UNICORN PRIVATE Bulk sanctions screening for free: batch OFAC screening of a CSV or Excel file
Unicorn Intelligence screens a whole CSV or Excel file against OFAC, EU, UK and UN sanctions lists in one batch, for free: up to 20,000 names, with a risk map by list and country. How to prepare the file and read the result.
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Short answer: Unicorn Intelligence runs bulk sanctions screening for free: you upload a CSV, XLSX or ODS file with up to 20,000 names (or paste them), and every row is checked in one batch against the OFAC SDN and non-SDN lists, the EU, UK and UN lists and other official lists. The result is a risk map with the number of possible matches by list and by country. Sign-in is with an email and no card is needed.
Key definitions
Bulk or batch screening: checking many names in one operation, usually from a file, instead of searching them one by one.
Column mapping: telling the tool which column holds the name, the country and, if available, the registration or VAT number.
False positive: a list entry similar to a name in your file that turns out to be a different company or person.
Batch options compared
| Method | Names per run | Effort | Lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official search sites | One at a time | High | One list per site |
| Downloading the official files and matching in a spreadsheet | Any | High, needs fuzzy matching | Only the files you download |
| Unicorn Intelligence free list test | Up to 20,000 from CSV, XLSX, ODS or pasted text | Low | OFAC, EU, UK, UN and other official lists together |
The official lists can be downloaded for free, for example from the OFAC Sanctions List Service and the UK Sanctions List, but exact matching in a spreadsheet misses spelling variants and aliases.
How to prepare the file
- One row per company or person. Remove totals, blank rows and merged cells.
- A name column with the full legal name. Keep trading names in a separate row if they differ.
- A country column (name or two-letter code). It reduces false positives on common names.
- Optional identifiers: VAT number, company registration number, city.
- Save as CSV, XLSX or ODS. Spreadsheets of up to about 24,000 rows are read.
Step by step
- Sign in at intel.unicornprivate.com with your email.
- Open the list test in the dashboard and upload the file, or paste the names.
- Check the column mapping proposed for name and country.
- Accept the data processing terms and start the batch.
- Read the risk map: possible matches, red and yellow, lists involved and countries.
- Put the list under monitoring to see the matching names and have the whole file rechecked every day.
Run a free test on all your contacts now and find out if there are any compliance issues.
Run a free test on all your contacts now and find out if there are any compliance issues.
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Unicorn Intelligence is an informational tool: legal decisions and obligations remain the company's.
FAQ
Is there free bulk sanctions screening?
Yes. Unicorn Intelligence screens a whole file of up to 20,000 names for free against the OFAC, EU, UK, UN and other official lists, and shows a risk map of the results.
How do I run batch OFAC screening on a CSV or Excel file?
Sign in with an email, open the list test, upload the CSV, XLSX or ODS file, check that the name and country columns are mapped and start. The OFAC SDN and non-SDN lists are included with the EU, UK and UN lists.
Which file formats are accepted?
CSV, XLSX and ODS, or names pasted as text. Accounting software and CRMs can also be connected read-only.
How many names can I screen at once?
From 10 up to 20,000 names in total for the free test.
Why add a country column?
Many company names are common. The country lets the tool separate a listed entity from an unrelated company with a similar name.
Is the file kept after the test?
The list stays in your account until you put it under monitoring or delete the account. It is used only for the screening.
Sources
- https://ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-list-service
- https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/
- https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/consolidated-list-of-persons-groups-and-entities-subject-to-eu-financial-sanctions
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list
- https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/un-sc-consolidated-list
Informative content: decisions and legal obligations remain yours.