UNICORN PRIVATE Manual or automated CRM sanctions checks: an honest comparison
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In short
- Manual checks with the free official tools cost nothing in software and work well for a small number of counterparties.
- They become slow and error prone when you have hundreds of names, several lists and the need to repeat checks often.
- Automated checks repeat the work every day and record it, but still need a person to review matches and decide.
Every company that screens counterparties for sanctions faces the same choice: do it by hand with the free official tools, or connect the CRM to software that does it automatically. Neither option is right for everyone.
This guide compares the two honestly, step by step, so you can decide which fits your volume, your risk and your team. It does not give average figures, because the real numbers depend on your list and your process: it gives you the questions to measure them yourself.
What a manual check involves
A manual check usually means: exporting customers and suppliers from the CRM, searching each name in the US Treasury Sanctions List Search, the Consolidated Screening List, the EU Sanctions Map and the UK Sanctions List, reviewing any possible match, and saving a record of the result. Our guide on how to check if a company is sanctioned describes each step.
To estimate the time, run the check on ten names and time it, including the record. Multiply by the number of names and by how often you need to repeat it in a year. That figure is the real cost of the manual option.
Where manual checks work well
- a small number of counterparties, mostly in low risk countries;
- few new customers or suppliers each month;
- a person with time and training who owns the process;
- no request from banks, auditors or customers for frequent, documented screening.
In these cases the free official tools are often enough, as long as the checks are repeated and recorded. The key is discipline: a calendar reminder, a fixed list of tools and a simple template for the record.
Where manual checks become risky
- Frequency: lists change throughout the year, and repeating a full manual check often is rarely sustainable.
- Name variants: a search for an exact name can miss transliterations and spelling variants.
- Owners: checking owners and directors multiplies the number of searches.
- Records: screenshots and spreadsheets are easy to lose or leave incomplete.
- People: the process depends on one person, and stops when that person is away or busy.
What an automated check involves
An automated check connects the CRM, or a list from a spreadsheet, to software that compares every name with the current official lists, repeats the comparison every time the lists change and sends an alert only when there is something to review. The decisions taken on each alert are recorded in a log.
It also has limits worth knowing: the software can flag names that are only similar, it can miss links that no public source shows, it depends on the quality of the data in your CRM, and it costs money. Above all, it does not decide for you: a person still has to review the matches.
When comparing options, look at practical questions: which lists are covered and how quickly updates arrive, whether owners and directors are checked, how matches are explained, whether decisions are remembered so namesakes do not come back, and how easily you can export the records for an audit.
Side by side
| Aspect | Manual | Automated |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | None | Yes |
| Staff time per check | Grows with every name | Mostly spent on reviewing alerts |
| Frequency in practice | Depends on available time | Every list update |
| Name variants | Depends on the person | Handled by the matching |
| Record of checks | Built by hand | Kept automatically |
| Final decision | A person | A person |
How to choose
- Count active customers and suppliers, and how many you add each month.
- Decide how often they must be checked, based on your risk and on what banks and customers expect.
- Time a manual check on ten names and project it over a year.
- Compare that time, and the risk of gaps between checks, with the cost of software.
- Whatever you choose, define who reviews matches and how decisions are recorded.
Many companies end up with a mix: automated daily checks of the CRM, with a manual review of each possible match using the official tools.
Where Unicorn Intelligence fits
Unicorn Intelligence connects to HubSpot, Zapier, Google Sheets or Excel and checks every company daily; new accounts receive a $50 credit.
Frequently asked questions
Is a manual sanctions check acceptable?
It can be, for a small number of counterparties, if it is done with the official tools, repeated regularly and recorded. It becomes hard to sustain as the list grows.
How long does a manual check take?
It depends on the number of names, the lists and the records you keep. Time a check on ten names and multiply it by your list and by how often you repeat it.
Does an automated check replace the compliance team?
No. It repeats the comparison and records it, but a person still reviews possible matches and takes the final decision.
What are the risks of automated checks?
Software can flag namesakes, miss links that no public source shows and depends on the quality of CRM data. Matches always need a human review.
Can I combine manual and automated checks?
Yes. Many companies use automated daily checks of the CRM and then review each possible match by hand with the official tools.
Unicorn Intelligence is an information tool. Decisions and legal obligations, including sanctions compliance, due diligence and tender participation, remain with the customer.
Try Unicorn Intelligence: $50 welcome credit, used before any charge
Get startedSee pricesAbout the service: Sanctions and counterparty screening
Valid 90 days; once per account. No card until the credit is used up; then usage is charged to a card every week.