When a background check is ordered through Pinpoint, you can review the results directly from the candidate's application. Reports are available to be downloaded as soon as any of the checks within the order have completed.
For some checks in the UK, certain information such as certificate numbers, identity verification outcomes, are also now surfaced in the order drawer.
Viewing Background Check Results
Open the candidate's profile from any job application.
Select the Background checks tab from the application's left-hand menu.
You'll see a list of every background check order for that candidate. Click an order’s ID to open the order drawer.
Navigating the Order Drawer
The order drawer has two tabs:
Results — decision for the checks in this order, background check reports, a list of checks, and if available the results data grouped into expandable sections.
Order details — details about the order itself: the Pinpoint Order ID, who ordered it, when, and details of the checks provider’s case.
The drawer header shows the order ID alongside an order status tag, so you can see at a glance whether the order is still in flight, awaiting review, or complete.
Reviewing Results in the Results Tab
The Results tab groups data into collapsing sections. Sections are expanded by default so you can scan everything in a single view. The content of each section depends on what was ordered.
Basic and Enhanced DBS
For DBS checks, you'll see:
Date issued
Certificate number
Level of check (Basic or Enhanced)
Performed by
Identity document information
ID document type (e.g. Passport or Driving License)
Document number
Issuing country
Document expiry
Document address
GPG45 identity profile — the GPG45 profile reference (e.g.
H2A2) and the overall confidence level.GPG45 scores — individual scores for strength, validity, verification, activity history, and identity fraud, plus a separate sub-section of scores for any secondary corroborating document the candidate provided.
UK Right to Work
For UK Right to Work checks, you'll see:
A downloadable Right to Work certificate containing the identity document images that were verified during the check
For UK Right to Work (Share code), you’ll see:
A downloadable Share code report containing a copy of the share code result as a printed page PDF.
Results data for other check types aren’t currently supported, but may become available in the future.
Reviewing Order and Case Details
The Order details tab is where everything about the order itself now lives.
Order ID and Case ID (see the FAQ below for the difference between the two)
Ordered by — the user who placed the order, and the date it was placed
Provider case details — the Provider case status and Provider case ID from the checks provider. Use the copy button next to the Provider case ID to copy the reference (you'll see a Copied to clipboard confirmation). See the FAQ below for the difference between the order ID and the provider case ID.
Tracking Order Status
A background check order moves through several states between being ordered and being complete. While checks are still in progress, you'll see a callout at the top of the Results tab letting you know that the data shown may still change as outstanding checks finish.
The order status tag in the drawer header reflects the current state of the overall order.
In progress — the provider is still running the checks, or a result is being disputed with the provider. Disputes are handled provider-side, so there's nothing for you to do while one is being resolved.
Action required — there's something you can do to move the order forward. Open the order for guidance on what's needed (see When an order needs your action below). This tag now appears only when there's a genuine action for you.
Complete (Review) — all checks in the order have finished, with at least one check requiring review. Cancelled orders also appear here.
Complete (Clear) — all checks in the order have completed, with result clear for all results.
Decided — you've recorded a decision on the order (Passed, Failed, or Not applicable). The Decided tag replaces the previous status, so you can instantly see what's already been handled versus what still needs attention.
When new results land or the status changes, you'll receive a notification telling you which candidate the update is for and what's changed.
Check Statuses
Checks have their own individual statuses and results, separate from the overall order. A full list of possible statuses and results are explained below.
Statuses
Status | Description |
Awaiting applicant submission | Waiting on the candidate to submit their details |
Applicant action required | Action needed from the candidate |
Pending fulfillment | Ready to fulfil by a provider |
In progress | Being fulfilled by the provider |
Submitted to source | Submitted to provider, awaiting result |
Client action required | Action needed from the employer |
Manual review source | Provider doing manual review |
Pending quality review | Awaiting the provider’s compliance/quality review decision |
In quality review | The provider’s compliance/quality review is in progress |
Cancelled | Cancelled (by itself, or because the case was cancelled/declined by the employer, or the applicant) |
Complete | Done, result ready for review |
In dispute | The candidate has disputed the result |
Superseded | The check has been replaced by a newer check in the order |
Results
Result | Description |
Clear | Check completed with no issues |
Review | Check completed; results may need review (for example visa flags, "consider" indicators) |
Restricted | Results are restricted by the provider and not viewable |
Not applicable | Result doesn't apply to this check type |
Reject | Results did not meet client-defined criteria |
Taking Action on an Order
When an order shows Action required, open it and you'll see a short note at the top explaining exactly what's needed. The most common cases are:
The checks expired. The candidate didn't start their application within 14 days of being invited, so the provider's checks expired. Record a decision on the order to close it, then re-order the checks if you still need them.
