diff --git a/application/nicewebpage.class.inc.php b/application/nicewebpage.class.inc.php
index 2a622f9bd..a56de6f76 100644
--- a/application/nicewebpage.class.inc.php
+++ b/application/nicewebpage.class.inc.php
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class NiceWebPage extends WebPage
 	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria.js');
 	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria_raw.js');
 	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria_string.js');
+	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria_external_field.js');
 	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria_numeric.js');
 	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria_enum.js');
 	    $this->add_linked_script(utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot().'js/search/search_form_criteria_external_key.js');
diff --git a/core/attributedef.class.inc.php b/core/attributedef.class.inc.php
index 489178940..b688c5151 100644
--- a/core/attributedef.class.inc.php
+++ b/core/attributedef.class.inc.php
@@ -4948,8 +4948,34 @@ class AttributeHierarchicalKey extends AttributeExternalKey
  */
 class AttributeExternalField extends AttributeDefinition
 {
+	/**
+	 * Return the search widget type corresponding to this attribute
+	 *
+	 * @return string
+	 */
+	public function GetSearchType()
+	{
+		// Not necessary the external key is already present
+		if ($this->IsFriendlyName())
+		{
+			return self::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_RAW;
+		}
+
+		try
+		{
+			$oRemoteAtt = $this->GetExtAttDef();
+			if ($oRemoteAtt instanceof AttributeString)
+			{
+				return self::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_EXTERNAL_FIELD;
+			}
+		}
+		catch (CoreException $e)
+		{
+		}
+
+		return self::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_RAW;
+	}
 
-	const SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE = self::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_RAW;
 
 	static public function ListExpectedParams()
 	{
@@ -5002,6 +5028,23 @@ class AttributeExternalField extends AttributeDefinition
 		}
 		return $sLabel;
 	}
+
+	public function GetLabelForSearchField()
+	{
+		$sLabel = parent::GetLabel('');
+		if (strlen($sLabel) == 0)
+		{
+			$sKeyAttCode = $this->Get("extkey_attcode");
+			$oExtKeyAttDef = MetaModel::GetAttributeDef($this->GetHostClass(), $sKeyAttCode);
+			$sLabel = $oExtKeyAttDef->GetLabel($this->m_sCode);
+
+			$oRemoteAtt = $this->GetExtAttDef();
+			$sLabel .= '->'.$oRemoteAtt->GetLabel($this->m_sCode);
+		}
+
+		return $sLabel;
+	}
+
 	public function GetDescription($sDefault = null)
 	{
 		$sLabel = parent::GetDescription('');
diff --git a/dictionaries/en.dictionary.itop.ui.php b/dictionaries/en.dictionary.itop.ui.php
index a7849b8f0..476ac03b7 100644
--- a/dictionaries/en.dictionary.itop.ui.php
+++ b/dictionaries/en.dictionary.itop.ui.php
@@ -1431,10 +1431,9 @@ When associated with a trigger, each action is given an "order" number, specifyi
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:Between:From' => '%1$s from %2$s',
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:Between:Until' => '%1$s until %2$s',
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:BetweenDays' => '%1$s [%2$s]',
-	//   - String widget
-	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:String:Contains' => '%1$s contains %2$s',
-	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:String:StartsWith' => '%1$s starts with %2$s',
-	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:String:EndsWith' => '%1$s ends with %2$s',
+	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:Contains' => '%1$s contains %2$s',
+	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:StartsWith' => '%1$s starts with %2$s',
+	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:EndsWith' => '%1$s ends with %2$s',
 	//   - Numeric widget
 //	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Numeric:Equals' => '%1$s equals %2$s',
 	//   - DateTime widget
diff --git a/dictionaries/fr.dictionary.itop.ui.php b/dictionaries/fr.dictionary.itop.ui.php
index 742c4c857..9e63d6c0d 100644
--- a/dictionaries/fr.dictionary.itop.ui.php
+++ b/dictionaries/fr.dictionary.itop.ui.php
@@ -1216,10 +1216,9 @@ Lors de l\'association à un déclencheur, on attribue à chaque action un numé
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:Empty' => '%1$s vide',
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:NotEmpty' => '%1$s non vide',
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:Equals' => '%1$s égal %2$s',
-	//   - String widget
-	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:String:Contains' => '%1$s contient %2$s',
-	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:String:StartsWith' => '%1$s commence par %2$s',
-	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:String:EndsWith' => '%1$s fini par %2$s',
+	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:Contains' => '%1$s contient %2$s',
+	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:StartsWith' => '%1$s commence par %2$s',
+	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:Default:EndsWith' => '%1$s fini par %2$s',
 	//   - External key widget
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:ExternalKey:Empty' => '%1$s est renseigné',
 	'UI:Search:Criteria:Title:ExternalKey:NotEmpty' => '%1$s n\'est pas renseigné',
diff --git a/js/search/search_form_criteria_external_field.js b/js/search/search_form_criteria_external_field.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e032e7aac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/search/search_form_criteria_external_field.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+//iTop Search form criteria external_field
+;
+$(function () {
+	// the widget definition, where 'itop' is the namespace,
+	// 'search_form_criteria_external_field' the widget name
+	$.widget('itop.search_form_criteria_external_field', $.itop.search_form_criteria_string,
+		{
+			// the constructor
+			_create: function () {
+				this._super();
+				this.element.addClass('search_form_criteria_external_field');
+			},
+
+			// events bound via _bind are removed automatically
+			// revert other modifications here
+			_destroy: function () {
+				this.element.removeClass('search_form_criteria_external_field');
+				this._super();
+			},
+
+			//------------------
+			// Inherited methods
+			//------------------
+		});
+});
diff --git a/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontooql.class.inc.php b/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontooql.class.inc.php
index 6c237df07..140e2cf2c 100644
--- a/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontooql.class.inc.php
+++ b/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontooql.class.inc.php
@@ -124,9 +124,14 @@ class CriterionToOQL extends CriterionConversionAbstract
 
