I have a categories table that is related to multiple detail tables. Each detail table contains multiple records based on the category selected.

On my layout I have a popup field where the user selects a category and then it changes to a layout that has the popup field on it along with a portal of the records from the detail table.

All the portals for each of the layouts (for the detail records) are basically the same and contain only one field - a description field.

I'm trying to add a Find option so they can type a word in the description field and then display only the detail records that contain that word.

Is it necessary to do a portal filter in order to make this work, and if so, how would I implement this?

I have a categories table that is related to multiple detail tables

Do you mean "a categories record that is related to multiple detail records"?

On my layout I have a popup field where the user selects a category and then it changes to a layout that has the popup field on it along with a portal of the records from the detail table.

Why does it change layouts? Why not just filter the detail portal by the category selected?

You can include a gDescription field on the Category form and filter the portal by gDescription=detail::description. However, filtering on text values can be a problem. Are your detail records coded so that you could filter on that code (Desc ID)?

Perhaps a gtrr details and a find (in a popup)?