Help: Learn the basics of creating a screener

Advanced search tools allow you to navigate PitchBook’s data to identify the data points you need. With a few steps, you can create a new search for the information that is most important to you. This article introduces our advanced search tools and provides an overview of search creation basics.

Located at the top of the Data section on the left-hand sidebar, the Search Tools page provides access to pre-built searches for different use cases and offers guides to selecting a search type, based on the type of data you want to find and compare.

If you already have a list of companies, investors, limited partners, or service providers, and you want to view and compare data about them, use the Upload a List box. Or, to start your search with a simple question, select our Natural Language Search box and type your search in plain language.

This page also provides quick access to your recent searches, your saved searches, and your saved lists.

The PitchBook Platform contains several separate advanced search types. These search types separate our filter options into the fields that apply most closely to different categories of data, such as deals, investors, or limited partners.

To choose a search type:

1. Look at the Data section in the left sidebar.
2. Click on the name of the data category that most closely matches your needs.
a. For example, if you want to find information about the companies that have completed a particular deal type within a known time frame and industry, click Companies to reach the Companies & Deals search.
b. If you want to compare data about the currently open funds from investors in those deals, click Funds to reach the Investors & Funds search.
3. Not sure which option to select? If you hover over the search type names, you’ll see some examples of the types of searches you can create in that screener. Clicking on any of these examples will take you to the results of that search. Or, you can select Build a custom screen to start with a blank search.

When you click on the name of most search types, you will land on the Key Fields tab of the screener.

You can build many searches directly in the Key Fields tab without navigating to the other tabs. The fields shown within Key Fields are customized to each search type and allow you to reach the most popular search criteria in one place.

Note that the People and Service Provider searches contain only one tab. In these search types, all fields are visible once you enter the search.

If you don’t see the fields you want on the Key Fields tab, read the names of the tabs along the left side of the screener. Each tab contains a different set of search fields organized by the areas of interest for this data category.

For example, the Companies & Deals search contains tabs focused on fields such as company location, deal data, the company’s clinical trials, and more. A Limited Partners search contains tabs focused on fields such as the type of limited partner, its mandates, its prior commitments, and more.

Note: You can search for criteria using the criteria search bar, however, this is only available in a Companies & Deals search.

The video below shows how the lists of fields changes as you scroll or click through the different tabs of the screener.

In the Companies & Deals search, a criteria search bar is available at the top of the screener to help you quickly locate specific fields as you build your search. As you type in your criteria, suggested fields will appear along with the tab of the screener where each one is located. Once you click on an option, you will be taken to that section of the screener, with the criteria name highlighted.

For example, typing “Backing status” will show you relevant criteria and the areas within the screener it appears under. When you click into the criteria search bar, your previously searched criteria fields will appear.

Note: This criteria search bar is currently only available within the Companies & Deals screener.

As you select fields, the count of search results at the top of the screen will change. This figure shows a preview of how many results match your criteria, based on the primary data type used in the screener.

For example, in an Investors & Funds screener, this number will show how many investors meet your criteria. Your search results will also contain tabs with extensive data about funds, deals, and associated people.

When you are ready to run your search, click Search.

• Navigating the search results page – This article explains how you can interpret your search results and the tools and data available on the results page.

To understand how this feature fits into a broader workflow, check out PitchBook Pioneer’s course – PitchBook 101.