R9NHei7e_ab1tSIENI/edit?usp=sharing). Feel free to leave a comment if you don’t see your particular concern addressed.

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**Author:** ![jasonblais](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/jasonblais/32/720_2.png) [@jasonblais](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/jasonblais)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/system-admin-portal-to-search-public-private-and-direct-channels/3705/3 "2017-08-28T16:34:29Z")

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Hey @jake, if you’re referring to the compliance functionality currently available in the System Console, you’re correct. It doesn’t export direct message channels.

I have create a ticket for us to fix it here: [https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/PLT-7497](https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/PLT-7497)