--- title: "Ultimate Member – Faceted Search" date: 2026-05-12 modified: 2026-08-04 author: "userelements_wh8sr3" url: "https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-faceted-search/" markdown_url: "https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-faceted-search.md" type: page excerpt: "Faceted Search for Ultimate Member Add an AJAX filter sidebar to any Ultimate Member directory — checkboxes, dropdowns, tags, and […]" --- # Faceted Search for Ultimate Member Add an AJAX filter sidebar to any Ultimate Member directory — checkboxes, dropdowns, tags, and ranges with live counts, shareable URLs, and no page reloads. ![Ultimate Member Faceted Search — directory with Country, Gender, and First Name filters beside member cards](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/screenshot-2026-05-12-153330.png) - Six filter UI types: checkbox, radio, dropdown, tag cloud, numeric range, and date range - Live facet counts that update as visitors combine filters (AND across facets) - AJAX results through Ultimate Member’s native directory — no full page reload - Per-directory setup with left, right, or top-bar layouts and drag-and-drop facet order - Active filter chips, shareable URL state, role-based visibility, and mobile-friendly panels --- Ultimate Member’s built-in directory search is keyword-first. Visitors who need “designers in Bangkok with 5+ years experience” hit a wall — there’s no way to stack real profile filters without a full reload or custom code. Faceted Search drops a configurable filter sidebar onto any Member Directory. It hooks into UM’s own `um_get_members` AJAX flow, so cards, pagination, sorting, and keyword search keep working as before. ## Filter how members actually search Map each facet to a UM profile meta key and pick a UI that fits the field. Mix types freely on the same directory. - **Checkbox & radio lists** — Multi- or single-select for skills, interests, gender, and similar fields. - **Dropdown** — Compact single-value select for country, role-like fields, or long option lists. - **Tag cloud** — Toggleable pills for higher-cardinality values, with optional counts. - **Numeric & date ranges** — Min/max inputs for age, rates, or experience; from/to dates for registration or membership start. ![Faceted Search metabox on the Ultimate Member directory edit screen](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/um-faceted-search-settings.png) ## Configured inside the directory editor No separate settings page and no shortcodes. Open **Ultimate Member → Member Directories**, edit a directory, and use the **Faceted Search** metabox. - **Per-directory enable** — Turn facets on only where you need them. - **Layout picker** — Sidebar left, sidebar right, or horizontal top bar. - **Meta-key autocomplete** — Suggests UM form fields and public usermeta; warns on unsuitable keys. - **Drag-and-drop order** — The front-end sidebar follows your row order. - **Advanced per facet** — Sort options by count or alphabet, restrict visibility by UM role, set numeric/date bounds. **Sensitive fields stay out.** Passwords, 2FA tokens, file uploads, URLs, and biography-style fields are blocked from the facet builder by default. ## A directory experience that stays in sync As visitors refine filters, member results update over AJAX. Facet counts recalculate for the current combination — each facet’s count ignores its own selection so other options stay useful. Active chips show what’s applied; one click clears a single filter or everything. - **URL state** — Optional shareable / bookmarkable filter URLs. - **Results summary** — “Showing X of Y members” stays aligned with UM pagination. - **Mobile panels** — Collapsible facet blocks on small screens when enabled. - **Works with UM search** — Facets combine with keyword search, native filters, sort, and pagination. ## Up and running in three steps - **Install & activate** — Requires Ultimate Member. The Faceted Search metabox appears on every directory edit screen. - **Add facets** — Enable the feature, choose a layout, then add meta keys with labels and UI types. - **Publish** — Save the directory. The filter sidebar appears on the front end automatically. ## Works with - **Ultimate Member** — Required. Integrates with member directory AJAX, query args, and custom metadata table paths when used. - **UM profile forms** — Reads field types and option labels from your form definitions for smart filter logic. ## Requirements - Ultimate Member (active) - WordPress 6.0+ - PHP 7.4+ ## For developers Hooks for sidebar placement and query tuning: `um_fs_before_sidebar`, `um_fs_inside_sidebar`, `um_fs_after_sidebar`, `um_fs_user_card_data`, `um_fs_field_type_overrides`, `um_fs_facet_max_users`, and `um_fs_facet_base_args`. [Download free — WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/plugins/faceted-search-for-ultimate-member/) [View documentation](https://www.userelements.com/docs/um-faceted-search/setup-installation/)Free GPL v2 or later License GPL Version 1.0.2 Updated 2026 Included - All six filter UI types - Per-directory configuration - Live counts, chips & URL state - Docs & community support via WP.org Support - [Documentation](https://www.userelements.com/docs/um-faceted-search/setup-installation/) - [WordPress.org support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/faceted-search-for-ultimate-member/) Categories Member directory Search & filters Ultimate Member AJAX Extension information - Version: 1.0.2 - PHP version required: 7.4+ - Requires Ultimate Member: yes (active) - Requires at least WordPress: 6.0+ - Tested up to WordPress: 7.0 Quality checks - Sensitive meta keys blocked from facets - Facet count caching with cache flush on meta changes - Works with UM custom metadata table queries ## Related Ultimate Member plugins [ Elementor Widgets for Ultimate Member Searchable member directories, sortable tables, and custom profile pages in Elementor. ](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-elementor/) [ Ultimate Member – Form Entries Searchable history of registrations, profile changes, and validation failures. ](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-form-entries/) [ Ultimate Member – Paddle Accept payments with Paddle and automatically upgrade or remove Ultimate Member roles. ](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-paddle/) [ Export Users for Ultimate Member Export UM users with correct field labels, filters, and background processing for large lists. ](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-export/) [ Ultimate Member – MailPoet Sync members to MailPoet lists at registration, approval, role changes, and profile updates. ](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-mailpoet/) ![]()