# `Lei`

A Legal Entity Identifier, the global ID of a company in financial reporting.

Use it to name a company in regulatory or finance data. For a UK company's own number, use [`UkCompanyNumber`](/docs/types/type-uk-company-number.md).

## Shape

One value, held as text in one set form, with no parts: `HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394`.

## Example

```jadpo
Lei("506700GE1G29325QX363")
```

`Lei(raw)` checks the text, and text that isn't one breaks the `format` rule.

`text.parse(raw, as: Lei)` reads one from text that comes from outside. Text that isn't one at all fails `malformed`, such as `506700GE1G29325QX364`, `506700ge1g29325qx363` or `506700GE1G29325QX3`.

## Good to know

- It is 20 characters in capitals, and it checks its own last two digits.
- `==` tells you whether two are the same. `<` and `list.sort_by` don't take it.

## In JSON

A string, in a request, a response or `json.write`:

```json
"506700GE1G29325QX363"
"HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394"
```

## Details

<details>
<summary>Text form, storage, how it is shown, and operations</summary>

`Lei` is in the group Money and banking, and has been in Jadpo since 0.1.0.

### Text form

`text.from` writes one standard text form, the same form `text.parse` reads back: `506700GE1G29325QX363` and `HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394`.

### How it is stored

It is stored in one column named for the field, of type `text`. `HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394` is stored as `'HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394'`.

### How it is shown to people

`text.format(value, locale:)` shows it to people in their locale.

With `locale: Locale.en_gb`:

| Value | Shown |
|---|---|
| `506700GE1G29325QX363` | `506700GE1G29325QX363` |
| `HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394` | `HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394` |

### Operations

It also takes `text.parse`, `text.from`, `text.format`, `json.read`, `json.write` and `==`. [How every standard type behaves](/docs/every-standard-type-meets-one-contract.md) says how they work.

</details>