How it works
When you search for a company by name, the name you enter must match the company's official legal name. If it does not match, the company is not recognized.
The check is intentionally strict. Typos are not corrected automatically, so a company can never be confused with another one whose name is only similar ; a technique commonly used by fraudsters.
Where to run a name check
You can run a check by company name through three channels:
| Channel | How |
|---|---|
| Web platform My SIS ID | In the Check by company name section |
| CSV file | Bulk upload of several companies |
| API | Direct integration with your systems |
Any check sent by CSV or API without a company identifier is automatically redirected to a check by name.
Entering the company name
Enter the company's legal name exactly as it is registered, without typos. You may leave out the legal form (INC, LLC, SL…); the company will still be found.
| You enter | Company | Result |
|---|---|---|
| EQUINIX | EQUINIX | ✅ Recognized |
| REGUS MANAGEMENT ESPANA | REGUS MANAGEMENT ESPANA SL | ✅ Recognized |
| EQUINNIX | EQUINIX | ❌ Typo: extra letter |
| EQUINIX IN | EQUINIX | ❌ Extra or incomplete word |
Avoid abbreviations, partial words or extra words: they are not tolerated.
Legal form
If you include a legal form, it must be the right one. Two companies can share the same name but have different legal structures, and they are treated as different companies.
| You enter | Company | Result |
|---|---|---|
| EQUINIX INCORPORATED | EQUINIX INC | ✅ Recognized |
| EQUINIX LLC | EQUINIX LLC | ✅ Recognized |
| EQUINIX INC | EQUINIX LLC | ❌ Different legal form |
| EQUINIX LTD | EQUINIX LLC | ❌ Different legal form |
| EQUINIX INC INC | EQUINIX LLC | ❌ Many legal form |
| EQUINIX LLC INC | EQUINIX INC | ❌ Contradictory legal form |
No legal form is also a criterion. The absence of a legal form is treated as a filter in its own right: a name without a legal form and the same name with one can point to different companies.
Not sure of the legal form? Leave it out rather than guess.
What you don't need to worry about
Some differences in how a name is written are handled for you:
| Difference | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Upper or lower case | Equinix = EQUINIX = equinix | ✅ Identical |
| Punctuation | EQUINIX INC. = EQUINIX INC | ✅ Identical |
| Extra spaces | EQUINIX INC = EQUINIX INC | ✅ Identical |
| “&” written as “AND” | A&B INDUSTRIES = A AND B INDUSTRIES | ✅ Identical |
| Accents and special characters | PÖYRY = POYRY · SØRARNØY = SOERARNOEY · MÜLLER = MUELLER | ✅ Identical |
You can type the name with its local characters (Ä, Ø, Å, Ł, Č, Ç, Ñ, É…) or without them. Most European languages are supported, and names in local scripts (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Greek, Cyrillic) are used when available.
French companies: commercial names
For French companies, you can enter either the legal name or one of the company's commercial names (trade name, brand). The company is recognized if your entry matches any of them exactly.
The same rules apply: no typos, correct legal form if you include one.
CSV and API: add advanced search details
For checks by CSV or API, we strongly recommend adding advanced search details alongside the company name, such as:
- the city;
- the postcode.
This information is highly discriminating: it helps identify the right company, especially when several companies have similar names.
Branches and subsidiaries: if you know the company you are looking for is a branch or a subsidiary of a larger group, you must add advanced search details. Without them, the check defaults to the ultimate parent company.
Understanding your results
Company identification
The check by name identifies the company and displays its identifiers. There are two types of identifiers:
- Supported identifiers can be used to launch a check and to invite the company.
- Recognized but unsupported identifiers are known to the platform but cannot be used to launch a check. They are displayed with the mention (unsupported) next to them.
Example with a US company:
| Identifier type | How it is displayed | Launch a check with it | Invite the company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supported | EIN 12-3456789 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Recognized but unsupported | SOS 1234567 (unsupported) | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Table description: the table compares two types of identifiers for a US company. The first row shows a supported identifier, an EIN (Employer Identification Number), displayed as “EIN 12-3456789” with no additional mention: it can be used to launch a check, and the company can be invited. The second row shows a recognized but unsupported identifier, a SOS (Secretary of State) registration number, displayed as “SOS 1234567 (unsupported)”: it cannot be used to launch a check, and the company cannot be invited.
Red score: what next?
A red score does not end the process. You can continue with the standard journey: invite the company and proceed through the invitation flow.
If the Invite button is greyed out, an invitation is not possible: the company was identified through an identifier marked (unsupported) see Company identification above.