diff --git a/plugins/gui/include/gui/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.h b/plugins/gui/include/gui/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.h
index ecf4217f6db..d820b84f6a9 100644
--- a/plugins/gui/include/gui/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.h
+++ b/plugins/gui/include/gui/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "gui/gui_utils/sort.h"
 
 #include <QSortFilterProxyModel>
+#include <gui/searchbar/search_proxy_model.h>
 
 namespace hal
 {
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ namespace hal
      * GroupingTableModel (source model) to support data filtering.
      * It is used to provide a search bar (<i>CTRL+F</i>) for groupings.
      */
-    class GroupingProxyModel : public QSortFilterProxyModel
+    class GroupingProxyModel : public SearchProxyModel
     {
         Q_OBJECT
 
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ namespace hal
          * @param sortMechanism - the new sorting mechanism
          */
         void setSortMechanism(gui_utility::mSortMechanism sortMechanism);
+        void startSearch(QString text, int options) override;
 
     protected:
         /**
diff --git a/plugins/gui/include/gui/searchbar/search_proxy_model.h b/plugins/gui/include/gui/searchbar/search_proxy_model.h
index a3d8b23172c..7effd6d8a97 100644
--- a/plugins/gui/include/gui/searchbar/search_proxy_model.h
+++ b/plugins/gui/include/gui/searchbar/search_proxy_model.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ namespace hal
 
     protected:
         SearchOptions mSearchOptions;
+        QString mSearchString;
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_manager_widget.cpp b/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_manager_widget.cpp
index bb03553ecef..0f03c513f3f 100644
--- a/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_manager_widget.cpp
+++ b/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_manager_widget.cpp
@@ -96,8 +96,9 @@ namespace hal
         mContentLayout->addWidget(mSearchbar);
 
         mSearchbar->hide();
+        mSearchbar->setColumnNames(mProxyModel->getColumnNames());
 
-        connect(mSearchbar, &Searchbar::textEdited, this, &GroupingManagerWidget::filter);
+        connect(mSearchbar, &Searchbar::triggerNewSearch, mProxyModel, &GroupingProxyModel::startSearch);
         connect(mSearchbar, &Searchbar::textEdited, this, &GroupingManagerWidget::updateSearchIcon);
 
         connect(mNewGroupingAction, &QAction::triggered, this, &GroupingManagerWidget::handleCreateGroupingClicked);
diff --git a/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.cpp b/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.cpp
index 62ec6ceacc5..76c847693fa 100644
--- a/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.cpp
+++ b/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_proxy_model.cpp
@@ -4,25 +4,36 @@
 
 namespace hal
 {
-    GroupingProxyModel::GroupingProxyModel(QObject* parent) : QSortFilterProxyModel(parent), mSortMechanism(gui_utility::mSortMechanism::natural)
+    GroupingProxyModel::GroupingProxyModel(QObject* parent) : SearchProxyModel(parent), mSortMechanism(gui_utility::mSortMechanism::natural)
     {
+
     }
 
     bool GroupingProxyModel::filterAcceptsRow(int sourceRow, const QModelIndex& sourceParent) const
     {
-        if(filterRegularExpression().pattern().isEmpty())
-            return true;
 
-        QModelIndex source_index = sourceModel()->index(sourceRow, filterKeyColumn(), sourceParent);
-        if(source_index.isValid())
+        QList<int> columns = mSearchOptions.getColumns();
+        if(columns.empty()){
+            //iterate over each column
+            for(int index = 0; index < 3; index++){
+                QString entry = sourceModel()->index(sourceRow, index, sourceParent).data().toString();
+                if(isMatching(mSearchString, entry))
+                    return true;
+
+            }
+            return false;
+        }else
         {
-            if (sourceModel()->data(source_index, filterRole()).toString().contains(filterRegularExpression()))
-                return true;
-            else
-                return false;
+            for(int index : columns)
+            {
+                QString entry = sourceModel()->index(sourceRow, index, sourceParent).data().toString();
+                qInfo() << "Entry: " << entry;
+                if(isMatching(mSearchString, entry))
+                    return true;
+            }
+            return false;
         }
 
-        return true;
     }
 
     bool GroupingProxyModel::lessThan(const QModelIndex& source_left, const QModelIndex& source_right) const
@@ -57,4 +68,10 @@ namespace hal
         mSortMechanism = sortMechanism;
         invalidate();
     }
+    void GroupingProxyModel::startSearch(QString text, int options)
+    {
+        mSearchString = text;
+        mSearchOptions = SearchOptions(options);
+        invalidateFilter();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_table_model.cpp b/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_table_model.cpp
index da31a7e2359..f28b0179f7a 100644
--- a/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_table_model.cpp
+++ b/plugins/gui/src/grouping/grouping_table_model.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ namespace hal {
                 return gte.name();
             case 1:
                 return gte.id();
+            case 2:
+                return gte.color().name();
             }
         default:
             break;
diff --git a/plugins/gui/src/searchbar/search_proxy_model.cpp b/plugins/gui/src/searchbar/search_proxy_model.cpp
index 31f0df7e707..06bd8b65fc9 100644
--- a/plugins/gui/src/searchbar/search_proxy_model.cpp
+++ b/plugins/gui/src/searchbar/search_proxy_model.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace hal {
     }
     bool SearchProxyModel::isMatching(const QString searchString, const QString stringToCheck) const
     {
-        if(!mSearchOptions.isExactMatch()){
+        if(!mSearchOptions.isExactMatch() && !mSearchOptions.isRegularExpression()){
             //check if stringToCheck contains the searchString
             return stringToCheck.contains(searchString, mSearchOptions.isCaseSensitive() ? Qt::CaseSensitive : Qt::CaseInsensitive);
         }
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@ namespace hal {
         }
         else if(mSearchOptions.isRegularExpression()){
             //checks if the stringToCheck matches the regEx given by searchString
-
-            //TODO regEx does not work
-
             auto regEx = QRegularExpression(searchString, mSearchOptions.isCaseSensitive() ? QRegularExpression::NoPatternOption : QRegularExpression::CaseInsensitiveOption);
             return regEx.match(stringToCheck).hasMatch();
         }