 	protected static function EmptyToOql($sRef, $aCriteria)
 	{
-		if (isset($aCriteria['widget']) && ($aCriteria['widget'] == AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_NUMERIC))
+		if (isset($aCriteria['widget']))
 		{
-			return "ISNULL({$sRef})";
+			switch ($aCriteria['widget'])
+			{
+				case AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_NUMERIC:
+				case AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_EXTERNAL_FIELD:
+					return "ISNULL({$sRef})";
+			}
 		}
 
 		return "({$sRef} = '')";
diff --git a/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontosearchform.class.inc.php b/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontosearchform.class.inc.php
index 666538b28..f85dcf9c3 100644
--- a/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontosearchform.class.inc.php
+++ b/sources/application/search/criterionconversion/criteriontosearchform.class.inc.php
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class CriterionToSearchForm extends CriterionConversionAbstract
 		$aAndCriterion = array();
 		$aMappingOperatorToFunction = array(
 			AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_STRING => 'TextToSearchForm',
+			AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_EXTERNAL_FIELD => 'ExternalFieldToSearchForm',
 			AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_DATE => 'DateTimeToSearchForm',
 			AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_DATE_TIME => 'DateTimeToSearchForm',
 			AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_NUMERIC => 'NumericToSearchForm',
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ class CriterionToSearchForm extends CriterionConversionAbstract
 			}
 			$aCriteria['is_removable'] = $bIsRemovable;
 
+			$sClass = '';
 			if (isset($aCriteria['ref']))
 			{
 				$aRef = explode('.', $aCriteria['ref']);
@@ -420,6 +422,46 @@ class CriterionToSearchForm extends CriterionConversionAbstract
 		return $aCriteria;
 	}
 
+	protected static function ExternalFieldToSearchForm($aCriteria, $aFields)
+	{
+		$sOperator = $aCriteria['operator'];
+		$sValue = $aCriteria['values'][0]['value'];
+
+		$bStartWithPercent = substr($sValue, 0, 1) == '%' ? true : false;
+		$bEndWithPercent = substr($sValue, -1) == '%' ? true : false;
+
+		switch (true)
+		{
+			case ($sOperator == 'ISNULL'):
+			case ('' == $sValue and ($sOperator == 'LIKE')):
+				$aCriteria['operator'] = CriterionConversionAbstract::OP_EMPTY;
+				break;
+			case ('' == $sValue and $sOperator == '!='):
+				$aCriteria['operator'] = CriterionConversionAbstract::OP_NOT_EMPTY;
+				break;
+			case ($sOperator == 'LIKE' && $bStartWithPercent && $bEndWithPercent):
+				$aCriteria['operator'] = CriterionConversionAbstract::OP_CONTAINS;
+				$sValue = substr($sValue, 1, -1);
+				$aCriteria['values'][0]['value'] = $sValue;
+				$aCriteria['values'][0]['label'] = "$sValue";
+				break;
+			case ($sOperator == 'LIKE' && $bStartWithPercent):
+				$aCriteria['operator'] = CriterionConversionAbstract::OP_ENDS_WITH;
+				$sValue = substr($sValue, 1);
+				$aCriteria['values'][0]['value'] = $sValue;
+				$aCriteria['values'][0]['label'] = "$sValue";
+				break;
+			case ($sOperator == 'LIKE' && $bEndWithPercent):
+				$aCriteria['operator'] = CriterionConversionAbstract::OP_STARTS_WITH;
+				$sValue = substr($sValue, 0, -1);
+				$aCriteria['values'][0]['value'] = $sValue;
+				$aCriteria['values'][0]['label'] = "$sValue";
+				break;
+		}
+
+		return $aCriteria;
+	}
+
 	protected static function DateTimeToSearchForm($aCriteria, $aFields)
 	{
 		if (!array_key_exists('is_relative', $aCriteria) || !$aCriteria['is_relative'])
diff --git a/sources/application/search/searchform.class.inc.php b/sources/application/search/searchform.class.inc.php
index 140011dac..456317c25 100644
--- a/sources/application/search/searchform.class.inc.php
+++ b/sources/application/search/searchform.class.inc.php
@@ -417,8 +417,15 @@ class SearchForm
 	{
 		if (!is_null($oAttDef) && ($oAttDef->GetSearchType() != AttributeDefinition::SEARCH_WIDGET_TYPE_RAW))
 		{
-			$sLabel = $oAttDef->GetLabel();
-
+			if (method_exists($oAttDef, 'GetLabelForSearchField'))
+			{
+				$sLabel = $oAttDef->GetLabelForSearchField();
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				$sLabel = $oAttDef->GetLabel();
+			}
+			
 			if (method_exists($oAttDef, 'GetTargetClass'))
 			{
 				$sTargetClass = $oAttDef->GetTargetClass();