The invite email was undeliverable. The invitation couldn't reach the candidate. Check the email address on the candidate's application, record a decision to close the order, then re-order so a fresh invite goes out.
Manual identity verification is needed. For DBS checks that require it, the note guides you through the manual ID verification step.
Recording a Decision on an Order
Once all checks are complete, you can record your decision so the rest of the team knows the outcome of the checks.
Decisions available are:
Passed
Failed
Not applicable
As soon as you record a decision, the order's status tag changes to Decided and the order moves to the Decided tab on the Checks page.
On the Decided tab, the Decision date column shows when each order was actioned.
Until a decision is recorded, the order is treated as still requiring action.
FAQs
What's the difference between order status, case status, and check status?
These three things sound similar but each describes something slightly different:
Order status is Pinpoint's view of the overall order. It's what's shown on the status tag in the drawer header and on the Checks page. Pinpoint derives it from the underlying case state at the provider, and from any decision you've recorded.
Case status is the provider's (for example Certn) view of the same order. A single order in Pinpoint usually contains one "case" at the provider, so the order status and case status will typically mirror each other. The case status is usually more specific than Pinpoint's order status.
Check status is the state of each individual check inside the case. A case typically contains several checks, and each one progresses through its own status as the provider runs it. The overall order isn't considered complete until every check inside it has finished.
What's the difference between the order ID and the provider case ID?
Order ID is Pinpoint's identifier for the order. It's what you'll see in the drawer header, on the Checks dashboard, and in any in-app notification.
Use this when discussing an order internally or referencing it in your own systems.
Provider Case ID is the provider's identifier for the same order, and (for Certn) usually starts with CASE_.
You'll find it under Provider case details on the Order details tab, with a copy button next to it. If you ever need to raise a support query, you may be asked to provide this ID.
Why does a cancelled order show Complete (Review) instead of Action Required?
A cancelled order is finished - there's no action that will move it forward. It shows Complete (Review) so you can glance at it and record a decision to close it out.
Why does a disputed order show In Progress?
Disputes are handled by the checks provider. While one is being resolved there's nothing for you to do, so the order stays In progress rather than flagging for action.
Why don't I see results for some checks in the order?
If a check is still in progress at the provider, no results will appear for it yet. Structured results data also isn't available for all types of check yet.
If some checks haven't completed, you'll see a callout at the top of the Results tab telling you that some checks are still outstanding.
Why am I seeing an error message instead of results?
Results are loaded directly from the provider each time you open the drawer, so the latest data is always shown.
If the provider's service is temporarily unavailable, you'll see an error message instead of the data. Close and re-open the drawer in a few minutes to try again.
Can I download a full PDF report of the checks?
Yes. A full PDF report is generated by the provider once the order is complete and can be downloaded from the order drawer.
The PDF is the official record of the check and is what you'd typically store for your own audit purposes.
Can I re-order a check for the same candidate?
Yes. If a candidate needs a new check - for example, because an earlier result has expired or you'd like to refresh the data.
You can place a new order from the candidate's Background checks tab. The previous order remains visible alongside the new one, so you keep a complete history.
Can I filter the Decided tab by decision or decision date?
Not at the moment. The Decided tab shows the Decision date column, but filtering by decision or by decision date isn't available yet.
Who can view background check results?
Only users in your account who have been granted the relevant permission — View the results of Pinpoint background checks — can view check results. If a colleague can't see background checks, ask an admin to review their permissions on the User Management page.