Combining searches in SDC Platinum

When using the (older) windows software to access SDC databases each search is automatically combined and you get less and less records in your search result. It is, however, also possible to combine searches with logical operators that are similar to boolean operators like OR, AND, and  NOT. This allows you to create different types of searches. The operators that are available in SDC are called: Union (= OR), Intersection (= AND), and Difference (= Minus).

The example I give here concerns software companies and the SDC database Global New Issue (GNI). To find software companies in the GNI database you can use different types of classification. Examples that can be used in the GNI database are the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) and the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS or NAIC). The NAIC classification was developed since 1997 and is/was intended to replace the SIC. So far, the SIC system is still being used today in many databases.

According to the SIC system the code for Software is: 7372 (= prepackaged software). The NAIC classification uses two codes that (combined) compare to this: 334611 (= Software reproducing) and 511210 (= Software Publishers). If you want to find out how SIC or NAICS codes compare or can be ranslated into matching codes, you can use either the website of the NAICS association or the translation tool of the Amadeus database (which allows the translation of more than 10 different classification systems in comparable codes).

Step 1

• Start up the GNI database using the SDC software
• Select the variable “Issuer/Borrower All SIC“
• Search on “Software” and select code 7372 by Double-clicking

Step 2

• Go to the top of the screen and click the button USE

Step 3

• Click the line “Use Request 2“
• Right-click this line and select the option Modify 

  

• In the pop-up that now appears: change the number 2 to the number 1 and click OK
  
  

Step 4

• Go to the tab “All items” and search on the keyword NAIC
• From te search result select the variable “Issuer/Borrower All NAIC (code)“
• Search on “Software” and select both codes 334611 and 511210 by Double-clicking
• Click OK to continue

Step 5

• From the menu at the top in SDC now click: Utilities
• From the pull-own menu click the option: Logical Set Operations

Step 6

•  A new pop-up has appeared. Using the mouse now “click and drag” line 2 into the box Request
  
•  Now do the same for search line 4
  
• Check that the operation Union (= OR) is marked (radio button) and click OK.
• The result is an extra search line: Logical Set Operations 2 Union 4.
• Now click the button Execute at the top of the screen in SDC.

In the example you see that the OR combination of SIC and NAICS gives a higher number of records. The same type of search and combination allows you to (for instance) combine lists of companies where you have ISIN codes for companies in list1 and CUSIP codes for companies in list 2. The logical operators are also available to be used in other SDC database (Mergers & Acquisitions etc.) !

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