A common question we receive is “Why does my monitor stay in ‘PENDING’ status for the first 3 days? Can’t I get results instantly?”
📌 What Does “Pending” Mean?
When you create a monitoring record, the status may appear as “PENDING” during the first three days only if no hits (matches) are found immediately.
This “pending” status does not mean the screening is delayed or incomplete—it simply reflects a standard process that ensures no important match is missed in the first 72 hours. You can generally interpret a “PENDING” status as equivalent to a clean result if no hits appear during this time.
🔍 The Three Possible Scenarios After Monitor Creation
Case 1: No Matches Found (Most Common)
- Day 1: System performs overnight screening → No matches found → Status = PENDING
- Day 2: Another check runs → Still no matches → Status remains PENDING
- Day 3: Final overnight check → Still clean → Status automatically switches to ACTIVE
✅ What this means: The absence of results confirms that there are no sanctions, PEP, or adverse media hits associated with the subject. The record becomes ACTIVE with no associated alerts.
Case 2: Immediate Match Found
- Day 1: The system finds a match during the first screening cycle
- ➡️ Status immediately changes to ACTIVE with alert(s)
✅ What this means: The system has identified relevant data (e.g. sanctions, PEP links, negative media) tied to your subject.
Case 3: Match Appears After Day 1 (Rare)
- Day 1: Initial screening finds no match → Status = PENDING
- Day 2 or 3: A newly added article or sanction appears → Status changes to ACTIVE with alert(s)
⚠️ What this means: In rare cases, data can be added or updated shortly after the monitor is created. This is why the system rechecks within the first 72 hours.
💡 Why Not Just Mark as “Clear” Immediately?
Some screening platforms deliver instant results, but that approach may miss late-arriving data (e.g. updates from providers after monitor creation). StartKYC includes a 3-day “watch window” to capture important updates—ensuring you’re not caught off guard.
This window also supports clients who configure monitoring frequency at intervals longer than daily (e.g. monthly). In such cases, without the 3-day immediate alert period, a match found on day 2 might only be notified weeks later.
So, this system ensures:
- Timely alerts for any new hits in the first 72 hours
- Full data coverage during a crucial post-monitor period
- Peace of mind that nothing important was missed
✅ Best Practices
- If you need instant screening results, use the “Immediate Search” function instead of setting up a monitor.
- When monitoring is set up, wait up to 3 days to determine if the record is truly clear.
- After 3 days, the PENDING status will auto-convert to ACTIVE—you can consider these as clean unless alerts are generated.