> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shovels.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Search Decisions in Shovels Online

> Search zoning and land use decisions in Shovels Online by location and date, filter by category, asset class, and project value, open the full record, and export results to CSV.

**The Decisions tab in [Shovels Online](https://app.shovels.ai) lets you search zoning and land use decisions from city councils and planning boards without writing code.** It sits alongside the Contractors, Permits, and Properties tabs and is included on every plan.

Decisions often come months before a permit is filed, so this tab is where to look for projects that haven't reached construction yet. See [What are Shovels Decisions?](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/data/decisions/overview.md) for background on the dataset.

[Shovels Decisions](https://demo.arcade.software/video/HQnVp9tt3VIJEZ2KqREd?embed\&embed_mobile=tab\&embed_desktop=inline\&show_copy_link=true)

## Location and Dates

Every Decisions search needs a location and a decision date range.

* **Location:** an address, city, county, state, or jurisdiction.
* **Decision dates:** the date of the final vote or action on the decision. A new search starts with the last 12 months, and the calendar offers shortcuts for the last 1, 3, 6, or 12 months and all time.

> [!WARNING]
>
> ZIP codes are not supported on the Decisions tab. Search by city, county, or jurisdiction instead.

On the Free plan, Decisions searches cover the last 12 months. If a search starts earlier, Shovels Online moves the start date forward and says so above the results. Paid plans can search the full history.

## Filters

Each filter you add narrows the results further.

| Filter | What it matches |
| - | - |
| **Keywords** | Words in the decision's title and description, up to 100 characters |
| **Asset class** | The kind of asset involved, such as Commercial or Mixed-Use |
| **Category** | The kind of decision, such as Spot Rezoning or Infrastructure Development |
| **Subcategory** | A more specific classification recorded on the decision |
| **Property type** | The type of property, such as vacant land |
| **Project value** | A minimum and maximum project value, in dollars |

The asset class, category, and subcategory lists suggest values from the decisions you have loaded, so they are not a complete list. You can type any value from a decision record to filter on it. See [Decision categories](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/data/decisions/decision-categories.md) for the categories Shovels uses.

## Results and Decision Records

Results appear as a table, with a map view available from the same toggle as the other tabs. Expand a row to see the full record, or open the decision on its own page. Each decision page has its own link, so you can bookmark it or send it to a teammate who has a Shovels account.

A decision record includes:

* **Decision:** date, category, subcategory, and asset class
* **Description** and a short **Why it matters** summary
* **Location:** the address, shown on a map where coordinates are available
* **Project:** property type, project value, lot size, previous and new zoning, and allowed uses
* **People:** applicant, owner, representative, and developer
* **Source:** a link to the official meeting record the decision came from

Not every decision includes every field. A value appears only when the source meeting record contains it.

The Decisions tab uses the same [browsing limits](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/shovels-online/how-it-works.md) as the other tabs.

## Exporting Decisions to CSV

Select **Download CSV** above the results to export a Decisions search. Export is available on every plan, including Free.

* Each download includes up to **1,000** decisions. If more match, the file contains the first 1,000.
* Each exported row spends one credit from the monthly balance you share with the API.
* If a search matches more than 10,000 decisions, narrow the location or date range before exporting.
* The Free plan's 12-month limit applies to exports too.

For larger pulls, use the [Search Decisions](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/api/decisions/searching-decisions.md) endpoint in the API.

## Asking Charlie About Decisions

[Charlie](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/shovels-online/charlie.md) can set up a Decisions search for you. Ask something like "Show me rezoning decisions in Austin from the last six months", and Charlie replies with a button that opens the Decisions tab with the location, dates, and filters already applied. Charlie prepares the search; the records themselves appear on the Decisions tab.

## Coverage

Decisions coverage is smaller than permit coverage, so a location with permit data may not have decisions yet. Shovels collects new decisions daily and adds them to the dataset twice a month. Check the [Coverage Dashboard](https://www.shovels.ai/coverage) before you build a search around a specific area.

## Related Articles

* [What are Shovels Decisions?](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/data/decisions/overview.md)
* [Decision categories](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/data/decisions/decision-categories.md)
* [Decision data fields](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/data/decisions/data-fields.md)
* [Where Decisions are available](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/api/decisions/decisions-availability.md)
* [How Shovels Online works](https://docs.shovels.ai/docs/knowledge-base/shovels-online/how-it-works.md)


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