0% found this document useful (0 votes)
21 views

BASIC USER - USER GUIDE - Entity Search

The document provides guidance on using the entity search function in the Entity Management System. It describes how to access entity search from the Entities page or anywhere in EMS. It lists the available filters for search criteria including city, country, entity type, legal structure, and global ultimate parents. It also explains how to filter search results and what columns are usually displayed.

Uploaded by

Trey Tellez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
21 views

BASIC USER - USER GUIDE - Entity Search

The document provides guidance on using the entity search function in the Entity Management System. It describes how to access entity search from the Entities page or anywhere in EMS. It lists the available filters for search criteria including city, country, entity type, legal structure, and global ultimate parents. It also explains how to filter search results and what columns are usually displayed.

Uploaded by

Trey Tellez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 22

USER GUIDE

Entity Search
Entity Management System (EMS)

Basic User

March 2023
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

DOCUMENT REVISIONS

Version
Date Document Changes
Number

24 March 2023 1.0 Published on BDO World

Document Disclaimer

This guide (including attachments if any), is the property of Brussels Worldwide Services BV (BWS).
We may modify or update this document from time to time. You will be able to see when we last
updated this because we will include a revision date. Changes and additions to this document are
effective from the date on which they are posted.
This document and its content is confidential and is intended for the sole use of partners or employees
of a BDO member firm (or of persons expressly authorised by a BDO member firm to use this
document).
BDO member firms are entitled to authorise persons connected with or employed by the member firms
to use this document. It is the sole responsibility of the member firms to grant or to withdraw that
authorization, and to take all necessary steps in connection therewith.
This guide has been carefully prepared, but it has been written in general terms and should be seen as
broad guidance only. This document does not replace, nor does it constitute part of the BDO policies
and cannot be relied upon to cover specific situations and you should not act, or refrain from acting,
upon the information contained therein without obtaining specific advice.

1 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 3
2. ENTITY SEARCH ......................................................................................... 3
2.1 How do I access the entity search function? ................................................... 3
2.1.1 From the Entities page ........................................................................ 3
2.1.2 From anywhere in EMS ........................................................................ 4
2.2 What filters can be entered as search criteria? ............................................... 5
2.3 How do I filter the entity search results? ...................................................... 9
2.4 What columns are displayed in the default search results table? ......................... 13
2.5 What are the designated stop words and synonyms for entity search? ................... 14
3. DEMONSTRATION VIDEO.............................................................................. 14
4. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ................................................................... 14
5. APPENDIX - How does the entity search engine use the criteria I provide? ............... 15

2 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

1. INTRODUCTION
Entity search is the primary method for locating legal entity and natural person records within the Entity Management System (EMS).
Users may access record, association, and restriction details, all of which may be viewed from the Search Results page.

2. ENTITY SEARCH
2.1 How do I access the entity search function?

2.1.1 From the Entities page

Click the Entities option in the left navigation panel within EMS.
The basic Entities Search page is displayed containing a search box and several available filters. When performing the search the system
will use a Google-like algorithm to find close matches.
Once the search has been executed the following page elements will display:

2 3
1

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION
Contains dropdown - allows the user to change the search logic for the criteria entered. There are
1 two options:
1) Contains (default) and
2) Begins with

2 Search and Filter field - allows the user to enter desired search criteria and/or additional filters
to locate entities matching the provided criteria. Click the magnifying glass icon after providing
the search text to retrieve the search results (works as ‘enter’). If the field is left blank and
magnifying glass is clicked, all entities will be displayed.

3 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION
Add/remove columns dropdown - even though EMS contains a default selection of columns, this
3 functionality allows the user to change the columns presented in the search results. This feature only
appears after a search is initiated. Added or removed columns will stay displayed for the duration of
your session but will reset when you re-open EMS at a future time, unless the user saves the search
See section 2.7.

2.1.2 From anywhere in EMS

The search field next to the username in the upper right-hand corner of the EMS user interface is available to users regardless of the
function or page the user is in.

