Hi dmackenzie,
It sounds like you may be using the Enterprise Search box for running your search, rather than running a search in the main grid for an ItemType (category in the table of contents). Enterprise Search is a subscriber feature that searches across all configured ItemTypes. As a free/open user, you are able to search for your data using the search bar that appears at the top of the main grid.

The Aras demo videos on the
Aras website and
Aras YouTube channel are a couple resources that may help you see Aras Innovator navigation and search in action.
Here's one on Product Engineering, an application that comes included in Innovator out of the box.
Hope this helps!
Eli
Eli Donahue
Aras Labs Lead Engineer