2. Adding Customer Due Diligence

In this step, you’ll collect and verify their CDD (Customer Due Diligence). Proofdesk guides you through the process using your organisation’s Identity Policy, so you always know what’s required and what’s still missing.

The Due Diligence Section

In the relationship's left-hand sidebar, the Due Diligence section lists the customer entity you selected when establishing the relationship, as well as all their related entities. When you click an entity, you’ll see a view that looks very similar to the main Entities page but this one is shown in the context of the current Relationship. That means you’re viewing the customer’s forms as they apply to this onboarding, not in isolation.

Entities are reusable

Every person, company, trust, or foundation only ever exists once in Proofdesk. So if Blue Sky Limited is your customer in one relationship and also a shareholder in another, you’ll only have one record for them, their forms and documents are shared everywhere they appear.

When you update an entity’s information, that update is instantly available anywhere else they’re connected. This avoids duplication and ensures your CDD stays consistent across all relationships.

CDD Progress

Next to the customer’s name in the sidebar, you’ll see a circular indicator showing the the number of missing CDD components to be identified and verified for that entity. This is based on the requirements set out by your firm’s Identity Policy, which defines what information and documents are required for each type of entity (e.g. company, trust, individual).

As you fill in forms and upload evidence you’ll see the number in the circular indicator decrease, and the list of missing items shrink.

When all mandatory fields and verifications are complete, the circular indicator show a ✅ tick.

The Identity Form

Click the Identity tab at the top of the customer’s page to view their core information. This form captures the basic facts about the entity such as name, address, date of birth or incorporation, and so on.

Above the form you’ll see a Missing CDD Fields list. This is a live list of any required fields that haven’t yet been completed, based on your firm’s Identity Policy. As you fill in each field and click Save Draft, those warnings will disappear and the Smart CDD progress bar will update. You can still complete the fields that aren't mandated by your Identity Policy.

When you’ve completed the form, click Complete to lock it as a record. You can always reopen it later using New Version.

The Screening Form

Next, click the Screening tab. This form captures the results of your screening checks.

Your firm’s version may include additional custom fields, but typically you’ll record:

• Whether the entity is PEP, and if so, what type

• If the entity is sanctioned

• Any adverse media that has been discovered

• Whether or not the entity is commercially exposed

Proofdesk doesn’t integrate directly with screening providers just yet, so you still conduct the checks in your other tools. This form is about documenting your findings and showing the checks were completed.

Save your progress as you go, and click Complete when done.

The Structure Form

Finally, click the Structure tab. This is where you record how the entity connects to other entities such as directors, shareholders, trustees, beneficiaries, and so on.

At the top, you’ll see a table called Linked Entities. Each row represents a connection between this entity and another one stored in Proofdesk.

When you add a new row, you can:

• Select an existing entity, or click + New Entity to create one

• Choose the Role like Director, Shareholder, Trustee (Proofdesk automatically tailors the available roles based on the entity type)

• Tick or untick ID&V to decide whether to apply your Identity Policy to that connection

• Set Start Date and End Date to track when the connection began or ended

• Add any Notes, such as ownership percentage or voting rights

If someone holds multiple roles (for example, Director and Shareholder), hover over their row and click the small + under “Role” to add another one with separate start/end dates.

Below the table you’ll find the Beneficial Owners field for explicitly identifying who your firm treats as the beneficial owners. Proofdesk doesn’t automatically infer this; it’s always a deliberate decision recorded by your team.

Once complete, click Complete. Entities you’ve added here will appear under Due Diligence in the sidebar, each with their own indicator showing their CDD status.

Evidence

The Evidence tab is where you upload verification documents like passports, certificates of incorporation, or proofs of address.

Above the list, you’ll see Missing Evidence. These are the required verification fields that haven’t yet been evidenced, again linked directly to your Identity Policy.

Click + Upload Evidence to upload a new file. You can either select a file from your computer or drag one into the window. You’ll be asked to select an Evidence Type (for example, Passport) and then click Upload Evidence. This opens the Evidence Form, with your file already attached.

In the Evidence Form, the "Fields Evidenced" field shows which parts of the Identity this document verifies, for example: Date of Birth, Residential Address and Nationality. The fields evidenced depend on the Evidence Type selected when uploading the file - these Evidence Types are configurable in your Organisation's settings page.

As you complete each linked entity’s forms, their indicators will update just like the customer’s.