WRDS

Basic User Guide

West Virginia University
 How to get an account
• Step 1 : go http://wrds.wharton.upenn.edu/
• Step 2 : account request
• Step 3 : select account type, school and
other remainders → submit
request
• Step 4 : wait for two e-mails that approve
you
• Step 5 : create password
 Available Datasets for WVU
• Datasets are classified by vendor and concept
(subject)

• To see WVU subscriptions:

► click Home → My permissions
► WVU Subscription on WRDS Info
Home
 Data Descriptions
• For brief descriptions:
► Select a dataset on the top
• For overviews:
► Click Support → Dataset overviews
• To get detail manuals:
► Select a dataset → Select a sub-dataset
→ Data manuals
► Click Support → Online manuals
 Step 1 to extract data:
Data Range
• To check available data range for a dataset
(general):
► Documentation

• To check available data range for a company

(specific) :
► Code lookup
 Step 2 to extract data:
Search
• Search by GVKEY
PERMNO
PERMKO
CUSIP
TICKER…
• Most errors are caused by this step. A
company code must be matched to an
identifier chosen.
 Understanding identifiers
Identifiers Definitions
GVKEY unique firm ID in Compustat
PERMNO unique stock and firm ID in CRSP
PERMCO (respectively)
CUSIP unique identification for security approved
for trading in the U.S.
TICKER used to uniquely identify publicly-traded
companies on a stock market
Other identifiers: NCUSIP, HISSD, SICCD …
 Searching identifiers
• To search identifiers:
► Code lookup
► Tools → Company Search
• Example: Search for ticker, IBM
PERMNO CUSIP TICKER DATA RANGE

12490 45920010 IBM 19251231-

20061229
 Step 3 to extract data:
Variables
• For a description of each data item:
► Documentation
► Click each item
► Support → WRDS Datasets and
Sample program → Dataset list
► Tools → Variable Search
 Step 4 to extract data:
Output
• Select format
• Select compress type
• Summit request
• Save queries → Home → My.WRDS →
myWRDS queries
 Compustat Tools
• Support → Tools
Financial extracts formatted financial statements
Statements for a single company.

Income designed to customize variables of

Statement balance sheet and income statement.
Extract
S&P Index retrieves monthly data of companies
Constituents which constitutes of the main S&P
indexes.
 CRSP Tools

Names and retrieves NAMES events and track

Events changes identifiers in during the
security’s trading history.
Daily Extract extracts CRSP daily data for each firm
with Time for a selected interval window.
Window

• Other CRSP tools not mentioned are not available.

 Asking Questions
• For general questions:
►Support (right side) → WRDS
Knowledge base
• For specific questions:
► Home (right side) → Search Forum
(can ask and reply questions as well)
 Further Information
• For users conference:
► Home (on the top) → News → Users
Conference

• For Update Schedule:

► Home (on the top) → News → Date
Updates