What do you need to know about the company?
You do not need to know every form name to get started. You might be looking for incorporation details, a missing annual return or data from a PDF you already have. Start with what you need to do, and the choice of document becomes clearer.
Tell us what the document is for, the company name and any identifier you have. If you are unsure which form you need, describe the information you are looking for. We will confirm the request with you before proceeding.
What will you receive with each service?
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| Need | Delivery | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the filing | From RMB 39: the selected original PDF | One company, one selected year, one standard NAR1 / NNC1 |
| Import data | From RMB 59: original plus standard JSON / XML | Supported readable versions, up to 30 pages; no manual field review |
| Add manual checks | From RMB 99: original, standard data and agreed-field review | One standard document up to 10 pages including continuation sheets; other scope quoted first |
Self-service or assisted retrieval
You can search directly through the Registry’s e-Services Portal, including as an unregistered user. The Document Index helps with selection. If you can identify and download the filing yourself, there is no need to buy retrieval again.
Our role is to handle the agreed selection, retrieval and delivery, plus any extraction you choose. This is an independent service, not government certification or endorsement.
Four things to include in your enquiry
- Give the full company name and known identifier. Preserve the identifier’s original label rather than relabelling a legacy company number as BRN.
- Specify the document type and the return date or year you need. Avoid relying on “latest information” alone.
- State whether the PDF is enough or you also need JSON / XML, review or a custom format.
- Provide your requested delivery date. Processing follows confirmation of availability, scope and total price.
Example: completing an annual client file
For example, your internal file has a company’s 2023 documents but lacks a specified 2024 NAR1. Request that return’s original PDF. If you also need shareholder data, include the requested fields and page count.
An ordinary electronic copy is not a certified copy, and a historical filing is not a real-time company profile. Certification, other document types and broader investigations require separate confirmation. Delivery time is agreed before acceptance.
“Complete the company file” can mean different things
Suppose a colleague asks you to “complete Company A’s file”. A quick conversation reveals that procurement needs an annual return for its records, while another colleague needs the address. Note both requests: which document to keep and which details to extract from it. This makes it easier to meet both needs.
Ask for the full document name if the recipient has a checklist. If they only need particular information, note the details they want. When a name is unfamiliar, keep the original request and ask for clarification rather than assuming it means NAR1.
Put the company, document, relevant date and purpose in one message, and say whether you also need the contents extracted. If another year or format is added later, everyone can see what changed. You do not need to understand the whole form to make a clear request.
Resolve company identity before selecting a document
Preserve a company name as it appears in its source, such as a contract heading, email signature or internal list. Separate known information from assumptions. Keep identifiers under their original labels, mark unknown ones as unknown, and retain abbreviations, punctuation and character variants rather than silently normalising the name.
If several names look similar, compare their identifiers with the details on your contract and ask the colleague who requested the search to confirm the match. A little time here can prevent retrieving a document for the wrong company. Keep the confirmation with the supporting details for future reference.
For example, a fictional request uses only a short Chinese trading name while a contract contains an English company name. Resolve the entity using the available contract information before selecting its document. Paying for, downloading or extracting a file does not establish that the intended company was chosen.
Record why a particular filing was selected
Even after the company is confirmed, several documents may appear relevant. Keep a short selection note recording each candidate’s displayed name, date, availability and relationship to the request. This is a record of your selection process, not a legal assessment of the document.
Do not resolve an uncertain date from the filename. A name such as “2024-final.pdf” may be an internal label. Record “filename contains 2024; date inside the document not yet checked” rather than treating it as a confirmed 2024 annual return. Explicit uncertainty is more useful to the next colleague than apparent certainty.
A reusable note is: “Selected [document/reference] for [purpose and date]. [Alternative] was not selected because [reason or unresolved issue]. Confirmed by [person/role] on [date].” Add later changes to the note so that colleagues need not reconstruct the decision from chat messages.
Compare the included work before comparing totals
Two offers labelled “company search” may deliver different things: a PDF alone, or a PDF with extracted data. List the source file, output format, manual checks and extra work before comparing totals. The service label does not define the deliverable, and an additional spreadsheet does not by itself establish additional verification.
Compare ClariRecord plans against the same eligible document: Source provides the PDF, Data adds standard JSON / XML, and Reviewed adds agreed-field manual checks. If you already hold that version, discuss supplied-file extraction rather than purchasing retrieval again. Page count and supported version still need confirmation before acceptance.
A useful quote identifies the documents to obtain, outputs to deliver, separately priced items and the handling of unavailable or unresolved requests. Clarifying those points before ordering makes the purchase easier to evaluate and explain internally.
Separate receipt from acceptance
Take a few minutes to open the attachment when it arrives. Check the company, relevant date and agreed page count. For retrieval only, check the PDF; if you ordered extraction or review as well, look for those results too. Raising a question now is usually easier than discovering a problem when you urgently need the file.
Record receipt as: “Received [filename]; company/date checked; outstanding [item]; confirmed by [person] on [date].” For an issue, include the original request, delivered filename and specific mismatch. “Requested one date but received another” is easier to investigate than “wrong document”.
Retain the delivered source file and a mapping for any internal renaming. Future requests can then check existing holdings before buying duplicates. If another filing is needed, create a new request: reopening or downloading an old file does not update its contents.
References
Use the checklists and examples to prepare your documents. When checking an official form, note which version the guide refers to.