1. A method for searching documents created in a collaboration environment, comprising: entering search criteria in a search engine for a database, wherein the search criteria comprises text comprising at least one of a short-hand notation or full words; searching the user's short-hand dictionary according to the search criteria, wherein if the search criteria comprises a short-hand notation, interpretations for the short-hand notation are obtained from the user short-hand dictionary; updating the search criteria by adding the interpretations for the short-hand notation; and passing the revised search criteria to a server.