diff --git a/app/Helpers/Collector/Extensions/MetaCollection.php b/app/Helpers/Collector/Extensions/MetaCollection.php
index 4f9c173732..0d8666f9fd 100644
--- a/app/Helpers/Collector/Extensions/MetaCollection.php
+++ b/app/Helpers/Collector/Extensions/MetaCollection.php
@@ -214,6 +214,51 @@ trait MetaCollection
         return $this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @inheritDoc
+     */
+    public function externalIdContains(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface
+    {
+        if (false === $this->hasJoinedMetaTables) {
+            $this->hasJoinedMetaTables = true;
+            $this->query->leftJoin('journal_meta', 'transaction_journals.id', '=', 'journal_meta.transaction_journal_id');
+        }
+        $this->query->where('journal_meta.name', '=', 'external_id');
+        $this->query->where('journal_meta.data', 'LIKE', sprintf('%%%s%%', $externalId));
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @inheritDoc
+     */
+    public function externalIdEnds(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface
+    {
+        if (false === $this->hasJoinedMetaTables) {
+            $this->hasJoinedMetaTables = true;
+            $this->query->leftJoin('journal_meta', 'transaction_journals.id', '=', 'journal_meta.transaction_journal_id');
+        }
+        $this->query->where('journal_meta.name', '=', 'external_id');
+        $this->query->where('journal_meta.data', 'LIKE', sprintf('%%%s"', $externalId));
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @inheritDoc
+     */
+    public function externalIdStarts(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface
+    {
+        if (false === $this->hasJoinedMetaTables) {
+            $this->hasJoinedMetaTables = true;
+            $this->query->leftJoin('journal_meta', 'transaction_journals.id', '=', 'journal_meta.transaction_journal_id');
+        }
+        $this->query->where('journal_meta.name', '=', 'external_id');
+        $this->query->where('journal_meta.data', 'LIKE', sprintf('"%s%%', $externalId));
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @inheritDoc
      */
diff --git a/app/Helpers/Collector/GroupCollectorInterface.php b/app/Helpers/Collector/GroupCollectorInterface.php
index 4f3479f88b..f8ea25d59b 100644
--- a/app/Helpers/Collector/GroupCollectorInterface.php
+++ b/app/Helpers/Collector/GroupCollectorInterface.php
@@ -305,6 +305,24 @@ interface GroupCollectorInterface
      */
     public function setExternalId(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface;
 
+    /**
+     * @param string $externalId
+     * @return GroupCollectorInterface
+     */
+    public function externalIdContains(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface;
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $externalId
+     * @return GroupCollectorInterface
+     */
+    public function externalIdStarts(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface;
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $externalId
+     * @return GroupCollectorInterface
+     */
+    public function externalIdEnds(string $externalId): GroupCollectorInterface;
+
     /**
      * Transactions without an external URL
      *
diff --git a/app/Support/Search/OperatorQuerySearch.php b/app/Support/Search/OperatorQuerySearch.php
index 0e39c06ce9..fcd52121df 100644
--- a/app/Support/Search/OperatorQuerySearch.php
+++ b/app/Support/Search/OperatorQuerySearch.php
@@ -745,9 +745,18 @@ class OperatorQuerySearch implements SearchInterface
             //
             // other fields
             //
-            case 'external_id':
+            case 'external_id_is':
                 $this->collector->setExternalId($value);
                 break;
+            case 'external_id_contains':
+                $this->collector->externalIdContains($value);
+                break;
+            case 'external_id_starts':
+                $this->collector->externalIdStarts($value);
+                break;
+            case 'external_id_ends':
+                $this->collector->externalIdEnds($value);
+                break;
             case 'internal_reference':
                 $this->collector->setInternalReference($value);
                 break;
diff --git a/config/search.php b/config/search.php
index c3531afc88..3b296746c2 100644
--- a/config/search.php
+++ b/config/search.php
@@ -86,12 +86,14 @@ return [
         'bill'                            => ['alias' => true, 'alias_for' => 'bill_contains', 'needs_context' => true,],
         'bill_ends'                       => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
         'bill_starts'                     => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
-        // TODO here we are
+
         'external_id_is'                  => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
         'external_id_contains'            => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
         'external_id'                     => ['alias' => true, 'alias_for' => 'external_id_contains', 'needs_context' => true,],
         'external_id_ends'                => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
         'external_id_starts'              => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
+
+        // TODO here we are!
         'internal_reference_is'           => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
         'internal_reference_contains'     => ['alias' => false, 'needs_context' => true,],
         'internal_reference'              => ['alias' => true, 'alias_for' => 'internal_reference_contains', 'needs_context' => true,],