Matching business records by identifier

Start with what a row represents

An organization, a facility, a plan and a loan are different units. The primary-row description on each dataset page identifies that unit. A matching identifier connects records; it does not make their row counts interchangeable.

Use the identifier for the right kind of record

• EIN: nonprofit organizations use ein; benefit plan sponsors use sponsor_ein. An exact EIN match connects the employer or organization. It does not identify one plan or workplace.
• CCN: hospitals and nursing homes use the six-character ccn. Keep leading zeros when importing it.
• USDOT: motor carrier records use dot_number. Check the dated registration status alongside it.
• UEI: federal contractor and grantee registrations use uei. A registration can retain multiple CAGE codes. The SAM extract does not supply EINs.

Check whether a match creates several rows

An employer may have several OSHA establishments. Joining those rows to a single sponsor EIN repeats the sponsor’s plan totals once for every matching establishment. Aggregate each table at the intended unit before adding totals across the joined result.

Keep identifiers as text and check blank values, duplicates and formatting before joining. A missing identifier is not a match to another missing identifier.

Keep name and address matches separate

SBA borrower groups are based on normalized names and addresses. Overture place IDs identify place features. Neither is a shared legal-business identifier. Use the supplied match labels and dates when assessing linked records, and retain the original identifiers.

The sample and field definitions on each dataset page show the available keys. Collection dates and linked reporting periods can differ, even where the identifier matches exactly.