> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.spherescout.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What's included in a SphereScout contact record

> SphereScout contacts include name, email, phone, location, website, and social profiles. Learn what each field contains and how data accuracy is maintained.

Every contact in SphereScout represents a single local business — one physical location, one set of contact details, one category. When you export contacts, you receive a CSV file where each row is one business record. Not every business has every field filled in; data availability varies by location and business type. Understanding what each field contains helps you set the right expectations before you export and build your outreach list.

## Data fields in each contact record

Each contact record can include up to 12 fields. Fields marked as optional may be blank for some contacts.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Company Name" icon="building">
    The registered or trading name of the business.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Email" icon="envelope">
    The primary contact email address for the business. Validated monthly for deliverability.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Phone" icon="phone">
    The main business phone number, including country code where available.
  </Card>

  <Card title="City" icon="location-dot">
    The city where the business operates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Country" icon="globe">
    The country of the business location.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Region / State" icon="map">
    The state, province, or region where the business is located.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Postal Code" icon="mailbox">
    The ZIP or postal code of the business address.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Website" icon="browser">
    The business's primary website URL, where available.
  </Card>

  <Card title="LinkedIn" icon="linkedin">
    A link to the business's LinkedIn page, where available.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Twitter / X" icon="x-twitter">
    A link to the business's Twitter/X profile, where available.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Instagram" icon="instagram">
    A link to the business's Instagram profile, where available.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Facebook" icon="facebook">
    A link to the business's Facebook page, where available.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Business categories

Every contact in SphereScout is tagged with a primary business category — for example, Restaurant, Lawyer, Dentist, or Plumber. Categories let you target a specific industry segment when you search and are one of the most important filters you can apply. A single business has one primary category, which reflects its main line of activity.

<Tip>
  Use the category filter to restrict your search to the exact type of business you want to reach. You can select multiple categories in a single search.
</Tip>

## Data quality and accuracy

SphereScout is built on a database of 50M+ local business contacts across 20+ countries. The data team applies the following quality controls:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Monthly email validation">
    Email addresses are validated every month for deliverability. Records that fail validation are flagged or removed, keeping the database fresh and reducing bounce rates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="GDPR compliance">
    All data in SphereScout is collected and maintained in compliance with GDPR requirements. The database covers business contact information rather than personal consumer data, and usage rights are unlimited upon export.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Continuous updates">
    Beyond monthly email validation, the database is continuously updated to reflect new businesses, closures, and contact changes across all covered countries.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Field availability varies by contact

Not every business in the database has every field populated. Email and phone coverage in particular varies by country and business type — some markets have higher email coverage than others, and some business categories publish contact details more consistently.

<Note>
  Use the **presence filters** (has email, has phone, has website, and so on) before exporting to ensure every credit you spend produces a contact with the fields you need. See [Search filters](/concepts/filters) for details.
</Note>

## CSV column structure

When you export contacts, the CSV file uses the following column headers:

| CSV Column     | Description                                  |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `Company Name` | Business name                                |
| `Email`        | Primary email address                        |
| `Phone`        | Main phone number                            |
| `City`         | City of operation                            |
| `Location`     | Region or state                              |
| `Country`      | Country                                      |
| `Postal Code`  | ZIP or postal code                           |
| `Website`      | Business website URL                         |
| `LinkedIn`     | LinkedIn page URL                            |
| `Twitter / X`  | Twitter/X profile URL                        |
| `Instagram`    | Instagram profile URL                        |
| `Facebook`     | Facebook page URL                            |
| `Last Seen`    | Date the record was last verified or updated |

The CSV is ready to import into any CRM, email marketing platform, or spreadsheet tool without additional formatting.