> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.distro.so/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.distro.so/guides/research-qualification.md).

# Qualify a company with web research

Use research for a question that basic firmographic fields cannot answer, then retain an understandable fallback.

## Prepare

Connect [Parallel](/integrations/parallel.md). Define the business question and the answer fields before building the branch.

Example: “Does this company sell to hospitals? Return yes, no or unknown, with evidence.” A narrow question is easier to inspect than an open-ended company summary.

## Build

1. Start with a usable company domain or supported identity.
2. Match existing ownership where relevant.
3. Add **Web Research** with the question and expected output fields.
4. Inspect the answer and evidence.
5. Branch on the defined classification.
6. Route qualified companies; send unknown answers to review or a fallback.

Use AI Prompt for reasoning over supplied context when needed. Do not assume a model prompt always performs web research.

## Verify

Test a clearly qualifying company, a non-qualifying one and an ambiguous company. Check evidence URLs and whether the output actually supports the classification.

A completed research task is not proof that the answer is correct. Review uncertainty before treating the field as a hard routing rule.

For a batch of stored records, use [Records research](/records/research.md), then explicitly push supported fields if the CRM should receive the result.


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# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://docs.distro.so/guides/research-qualification.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `build a script that syncs our docs to a CMS` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.