Skip to content
CompensationBase

GlossaryFilings and sources

Accession number

Also called SEC accession number.

The SEC’s unique ID for a filing. CompensationBase shows it on company and executive source panels so each table can be traced to a document.

What it is

An EDGAR accession number is the unique identifier for a submission to the SEC, formatted like 0001234567-26-000123. It groups every document in that filing (the proxy HTML, XBRL, graphics). CompensationBase shows the accession on company and executive source panels and links to the filing so a table can be traced to a document.

It is not a CIK, which identifies the filer across all submissions, and it is not a ticker. Two proxies from the same company have different accession numbers; amendments get new ones as well.

Why companies use it

EDGAR needs a primary key for each submission. Companies do not choose it for compensation design; the system assigns it when they file.

Investors and this catalog use it as a citation: the SCT came from this exact submission, not “the 2026 proxy” in the abstract.

Pros

  • Unambiguous provenance.
  • Stable URL patterns on SEC.gov.
  • Lets two datasets prove they read the same filing.

Cons

  • Unreadable without the link.
  • Amendments get new accessions; “the” proxy may have several.
  • A correct accession can still point to a filing whose SCT we failed to parse.

Examples

Source panel

An executive profile lists form type (DEF 14A), filing date, and accession. Clicking through should open the same table the parser read.

Amendment

DEF 14A/A files with a new accession. Depending on timing, the catalog may still cite the original until the amendment is ingested.

On CompensationBase

Each company and executive source panel shows the accession number and a link to the filing so the table can be traced to a document.

Related terms

  • CIK

    The SEC Central Index Key that identifies a filer in EDGAR. CompensationBase stores CIK on company records to attach the correct proxy and Company Facts.

  • DEF 14A

    The definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC before a shareholder meeting. It is CompensationBase’s primary source for the Summary Compensation Table.

  • Form 10-K

    The annual report. CompensationBase may use a 10-K SCT when the proxy is missing or unparsable, and it takes company revenue and assets from 10-K Company Facts.