FindBusinesses

Gets summary information on companies matching a name or address search.

To connect to this service you'll need to use one of these endpoints:

JSON

Open API

SOAP

Description

Supply a company registration number, name or postcode to retrieve basic information on any matching companies. The company registration number included in the results can then be used to obtain full detailed information from the other methods in this service.

Credit Usage

Requests to this method do not consume credits, but you must have some BusinessInformation credits available.

Parameters

The following parameters can be supplied to this method

username	username See the available authentication methods. If you are using username & password authentication, specify the username to authenticate as. If you are using API Key authentication and you are not using the JSON, Javascript or ADO APIs, use your API Key here with the prefix `apikey-`, e.g. `apikey-ABCD-1234-EFGH-5678`
password	password If you are using username & password authentication, specify the password to use for authentication. Otherwise leave this blank.
number	number The company registration number to search for. This would normally be left blank as you would call this method in order to find a company registration number.
name	name The company name to search for. Fuzzy matching is used so this does not need to be exact. Leave this as `null` or `""` to find all companies in the `postcode`
address	address This parameter is currently not supported, leave as `null`
postcode	postcode The postcode to search for companies in. Leave as `null` or `""` to search only by `name`
telno	telno This parameter is not currently supported, leave as `null`
options	options An array of options that control further details of how this method operates. See the Advanced Options section below for more information.

Advanced Options

The following options can be specified as part of the option parameter. Each option is specified as a key/value pair. The list of available names is shown below, along with a description of the allowable values for that name.

Common Options
Name	Description
ApplicationName	ApplicationName Gives the name of the calling application - used to break down usage by application in the usage reports on the dashboard
Service-Specific Options
Name	Description
CleanAddresses	CleanAddresses Indicates whether or not the addresses returned should be cleaned versions, or the original raw addresses
IncludeNonLtd	IncludeNonLtd Indicates whether or not to include Non Limited businesses in your search.

Results

This method returns an object containing the following fields:

Status

Status	Status Indicates whether the method call was successful, or if some error occurred. If the `Success` field is `true`, the other results described below can be used to get the results of the method. If `Success` is `false`, some error occurred in calling the method, such as the authentication failed or the account is out of credits. The details of the error can be obtained from the `ErrorMessage` field, and any other results should be ignored
Businesses	Businesses An array of basic business details which match the search criteria. Each item in the array has the following fields: `Name` - the full name of the company `Address` - the registered address of the company `CompanyNumber` - the company registration number `LastAccountsFiled` - the date of the last accounts filed by the company `TradingAddress` - the main trading address of the company

Status

Indicates whether the method call was successful, or if some error occurred. If the Success field is true, the other results described below can be used to get the results of the method. If Success is false, some error occurred in calling the method, such as the authentication failed or the account is out of credits. The details of the error can be obtained from the ErrorMessage field, and any other results should be ignored

Businesses

Businesses

An array of basic business details which match the search criteria. Each item in the array has the following fields:

Name - the full name of the company
Address - the registered address of the company
CompanyNumber - the company registration number
LastAccountsFiled - the date of the last accounts filed by the company
TradingAddress - the main trading address of the company

Live Demo

number

name

address

postcode

telno

options

Name	Value
Common Options
ApplicationName
Service-Specific Options
CleanAddresses
IncludeNonLtd

Sample Code

// NOTE: The php_soap.dll extension must be enabled in the php.ini file.
function FindBusinesses($number, $name, $address, $postcode, $telno)
{
  $options = array(
    "Option" => array(
      array(
        "Name" => "CleanAddresses",
        "Value" => "true"
      ),
      array(
        "Name" => "IncludeNonLtd",
        "Value" => "true"
      )
    )
  );
  $params = array(
    "username" => "your-username",
    "password" => "your-password",
    "number" => $number,
    "name" => $name,
    "address" => $address,
    "postcode" => $postcode,
    "telno" => $telno,
    "options" => $options
  );
  $client = new SoapClient("https://webservices.data-8.co.uk/BusinessInformation.asmx?WSDL");
  $result = $client->FindBusinesses($params);
  if ($result->FindBusinessesResult->Status->Success == 0)
  {
    echo "Error: " . $result->FindBusinessesResult->Status->ErrorMessage;
  }
  else
  {
    // TODO: Process method results here.
    // Results can be extracted from the following fields:
    // $result->FindBusinessesResult->Businesses
    //   An array of basic business details which match the search criteria. Each item in the array has the following fields:
    //   
    //   * `Name` - the full name of the company
    //   * `Address` - the registered address of the company
    //   * `CompanyNumber` - the company registration number
    //   * `LastAccountsFiled` - the date of the last accounts filed by the company
    //   * `TradingAddress` - the main trading address of the company
    //   NOTE: This field contains an array of items, but if it contains only one item,
    //   PHP may not recognise it as an array. To always extract the result of this
    //   field as an array, we recommend you always access it using the
    //   getArrayFromResponse method described at
    //   http://www.php.net/soap_soapclient_soapcall#75797, e.g.
    //   foreach (getArrayFromResponse($result->FindBusinessesResult->Businesses) as $item)
    //   {
    //     ...
    //   }
  }
}

Request Format

{
  "number": "",
  "name": "Data8",
  "address": "",
  "postcode": "",
  "telno": "",
  "options": {
    "CleanAddresses": true,
    "IncludeNonLtd": true
  }
}

