Skip to main content
In Shovels’ Enterprise Data License (EDL) deliveries, the is_representative field helps you understand contractor group relationships.

​
What It Means

The is_representative field is a boolean that indicates whether a contractor record is the main representative of a contractor group_id.
ValueMeaning
TRUEThis record contains the canonical/preferred information for the entire group
FALSEThis is a related contractor in the group, not the primary record

​
How Group IDs Work

The group_id is a unique identifier that links together multiple contractors operating under the same parent organization. Example: A national HVAC company might pull permits under regional subsidiaries. Our grouping algorithm:
  1. Identifies these relationships
  2. Links them with a shared group_id
  3. Designates one record as the representative

​
Why This Matters

​
Prevent Double-Counting

When analyzing large contractor datasets, is_representative helps prevent counting the same organization multiple times under different names or licenses.

​
Avoid Duplicate Outreach

Use the representative record to avoid contacting the same organization through different subsidiary entries.

​
Accurate Market Analysis

Get a true count of unique contractor organizations, not just contractor records.

​
Using is_representative

-- Get unique contractor organizations (one per group)
SELECT * FROM contractors
WHERE is_representative = TRUE

-- Get all contractors including subsidiaries
SELECT * FROM contractors