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A semantic company search takes the same filter object as any other company search. Your description says what the companies do, and filters set the exact criteria around it. The same filter works in count, preview, and export requests. This page covers what is specific to semantic search. For the matching rules, accepted values, and CLI flag of each filter, see the full Company Search API filters reference.

What your description already covers

By default, the API reads some company attributes from your description, so you do not need a filter for them. Some of these attributes filter the results, and others only change the ranking. The API documents inference only for the first seven rows. For anything else, send a filter. The interpretation field in the response shows what was inferred from your description, so you can check before you rely on it.

When to add a filter

To turn a ranking hint into a requirement

An inferred category or revenue range ranks matching companies higher but does not remove the others. Send the filter yourself to require it.
Without the filter, this description returns companies in Turkey and ranks SaaS companies higher. With it, every result is categorized as SaaS.

To set criteria the description does not mention

Add technology, company type, headcount, or any other filter next to the description.

To override what was inferred

A filter you send takes precedence over an inferred value of the same kind. Here the description mentions Germany, but the results come from Austria and Switzerland, because filter.country is used in its place.

To exclude companies

An exclusion you send applies together with the inferred values. This search keeps what was inferred from the description and removes agencies and two companies you already know.

Use only your own filters

Set semantic.autoFilter to false to stop the API from inferring anything. The description is then used for semantic matching only, and the results are limited by the filters you send and nothing else.
Use this when your description contains a place or a size that you do not want treated as a filter.

In the CLI

Add filter flags next to --semantic, and pass --no-auto-filter to turn inference off:

Company Search API filters

The full reference: every filter, matching rule, and accepted value.

Semantic Company Search API

Query interpretation, ranking weight, pricing, and limits.

Semantic Company Search API examples

Ready-to-run semantic searches.

Field values

Every accepted value for ranges, types, and categories.