As a user start typing an entity name, letters or words, EMS will create a dropdown list for the user to stop typing and scroll to find the
relevant entity.

Should the user press enter, the basic entities search page is shown, as explained in 2.1.1.
4 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

2.2 What filters can be entered as search criteria?

The entity search contains filters that can be applied as criteria.

The standard search filters, top to bottom/left to right, are:

5 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION
City - is a free-form text box that allows the user to enter any desired value. The search results will only
display records which match the provided criteria. A misspelling of a word will cause a match to be ignored. It
should be noted that the City field is optional in EMS therefore this will only pick up entities with a city listed.

Domicile/Country - is a multi-select dropdown list that allows the user to select one or more countries. Search
results will include legal entities domiciled in one of the selected countries or natural persons with an address
country in one of the selected countries. The list of countries is defined under the Country reference data
category.
Entity Type - is a single-select dropdown list that allows the user to select either Legal entities or Natural
persons to be included in the search results.

Legal Structure - is a multi-select dropdown list that allows the user to select one or more legal structures to
be included in the search results. The list of legal structures is defined under the Legal Structure reference
data category. It should be noted that the Legal Structure field is only required for an entities identified as a
client and is optional for other entities therefore this will only pick up entities with a Legal Structure listed.

Regulators - This tab will not currently be used by BDO and users are therefore instructed to ignore this
option. More information on its use will be given when it becomes applicable.

Global Ultimate Parents only - is a checkbox that allows the user to indicate only global ultimate parent
entities are to be returned in the search results. Also referred to as Ultimate Parent Company (UPC).

Contact Person - is a read-only select field that allows the user to filter records based on the name of a
contact person on the record. A Select User pop-up window is presented when the user clicks the field or the
people icon. The user may enter a name or click the filter icon to enter other contact search criteria. An
additional pop-up window is presented to narrow the search for the contact person. The user may provide the
following contact person search criteria:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email
• Country
• Group

6 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION
• Roles

Entity Classification - is a multi-select dropdown list that allows the user to select one or more entity
classifications. Search results are limited to records containing one of the selected entity classifications. The
list of entity classifications is defined under the Entity Classification reference data category.

Identifiers - there are two related fields for the identifier filter:
• Identifier type dropdown list and

• free-form text field to enter the identifier value. The identifiers filter allows the user to select a single
type of identifier to search on and provides a field for the user to provide the specific identifier value
of the desired entity. The list of identifier type values is defined under the Identifier reference data
category.

Office Locations - is a multi-select dropdown list that allows the user to select one or more office locations.
Search results are limited to records containing one of the selected office locations. The list of office locations
is defined under the Location Hierarchy reference data category where the Location Type is Office.

Directly Designated only - is a checkbox that allows the user to indicate only directly designated records are
to be returned in the search results. Direct designation means a user manually provided the Designation Type

7 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION
on the record (i.e. the record is the source of the designation) and it was not inherited due to its relationships
to other entities.

Designation Type - is a multi-select dropdown list that allows the user to select one or more entity
designation types. Search results are limited to records containing one of the selected designation types. The
list of designation types is defined under the Designation Type reference data category.

Entity Last Updated - is a date picker function that allows the user to select a defined date range or set a
custom date range. Search results are limited to records that were last updated within the provided date
range.

Network Client - is a multi-select dropdown list that allows the user to select one or more types of client
status (target, in proposal, active or inactive).

Show Inactive - is a checkbox that allows the user to indicate inactive records are to be returned in the search
results.

8 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

2.3 How do I filter the entity search results?

There are two ways to filter the entity search results:


1 using the filter function or

2 use the dropdown list provided under the applicable column headings.

1 Using the filter function


This method allows the user to designate 15 different types of search filter criteria and does not require
the applicable column to be displayed. Refer to 2.2 for the filter descriptions.

# STEP DESCRIPTION
Click the funnel icon to access the filter pop-up window.
1

2 Complete the desired filter criteria fields with the desired values and click the Apply button. This
button will only be made available once filter criteria are selected.

