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External Data Lookup

External Data Lookup allows you to automatically retrieve person information from external systems when ordering Credentials. Instead of manually entering person details, you can enter a search identifier and let the system populate Credential fields automatically.

Overview​

When a Credential Template is configured with an external data source, you can use external data lookup during Credential ordering to:

  • Automate data entry — Retrieve person data automatically from authoritative sources
  • Improve accuracy — Reduce manual input errors by pulling data directly from external systems
  • Speed up ordering — Pre-fill Credential fields with verified person information
  • Support compliance — Use data from official registries like Norwegian Folkeregisteret

Supported external data sources​

Breeze supports the following external data sources for person lookup:

  • Norwegian Folkeregisteret (FREG) — Norwegian National Registry for person data lookup
  • Infotorg NPR — Norwegian person data lookup through Infotorg
  • SPAR — Swedish population register
  • Breeze ID Connector — A generic connector for your own OAuth-protected person lookup API
Prerequisites

To use external data lookup:

  • The Credential Template you're using must be configured with an external data source
  • You must have permission to order Credentials using that template

How external data lookup works​

The lookup process is the same regardless of which external data source your template uses:

  1. Select a template — Choose a Credential Template that has been configured with an external data source
  2. Enter search identifier — Enter the identifier required by your external data source (see source-specific requirements below)
  3. Run the lookup — Click "Search" to retrieve person data from the external system
  4. Review populated data — If the lookup is successful and a match was found, Credential fields are automatically filled with data from the external source
  5. Complete the order — Review the populated data, fill in any remaining fields, and submit the Credential for ordering

If the lookup service is unavailable, you may be able to enter the person data yourself — see When the lookup service is unavailable.

Source-specific requirements​

Each external data source has specific requirements for search identifiers and may have different authentication or availability constraints.

Norwegian Folkeregisteret (FREG)​

Availability: Only available if your organization has FREG configured as an external data source

Input format: Enter an 11-digit Norwegian personal identity number (exactly 11 digits, no spaces, dashes, or other characters)

Authentication: Level 4 authentication (BankID) may be required for natural person lookups

For configuration: See External Data Sources for how to configure FREG as an external data source

SPAR (Sweden)​

Availability: Only available if your organization has SPAR configured as an external data source

Input format: Enter a Swedish personal number in the format YYYYMMDDNNNN (12 digits total). The format is:

  • Year: 4 digits (19xx or 20xx)
  • Month: 2 digits (01-12)
  • Day: 2 digits (01-31)
  • Last 4 digits: Any 4 digits

You can optionally include a dash (e.g., YYYYMMDD-NNNN), which will be automatically removed during validation.

Authentication: Level 4 authentication (BankID) is required for natural person lookups

For configuration: See External Data Sources for how to configure SPAR as an external data source

Breeze ID Connector​

Input format: Enter the identifier or search value your organization uses for the connected external service

Response format requirement: The connected service must return person data in a specific Breeze format (it's not compatible with arbitrary API responses). At minimum, the response must include an identifier field.

Response format requirement

Breeze ID Connector requires the connected service to return person data in a specific Breeze format (it's not compatible with arbitrary API responses). If the external service doesn't return the expected format, the lookup will fail.

Reach out to Breeze support—we can provide the expected response format and guidance for mapping.

Common errors:

  • Person not found: "No person matches this number. Check the number and try again."
  • Identifier rejected by the connected service: "Invalid personal number"
  • Invalid response format: "The lookup service is not set up correctly in Breeze. Contact your administrator." (the connected service didn't return the expected format)

Solution: Verify the search identifier is correct, or have your administrator contact Breeze support for response format requirements

For configuration: See External Data Sources for how to configure Breeze ID Connector as an external data source

How to use external data lookup​

Step 1: Start Credential ordering​

  1. Navigate to the Credential ordering page
  2. Select a Mobile Credential Template that has been configured with an external data source

Step 2: Enter search identifier​

  1. In the Credential Data section, you'll see an external data lookup form
  2. Enter the search identifier in the "Search identifier" field (see Source-specific requirements above for format details)
  3. Click "Search" or press Enter
Credential ordering page showing external data lookup form

Step 3: Review populated data​

  1. If the lookup is successful, you'll see a "Lookup performed successfully!" message
  2. Credential fields are automatically populated with data from the external system, for example:
    • Firstname — Automatically filled from external data source
    • Lastname — Automatically filled from external data source
    • Other mapped fields — Populated according to template configuration
  3. Fields populated from external data are typically locked (disabled) to prevent accidental changes
  4. Review the populated data to ensure it's correct
Successful external data lookup with populated Credential fields

Step 4: Complete Credential information​

  1. Fill in any remaining Credential fields that weren't populated by the lookup
  2. Upload or provide a photo if required
  3. Review all information before submitting
  4. Submit the Credential for ordering

Step 5: Redo lookup (if needed)​

If you need to perform a new lookup with a different search identifier:

  1. Click "Redo lookup" to clear the current lookup results
  2. Enter a new search identifier
  3. Click "Search" again

Handling errors​

Every lookup failure now tells you what went wrong instead of showing raw provider text. Some failures are yours to fix — a bad number, too many lookups. Others are the lookup service's fault, and for those, manual entry may be available (see When the lookup service is unavailable).

Invalid search identifier format​

Applies to: All external data sources. The format rules below apply to FREG, SPAR and Infotorg NPR.

