SCCM Software Updates: Creating a search folder to show updates that are required but not deployed

I recently spent a bit of time tring to create a Search Folder in SCCM 2007 that would show me all of the updates that were required by machines but had not yet been approved, to make selecting updates for deployment a little easier.

Here is how I did it in the end;

1. Open the System Center Configuration Manager Console
2. Expand Site Database => Computer Management => Software Updates => Update repository => Search Folders
3. Right-click Search Folders and select “New Search folder”
4. In the Step 1 section tick “Deployed”, “Expired”, “Superseded” and “Required”
5. In the Step 2 section set “Deployed”, “Expired” and “Superseded” to No and in required add the numbers 1 to 9

6. In the Step 3 section tick “Search all folders under this feature”
7. In the Step 4 section enter a name such as “All Required Updates Pending Deployment”
8. Check you have something like the below and click OK

The bit that took me a bit of time to work out was the Required field, it is not that obvious but we have set it to retrieve updates were the value starts with either a 1 or 2 or 3 etc. So for example if we have an update which is required by 23 computers that starts with a 2 so we are fine.

You can then filter your updates down further if needed such as by “Vender” or I like to do it by “Update Classifications” so you end up with something like the below;