9 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

# STEP DESCRIPTION

3 The Search Results page is presented with the selected filter criteria appearing below the column
heading and in the search filter area at the top.

10 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

2 Using column dropdown list


This method allows the user to quickly filter the search results based on the data columns presented from
the search results table. See earlier for a description of adding and removing columns, element 6 in section
2.1.1.

# STEP DESCRIPTION
Click the dropdown arrow icon in the entry field below the applicable column heading.
1

2 Select the desired value(s) for the column and click "X" to close the dropdown list. Keep in mind
the values presented in the dropdown list are all possible values, not just those present in the
current search results.

The search results table is presented with the selected filter criteria appearing below the column
3 heading and in the search filter area at the top.

11 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

# STEP DESCRIPTION

12 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

2.4 What columns are displayed in the default search results table?

Entity search allows the user to customize the search results table as desired. The user may reorder, add
or remove columns.
The columns presented in the search results table by default are as follows:

• Legal Name
• Entity Status
• Designation Type
• Domicile/Country
• GUP Name (GUP = Global Ultimate Parent)
• Designation Descriptions
• Locations
• Entity Type

Additional features are presented on the Search Results page that may be used with or are present because
of search criteria (filters) entered.

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION
Add/remove columns dropdown - allows the user to add and/or remove
columns from the search results table.

Column sort icons - allows the user to sort any desired column in
ascending or descending order.

Search filter chips - are presented when filters are applied to the search
criteria. If the filtered field appears as a column in the search results
table, the filtered value also appears in that column heading.

Column filter dropdown - allows the user to filter search result records
based on the values present in the listed records.

Record action menu - allows the user to select an action to be initiated


on a specific record.

13 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

2.5 What are the designated stop words and synonyms for entity search?

The linked spreadsheet contains the designated "stop" words and "synonyms" utilized by the
entity search engine. The words and abbreviations designated in the spreadsheet may be
updated as improvements to the entity search engine are made.
Entity Search - Stop Words & Synonyms

3. DEMONSTRATION VIDEO
A demonstration video illustrates the functionalities described above.

4. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Questions resulting from our training strategy, testing and received from firms, with regard
to EMS, have been captured on our project hub page, with their applicable answers.

14

USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

5. APPENDIX - How does the entity search engine use the criteria I provide?
The Entity Search function performs common operations when determining the resulting records in response to the user provided
criteria. Entity search examines Legal Name, Alias and Entity ID fields for matches to the provided search query words and applies
selected filter criteria to narrow the search results. An exact match results when all words provided as the search query words appear in
the record in the same sequential order as provided. Exact match records are preferred over partial match records and appear at the top
of the search results list.

CRITERIA FUNCTION SEARCH QUERY RETURNS DOES NOT RETURN


Contains The entity search engine: Contains rock 1. BlackRock
2. Rockville Racquet Club
1. Defaults to the "Contains" 3. RocKorp Services
option as the system default 4. Leadrocket Specialties
search type. The user may 5. Yellow-Rock Taxi
choose "Begins with" as 6. R.O.C.K. Advertising
needed. 7. Rock's Communication
2. Parses through each word or 8. Rocky Top LLC
string provided in the search 9. Split Rock Enterprises
query. 10. Brockes Footwear
3. Presents records from highest
to lowest match rating in the
Contains rocky top 1. Rocky Top LLC
search results table.
2. Rocky Top Enterprises LLC
a. Rates records higher
3. Tophat Adventures
when the search query
4. Rocky Ridge Vista
is present in the same
5. Generation Topco
sequential order on the
6. North American Tops
record.
7. Blacktop Farms
b. Rates records
8. Top 5 Rock
containing multiple
search query words in a
different sequential
order higher than
records with fewer
search query words.
c. Rates records
containing any of the
provided search query

15 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

CRITERIA FUNCTION SEARCH QUERY RETURNS DOES NOT RETURN


words or phrases as a
possible match.

