Category:Universal identifiers

Universal Identifiers represent various schemes used to uniquely reference people, companies, and other things across domains and systems. They are used mostly in computer systems and databases, and provide a way to find objects whose names may change.

Universal Identifiers are usually assigned by an agency or a consortium, and may or may not have governmental or international oversight.

What should go in this category

Only identifiers that are used for multiple, cross-organizational systems should go in here. For example, Social Security Numbers, which are used to identify a citizen to their phone company, their credit card company, and all sort of other entities, as well as the IRS, should go in here. Stock Keeping Units, which are used by an individual company to keep track of the products it sells, should not.