--- title: "Glossary" summary: "Definitions of the core concepts and terms used across the OpenSanctions data." url: "https://www.opensanctions.org/docs/glossary/" date_updated: "2026-08-28" --- ## Collection A collection is a bundle of entities (people, companies, etc.) from multiple data sources. These sources might have a similar topical focus (e.g. [international sanctions](/datasets/sanctions/), [regulatory watchlists](/datasets/regulatory/), or [procurement bans](/datasets/debarment/)). The [main collection](/datasets/default/) produced by OpenSanctions (and available via our API) is called `default`. See a [list of available collections](/datasets/). When screening entities using the [matching API](/docs/api/matching/) or [advanced search page](/advancedsearch), users can limit the results to entities appearing in a specific collection. When integrating our bulk data, we recommend using the `default` collection and filtering entities based on [risk tags](/docs/topics/) or what collection or dataset they appear in. See our documentation on [using bulk data](/docs/bulk) and [why you probably don't want to use our `peps` collection](/docs/coverage/pep/using/#dataset-selection) ## Dataset Datasets are the groupings in which entities are organized. Every entity is at least part of one dataset, which describes the **data source** from which it was retrieved (e.g. the [main US sanctions list](/datasets/us_ofac_sdn/)). We provide [metadata for each dataset](/docs/metadata/), describing its publisher, data coverage and the limitations inherent in the source. You can download bulk exports in [standardized data formats](/docs/bulk/) for each dataset. * See a [list of all data sources](/datasets/sources/). OpenSanctions combines entities from multiple sources into **collections**, see [here](/docs/glossary/#collection). PS. Did you know that the W3C defines a dataset as a "set of data"? Computer science is thrilling stuff, people. ## Dataset coverage {% #coverage %} We use the term **coverage** inside [dataset metadata](/docs/metadata/) to describe when a dataset is added to the database (`dataset.coverage.start`), and how often it is updated. While most data sources are [updated automatically](/docs/bulk/updates/#update-frequency) in specific intervals (the update frequency, `dataset.coverage.frequency`), this there are some exceptions. This includes datasets where the original publisher has stopped releasing updates of the data, and datasets where we cannot fully automate the retrieval process (e.g. because of a firewall preventing automated access, or because the data is released in an unstructured form that requires manual cleaning). Some datasets are simply static documents: lists mandated by a law, or reports that are only published once. In those cases, the date of the most recent version included in the database is also recorded as part of the metadata (`dataset.coverage.end`). ## Entity [Entities](/docs/data/) are the data atoms of OpenSanctions. They can describe real things — like a person, company, passport or airplane — or somewhat abstract notions like a sanctions designation. Each entity has a set of properties, like a name, date of birth, or tax identifier. Entities are organised into a network graph that describes the connections which exist between them. Our [data model](/reference/) describes some types of relationships as entities which in turn have their own properties. ## Entity of interest OpenSanctions generates and publishes a comprehensive database of risk-linked entities. The term "entity of interest" is used to describe companies or people that are not directly subject to sanctions but are included in OpenSanctions for other reasons. It does not carry a specific legal meaning, and does not imply wrongdoing. Having grown from our core focus of aggregating sanctions data, OpenSanctions also includes [politically exposed persons](/pep/), companies and people included in debarment databases, criminal watchlists, and other domain datasets related to corruption, money laundering and other forms of financial crime. We use [data enrichment](/docs/enrichment/) to find companies linked to sanctioned entities, which may be subject to secondary sanctions. If you are uncertain why an entity is included, we recommend a) looking at the "Relationships" section of the entity profile to see if it is linked to a primary risk source, and b) checking the metadata description of the data sources (linked at the bottom of the entity profile) to understand the rationale for its composition. More information: * Our [inclusion criteria](/docs/criteria/) * [Listing of data sources](/datasets/sources/) ## Politically exposed person (PEP) [Politically exposed persons (PEP)](/docs/coverage/pep/) is a term from the banking industry to describe individuals who have been entrusted with a prominent public function. This might include a members of cabinets, parliaments, senior public servants or people that run state-owned companies. ## Sanctions program [Sanctions programs](/docs/programs/) are the specific government policies that form the legal basis for designating individuals, companies, vessels, or other entities as _sanctioned_. Each program usually defines a scope and a set of measures that the issuing government will impose on the sanctioned target. ## Target The `target` flag included in entities is a simplified representation of the [risk topics](/docs/topics/) which apply to that entity. If an entity carried any topic designation which is associated with a risk category (sanctioned, PEP, debarred, etc. — [see a full list](https://followthemoney.tech/explorer/types/topic/#data-reference)), the target flag will be set to `true`. Historically, the `target` flag functioned as a precursor to risk topics, and simply indicated whether the entity was a primary designation on any watchlist included in the database. Since the semantics of this are unclear, `target` is now fully derived from topics.