Begins with The entity search engine: Begins with rock 1. Rockwell Devices 1. The Rocket
2. Rockefeller Observatory Company
1. Selects records that begin with 3. Rock-34 Express 2. A-1 Rocks
the search query words or 4. Rocket Properties 3. Hotel Rocky
phrases in the same order 5. Rock Breakers Mountain
provided. 6. RocKorp Services
7. R.O.C.K Advertising

Stop words The entity search engine: Contains Ford Corp • Ford Corp (exact match; • Universal
listed first) Food Corp
• Uses words and abbreviations • Sanford Ford • Power Rain
designated as "stop words" to • Fordland Spoon
increase the relevancy of • Ford Co Corporation
record matches as long as the
record also matches on a word
Contains limited • Software Services Limited
that is not a designated stop
company Company
word.
• Communications Co.
• Rates records containing
Limited
multiple search query words
• Automotive Holdings ("Co"
higher than records containing
is in alias)
a single search query word.
• Wheels Investments
• Does not return any records
Limited
that contain only the stop
word when the search query
contains a word(s) other than
stop words, eliminating
records with common words in
their name from the search
results table.
• Does return records
containing a stop word(s) if

16 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

CRITERIA FUNCTION SEARCH QUERY RETURNS DOES NOT RETURN


only a stop word(s) is provided
in the search query.

Synonyms The entity search engine: Contains Corp. • Target Corporation • Life Ventures
• Hydro Corp Incorporated
• Uses designated words and • Powder Corp.
abbreviations as standard • Fresh Fire Water Co. (alias
synonyms of each other and contains Corporation)
uses them interchangeably
(e.g., corporation, corp,
Contains limited • Labels Limited • Transports
corp.).
• Smyth Ltd Unlimited
• Number representations are
• F&F Ltd.
not synonyms for each other
(e.g., first, 1st, 1, I). The
search engine treats the • Contains first • First National Bank • 1st National
provided search query • Contains 1 • Global Investment 1 Bank
literally. • Contains 5th • The 5th World Bank • Global One
• Contains Seven • Seven & I Holdings Investments
• Contains VII • Lakeville Associate VII • The Fifth
World Bank
• 7 & I Dental
• Lakeville
Seven Holes

Multiple The entity search engine: Contains motor All records containing "motor" Any record "motor"
Filters AND is domiciled in "Canada" AND that is not
Filter is designated as "SEC Restricted". domiciled in Canada
• Applies the "AND" operator
domicile/country Canada and is not SEC
when multiple filters are used.
• Returns all records containing Filter designation Restricted.
the search query words type SEC Restricted
and all the filters selected.

Filters with The entity search engine: Contains motor All records containing "motor" Any record
multi-select AND is domiciled in "Canada" OR is containing "motor"
domiciled in "Germany" that is not
17 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

CRITERIA FUNCTION SEARCH QUERY RETURNS DOES NOT RETURN


domiciled in
Filter domicile/country "Canada" or
• Applies the "OR" operator
Canada, Germany "Germany".
when multiple values are
selected in a multi-select
filter.
• Returns all records containing
the search query words and at
least one of the multi-select
filter values.

Punctuation The entity search engine: Contains r.o.ck • Yellow-Rock Taxi


• R.O.C.K. Advertising
Special • Rock-34 Express
• Replaces punctuation and
characters
special characters supplied in
Foreign the search query and
Contains E*Trade • E*Trade Bank
characters contained in entity records
• German e*Trade GmbH
with a blank space (e.g., Contains e-trade • E-Trade Tech
E*trade becomes "E trade",
• Share Investing (alias E-
Wal-mart becomes "Wal
trade Australia)
mart").
• Selects all records that
match including the special Contains Weather@15% • All Weather@15% Trading
character, rating those records • Weather 15 Gear
higher, plus Contains 5:15 Risk • 5:15 Tail Risk
• Selects all records that match • 5 15 Risk Master
when the special character is
replaced by a space, plus
• Selects all records that contain Contains mögen • VERMÖGENSVERWALTUNGS • Mogen
the remaining string when the • M GENERAL AUTO Enterprises
special character is ignored
(not replaced with space). Contains ögens • VERMÖGENSVERWALTUNGS
• Treats a single special • SONDAGENS LTDA
character supplied in the • FORD GEN STORE
search query as a "space".

