13. A computer-implemented method for searching for a desired item, comprising: receiving a first user input specifying an alphanumeric string associated with a desired item, searching a database that comprises information associated with items for an alphanumeric string that matches the user-specified alphanumeric string to determine item names and item descriptions for all matching items corresponding to the matching alphanumeric string; providing the determined item names and item descriptions for the matching items for display to the user; specifying a particular matching item corresponding to the matching alphanumeric string; receiving a second user input indicating a desire to view attribute values for attributes of the particular matching item, determining attribute names and attribute values for attributes of the particular matching item; and providing the determined attribute names and attribute values for the particular matching item for display to the user.
23. The method of claim 13 , wherein: the database comprises an internal item catalog for an enterprise associated with the user; the user input specifying the alphanumeric string is received in response to user selection of a global search module from among a plurality of available search modules; and the method further comprises searching one or more external item catalogs associated with one or more other enterprises in addition to the internal item catalog in response to the user selection of the global search module and the user input specifying the alphanumeric string.