---
title: "Generating target files from relevant topics"
url: "https://www.opensanctions.org/changelog/13/"
id: "13"
date_created: "2024-11-27T17:05:53.829Z"
date_effective: "2025-01-15"
breaking: false
categories: ["Data model","Export formats"]
---

# Generating target files from relevant topics

We're phasing out the use of the [`target` flag](/faq/23/targets/) throughout the system, and switching the export formats that are based on `target` to use a defined list of `topics` as their source of truth.

A binary flag (`target`) is an insufficient method to describe what entities are associated with risk. For the past few months, we've been recommending the use of [topics](/docs/topics/) to decide if a match is relevant (e.g. as a PEP, sanctioned entity). However, some export formats - such as `targets.nested.json` and `targets.simple.csv` are still using targets to decide which entities to include.

On January 15, we will switch these two export formats (`targets.nested.json` and `targets.simple.csv`) to include any entities tagged with one the topics listed below. This is guaranteed to include all current targets, but will bring in additional entities that have topics assigned, but are not marked as targets. In short: the new exports will be more correct, and a bit larger.

This will result in the `targets.nested.json` export of the `default` dataset becoming equivalent to the `topics.nested.json` export of the same collection. This export can be used for testing until the change becomes effective on January 15, 2025. We will eventually **remove the `topics.nested.json` export format on February 15, 2025,** and only generated the file named `targets.nested.json` going forward.

Topics included in new target definition:

- `corp.disqual`
- `crime.boss`
- `crime.fin`
- `crime.fraud`
- `crime.terror`
- `crime.theft`
- `crime.traffick`
- `crime.war`
- `crime`
- `debarment`
- `export.control`
- `export.risk`
- `poi`
- `reg.action`
- `reg.warn`
- `role.oligarch`
- `role.pep`
- `role.rca`
- `sanction.counter`
- `sanction.linked`
- `sanction`
- `wanted`