Contains ögen • VERMÖGENSVERWALTUNGS

18 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

CRITERIA FUNCTION SEARCH QUERY RETURNS DOES NOT RETURN


• Selects only records • GENERAL INJECTABLES
that have a special • RAIZEN ARGENTINA
character in it that is
also replaced by a
"space". Contains öge • VERMÖGENSVERWALTUNGS
• Does not select records • CONCUR (GERMANY) GMBH
with a normal space • RAIZEN-GEO BIOGAS S.A.
between words.
Contains ÖSTER • SAP ÖSTERREICH GMBH • Sterling
• MASTER DRILLING BRASIL Silver Inc
LTDA

Contains ÖSTE • SAP ÖSTERREICH GMBH • Sterling


• Mullen, Steven K. Silver Inc
• PLAUTEAU SYSTEMS LTD
• MASTER DRILLING BRASIL
LTDA

Contains ÖST • SAP ÖSTERREICH GMBH


• Multi-Strategy Opportunity
Fund

Contains @ • HENRY SCHEIN @ UNLV • FORD MOTOR


• FORD & CO LLC CO
Contains Ö • TICKET-WEB GMBH • INFORHAM
• FORD PARTS / PREPAID GROUP INC
• S - DENT SLOVAKIA
• CONCUR (GERMANY)
• E*TRADE
• SAP ÖSTERREICH GMBH
• APLICAÇÕES E PRODUTOS
INFORMÁTICOS

Single The entity search engine: Contains d • D F King Ltd. • DF


letters • E D S Realisations Consulting
19 USER GUIDE
Basic User – Entity Search Entity Management System |

CRITERIA FUNCTION SEARCH QUERY RETURNS DOES NOT RETURN


• W360 R&D Pty Limited • ROEDS VVS
• Treats single letters and ASP
double letters in search query • 173 Burke Rd
as if there is a space on either Holdings
or both sides of it. • Maersk
• Does not select records that Uganda Ltd
contain the provided letter(s)
anywhere else within words.
Contains da • Damco (Canada) Holdings • Canada
• Hospital Padre Holdings
Carmelo D'Angelo • Carmelo De
• ST.DAVID LIMITED Angelo
• St. David
Limited
• Maersk
Uganda Ltd

Case The entity search engine: Contains rOCk • Rocket Express


sensitivity • ROCKET SOFTWARE
• Ignores case sensitivity in • RocKorp Services
search query words and the
records.

Leading and The entity search engine: Contains ..mark.. • HI-MARK SOFTWARE
trailing • FREEMARKETS LTDA
• Ignores leading and trailing • MARKET METRIX
spaces provided in the search • FORSO DENMARK
query string. (Periods are used • EMARKETING SYSTEM
to depict entered spaces in
search query example.)

20 USER GUIDE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
BDO internal use only.
‘BDO’, ‘we’, ‘us’, and ‘our’ refer to one or more of BDO International
Limited, its network of independent member firms (‘the BDO network’),
and their related entities.
The BDO network is an international network of independent public
accounting, tax and advisory firms which are members of BDO International
Limited and perform professional services under the name and style of BDO
(hereafter: ‘BDO member firms’). BDO International Limited is a UK
company limited by guarantee. It is the governing entity of the BDO
network.
Service provision within the BDO network is coordinated by Brussels
Worldwide Services BV, a limited liability company incorporated in
CONTACT US: Belgium.
[email protected] Each of BDO International Limited, Brussels Worldwide Services BV and the
BDO member firms is a separate legal entity and has no liability for another
such entity’s acts or omissions. Nothing in the arrangements or rules of the
BDO network shall constitute or imply an agency relationship or a
partnership between BDO International Limited, Brussels Worldwide
Services BV and/or the BDO member firms. Neither BDO International
Limited nor any other central entities of the BDO network provide services
to clients.
BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO firms.

© Brussels Worldwide Services BV, February 2023

You might also like