If you enter an incorrectly formatted search identifier, you'll see:

  • "Invalid personal number"
    • Solution: For FREG and Infotorg NPR, enter exactly 11 digits (no spaces, dashes, or other characters). For SPAR, enter a Swedish personal number in YYYYMMDDNNNN format (12 digits total, optionally with a dash).

You see the same message when the number has the right format but the lookup service rejects it, for example because a check digit is wrong. Check the number and try again.

This does not unlock manual entry. The number is the problem, not the service, so the fix is to correct it.

Error message displayed when entering invalid person number format

No person matches this number​

Applies to: All external data sources

Message: "No person matches this number. Check the number and try again."

The lookup service answered — it just has no record for this number. Verify the identifier and try again. This does not unlock manual entry: the register has responded, so re-entering the correct number is the way forward.

The lookup service is not responding​

Applies to: All external data sources

Message: "The lookup service is not responding right now. The problem is at the external service, not in Breeze. Try again in a few minutes."

Wait a few minutes and click Redo lookup. If your administrator has turned on manual entry for this source, an Enter person data manually button also appears on the error — see When the lookup service is unavailable.

Breeze could not sign in to the lookup service​

Applies to: All external data sources

Message: "Breeze could not sign in to the lookup service. The problem is the connection to the service, not the person's data. Contact your administrator."

This is a sign-in problem between Breeze and the external service — nothing you entered caused it. Contact your administrator. If manual entry is turned on for this source, you can use it while the problem is fixed.

The lookup service is not set up correctly​

Applies to: All external data sources

Message: "The lookup service is not set up correctly in Breeze. Contact your administrator."

Something in the source's configuration is wrong. Contact your administrator. If manual entry is turned on for this source, you can use it while the setup is fixed.

Unknown lookup failure​

Applies to: All external data sources

Message: "The lookup failed for an unknown reason. Try again. If it keeps happening, contact support."

Try the lookup again. If it keeps happening, contact Breeze support. If manual entry is turned on for this source, you can also use it.

Too many lookups​

Applies to: All external data sources

Message: "You have made too many lookups in a short time. Wait a few minutes and try again."

Breeze limits how many lookups you can run in a short time. Wait a few minutes and try again. This does not unlock manual entry.

Authentication required​

Applies to: FREG, SPAR (and other sources that require authentication)

Some external data sources require Level 4 authentication (BankID) for natural person lookups:

  • FREG: Level 4 authentication (BankID) may be required
  • SPAR: Level 4 authentication (BankID) is required
  • You'll be prompted to authenticate using BankID
  • Complete the authentication process to proceed with the lookup

When the lookup service is unavailable​

If your administrator has turned on Allow manual entry when the lookup service is unavailable for a source (see External Data Sources), you can complete the Credential order without a successful lookup — but only when the lookup failed because of the service, not because of your input.

When the button appears​

An Enter person data manually button appears on the error when:

  • The lookup service is not responding.
  • The lookup service rejected Breeze's sign-in.
  • The lookup service is not set up correctly.
  • The lookup failed for an unknown reason.

It does not appear for "no person matches this number", a badly formatted number, or too many lookups — in each case, the fix is to correct or retry the lookup, not to switch to manual entry.

You have 15 minutes from the failed lookup to click Enter person data manually. After that, run the lookup again — a new failure opens a new 15-minute window.

What happens​

  1. Click Enter person data manually. The lookup form closes.
  2. Fill in the Credential fields yourself, including fields that are normally filled and locked by the lookup. Fields locked for other reasons stay locked, and required fields still have to be filled in.
  3. The Credential is marked as entered manually. In place of "Lookup performed successfully!", the order form shows: "Person data entered manually because the lookup service was unavailable."
  4. Complete and submit the order as usual. Manual entry counts toward the same freshness window as a completed lookup — submit the same day, or redo the lookup (or manual entry) if more time has passed.

If your administrator turns manual entry off for the source, Credentials that were being filled in by hand go back to needing a successful lookup.

Redoing the lookup​

Click Redo lookup at any time, including after choosing manual entry:

  • A successful lookup replaces the manually entered data — fields are filled and locked again, as if you'd looked the person up from the start.
  • An answer of "no person matches this number" cancels the manual entry. Try the lookup again with a corrected number, or use manual entry again if the service is still unavailable.

Limitations and considerations​

  • Format requirements: Each external data source has specific format requirements for search identifiers:
    • FREG: Exactly 11 digits (Norwegian personal identity number)
    • SPAR: YYYYMMDDNNNN format (12 digits, Swedish personal number)
    • Breeze ID Connector: Depends on your organization's external service requirements
  • Authentication: Some lookups require Level 4 authentication (BankID) - FREG and SPAR both require this for natural person lookups
  • Rate limiting: External data sources may have rate limits that apply to lookups
  • Data availability: Person data must exist in the external system for the lookup to succeed
  • Field mapping: Only fields configured in the template's field mappings will be populated
  • Response format (Breeze ID Connector): The external service must return data in Breeze's expected format
  • Configuration: External data sources must be configured by administrators before they can be used - see External Data Sources for setup instructions

Tips for best results​

  • Verify identifiers: Double-check search identifiers before entering them to avoid errors
  • Use official sources: When possible, use identifiers from official documents or systems
  • Review populated data: Always review automatically populated data to ensure accuracy
  • Manual entry fallback: If the lookup service is unavailable and your administrator has turned on manual entry for the source, you can still complete the order — see When the lookup service is unavailable

Learn more​