A system, comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memory units that store software components for execution by the one or more processors, the software components including: a user interface component (104; 204; 306; 504) that is configured to obtain search data that is input by a user via a display window of a computer application; a search engine (108; 206; 308; 506) that is configured to receive the search data from the user interface component and a category of user in conjunction with the search data, compare the search data to metadata that is respectively correlated with different user-customizable options or preference settings of the computer application and that is categorized for different classifications of computer application users, identify metadata that satisfies a condition pertaining to the search data defined by a function as matching metadata, and identify one or more user-customizable options or preference settings correlated with the matching metadata, wherein metadata inconsistent with the category of user is excluded from the comparison; and an output component that is configured to provide a user interface control for presentation within the display window of the computer application, the user interface control providing access to the identified one or more user-customizable options or preference settings. one or more processors; and one or more memory units that store software components for execution by the one or more processors, the software components including: a user interface component (104; 204; 306; 504) that is configured to obtain search data that is input by a user via a display window of a computer application; a search engine (108; 206; 308; 506) that is configured to receive the search data from the user interface component and a category of user in conjunction with the search data, compare the search data to metadata that is respectively correlated with different user-customizable options or preference settings of the computer application and that is categorized for different classifications of computer application users, identify metadata that satisfies a condition pertaining to the search data defined by a function as matching metadata, and identify one or more user-customizable options or preference settings correlated with the matching metadata, wherein metadata inconsistent with the category of user is excluded from the comparison; and an output component that is configured to provide a user interface control for presentation within the display window of the computer application, the user interface control providing access to the identified one or more user-customizable options or preference settings. a user interface component (104; 204; 306; 504) that is configured to obtain search data that is input by a user via a display window of a computer application; a search engine (108; 206; 308; 506) that is configured to receive the search data from the user interface component and a category of user in conjunction with the search data, compare the search data to metadata that is respectively correlated with different user-customizable options or preference settings of the computer application and that is categorized for different classifications of computer application users, identify metadata that satisfies a condition pertaining to the search data defined by a function as matching metadata, and identify one or more user-customizable options or preference settings correlated with the matching metadata, wherein metadata inconsistent with the category of user is excluded from the comparison; and an output component that is configured to provide a user interface control for presentation within the display window of the computer application, the user interface control providing access to the identified one or more user-customizable options or preference settings.