Results Format

{
  "Status": {
    "Success": true,
    "CreditsRemaining": 1000
  },
  "Businesses": [
    {
      "Name": "DATA8 LIMITED",
      "Address": {
        "Address": {
          "Lines": [
            "Data8 Limited",
            "C/O Allen Accountancy",
            "Unit 13",
            "Gwenfro Units",
            "WREXHAM",
            "Clwyd",
            "LL13 7YP"
          ]
        },
        "RawAddress": {
          "Organisation": "DATA8 LIMITED",
          "Department": "C/O ALLEN ACCOUNTANCY",
          "AddressKey": 0,
          "OrganisationKey": 0,
          "PostcodeType": null,
          "BuildingNumber": 0,
          "SubBuildingName": "UNIT 13",
          "BuildingName": "GWENFRO UNITS",
          "DependentThoroughfareName": "",
          "DependentThoroughfareDesc": null,
          "ThoroughfareName": "",
          "ThoroughfareDesc": null,
          "DoubleDependentLocality": "",
          "DependentLocality": "",
          "Locality": "WREXHAM",
          "Postcode": "LL137YP",
          "Dps": "",
          "PoBox": "",
          "PostalCounty": "CLWYD",
          "TraditionalCounty": null,
          "AdministrativeCounty": null,
          "CountryISO2": null,
          "UniqueReference": null,
          "Location": null,
          "AdditionalData": null
        }
      },
      "CompanyNumber": "04773536",
      "LastAccountsFiled": "2018-03-31T00:00:00",
      "TradingAddress": {
        "Address": {
          "Lines": [
            "Data8 Limited",
            "C/O Allen Accountancy",
            "Unit 13",
            "Gwenfro Units",
            "WREXHAM",
            "Clwyd",
            "LL13 7YP"
          ]
        },
        "RawAddress": {
          "Organisation": "DATA8 LIMITED",
          "Department": "C/O ALLEN ACCOUNTANCY",
          "AddressKey": 0,
          "OrganisationKey": 0,
          "PostcodeType": null,
          "BuildingNumber": 0,
          "SubBuildingName": "UNIT 13",
          "BuildingName": "GWENFRO UNITS",
          "DependentThoroughfareName": "",
          "DependentThoroughfareDesc": null,
          "ThoroughfareName": "",
          "ThoroughfareDesc": null,
          "DoubleDependentLocality": "",
          "DependentLocality": "",
          "Locality": "WREXHAM",
          "Postcode": "LL137YP",
          "Dps": "",
          "PoBox": "",
          "PostalCounty": "CLWYD",
          "TraditionalCounty": null,
          "AdministrativeCounty": null,
          "CountryISO2": null,
          "UniqueReference": null,
          "Location": null,
          "AdditionalData": null
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Depending on your chosen authentication method you will need to modify this request slightly:

Public Sub FindBusinesses(number As String, name As String, address As String, postcode As String, telno As String)
  Dim rs As ADODB.Recordset
  Set rs = New ADODB.Recordset
  rs.Open "https://webservices.data-8.co.uk/recordset.ashx?service=BusinessInformation&method=FindBusinessesSimple" &
    "&username=your-username" &
    "&password=your-password" &
    "&number=" & number &
    "&name=" & name &
    "&address=" & address &
    "&postcode=" & postcode &
    "&telno=" & telno
  If rs.MoveFirst Then
    If rs.Fields(0).Name = "Success" And rs.Fields(0).Value = false Then
      MsgBox "Error: " & rs.Fields(1)
    Else
      'TODO: Process method results here.
      'Each result is available in a different row in the recordset.
      'Results can be extracted from the following fields:
      'Name
      'Address_RawAddress_Organisation
      'Address_RawAddress_Department
      'Address_RawAddress_AddressKey
      'Address_RawAddress_OrganisationKey
      'Address_RawAddress_PostcodeType
      'Address_RawAddress_BuildingNumber
      'Address_RawAddress_SubBuildingName
      'Address_RawAddress_BuildingName
      'Address_RawAddress_DependentThoroughfareName
      'Address_RawAddress_DependentThoroughfareDesc
      'Address_RawAddress_ThoroughfareName
      'Address_RawAddress_ThoroughfareDesc
      'Address_RawAddress_DoubleDependentLocality
      'Address_RawAddress_DependentLocality
      'Address_RawAddress_Locality
      'Address_RawAddress_Postcode
      'Address_RawAddress_Dps
      'Address_RawAddress_PoBox
      'Address_RawAddress_PostalCounty
      'Address_RawAddress_TraditionalCounty
      'Address_RawAddress_AdministrativeCounty
      'Address_RawAddress_CountryISO2
      'Address_RawAddress_UniqueReference
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Easting
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Northing
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_GridReference
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Longitude
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Latitude
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_CountyCode
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_County
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_DistrictCode
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_District
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_WardCode
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Ward
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Country
      'Address_RawAddress_Location_Constituency
      'CompanyNumber
      'LastAccountsFiled_HasValue
      'LastAccountsFiled_Value
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Organisation
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Department
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_AddressKey
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_OrganisationKey
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_PostcodeType
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_BuildingNumber
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_SubBuildingName
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_BuildingName
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_DependentThoroughfareName
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_DependentThoroughfareDesc
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_ThoroughfareName
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_ThoroughfareDesc
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_DoubleDependentLocality
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_DependentLocality
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Locality
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Postcode
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Dps
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_PoBox
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_PostalCounty
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_TraditionalCounty
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_AdministrativeCounty
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_CountryISO2
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_UniqueReference
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Easting
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Northing
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_GridReference
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Longitude
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Latitude
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_CountyCode
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_County
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_DistrictCode
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_District
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_WardCode
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Ward
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Country
      'TradingAddress_RawAddress_Location_Constituency
    End If
  End If
End Sub