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This introductory tutorial explains why understanding the identifiers in your chosen dataset--along with the date ranges for which they are valid--is important to consistency and accuracy in your research.

Topics covered include:

• Universal vs. proprietary identifiers and their uses in financial datasets
• Common identifiers, including tickers, CUSIPs, SEDOLs, ISINs, and CIKs
• How and why identifiers can change over time
• CRSP identifiers PERMNO/PERMCO and Compustat’s GVKEY
• Some best practices for using identifiers to merge datasets and track companies and securities over time