Your subscription includes several ways to consume the latest data from Oscar's live database.
The right method depends on whether you need an on-demand download, a bespoke selection, a changes file, or a live endpoint that can be connected to your own systems.
Use the Selection Tool when you want a targeted live selection. Use Full Download when you want the latest complete copy. Use Changes Since when you maintain your own copy and only need records that changed. Use the API when you want Oscar data delivered programmatically into another system.
Use the online Oscar selection tool to build specific selections across your subscription by organisation type, job function and region, then download the live results.
Open Selection ToolUse Full Download when you want the current complete version of the data in your subscription.
Go to Customer AreaThe changes file categorises records as New, Changed or Deleted since your last full download.
Go to Customer AreaEach contact database subscription can provide a unique URL containing a token that authorises access to the licensed data and returns the latest records in CSV format.
Read API Guidance
The API route can be used simply as an easier download link, or called by your own systems to keep a parallel copy of Oscar data up to date.
Loading the subscription URL returns the latest full version of the licensed data. If you maintain a parallel copy in your own system, records no longer present in the current feed should be treated carefully as potential deletions.
After taking an initial full copy, add a ?since=YYYYMMDD parameter to request records that are new, changed or deleted since a chosen date.
Start with the current complete version of your subscribed data.
Use the ?since=YYYYMMDD parameter to request only records that changed.
Use the returned change fields to update your own copy according to your internal rules.
The original guide recommends regular updates, typically daily or weekly, where a technical team is maintaining a copy in another system.
Compare downloads, spreadsheets, APIs, webservices and bespoke delivery routes.
Explore Delivery →Need a bespoke combination of records, fields, enrichment or refresh logic?
Explore Data Services →Tell us how you use the data today and where you want it to live. We can help map the simplest route.