# How can I use Previous\_Company\_Names when searching a company?

**URL:** <http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/how-can-i-use-previous-company-names-when-searching-a-company/1111>\
**Category:** API Question\
**Created:** [April 10, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/how-can-i-use-previous-company-names-when-searching-a-company/1111 "2017-04-10T21:41:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ash1](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/8c91f0/32.png) [@ash1](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/ash1)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/how-can-i-use-previous-company-names-when-searching-a-company/1111/1 "2017-04-10T21:41:17Z")

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Good evening.

I’m trying to incorporate previous\_company\_names within a CHCompany class with no luck.

Can someone point me in the right direction on how to use it in a VBA module?

Thanks,  
James

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**Author:** ![voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/b77776/32.png) [@voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/voracityemail)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 8:51am UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/how-can-i-use-previous-company-names-when-searching-a-company/1111/2 "2017-04-21T08:51:44Z")

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I’m just another user here but if you didn’t find a solution already did you read the following:

> [@Search Enhancements - Change Notice](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/search-enhancements-change-notice/682):
>
> As of the Wednesday 27th July, the following search enhancements will be available: All search. You are now able to search across Company, Officer and Officer Disqualification with a single search request, through a GET /search request. Previous company names and other officer name searching. Search now considers a companies previous names, or other names an officer may be appointed as when satisfying the search. Dissolved company names. Dissolved company names are now considered, but a…

I guess you’d need to be more specific about the actual issue you’re having so I can only offer general points:

- No specific “previous name search” yet as far as I know. To search for a previous name you could do a normal [company search](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/api/docs/search/companies/companysearch.html), then look in the “snippet” field(s) returned - matches on previous names would appear here.
- there have been some issues with previous names / dates for these not being correct (search forums to see these).
- CH API only gives data on closed companies less than 6 years old.
- If you think you should find a company but can’t see it in API, try checking on [WebCHeck](http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/) and / or the companies URI if you know the company number (example [URI](http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/08804157)). These have data going back further.