To uniquely identify individual researchers and avoid the ambiguity of common names or name changes, researchers use identifiers such as the Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) and the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI). These PIDs effectively link researchers to their work, publications and employers, thereby improving the accuracy of authorship and affiliations. In addition, in German-speaking countries, the Gemeinsame Normdatei (GND) is primarily used to identify persons and other entities such as geographical locations and cultural works. Together, the various PIDs improve the precision, traceability and impact of research activities.

In October 2023, the project conducted an online seminar on PIDs for persons.