Business Credit Report

A business credit report contains detailed information on the credit obligations, payment history, legal implications and a background overview of a business. The credit report indicates the company's financial health. The document is most essential when the entrepreneur considers taking a loan to relieve financial stress...
Business Credit Report
Business credit reports are generated by any of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. The report is important from the point of view that it offers entrepreneurship and lenders comprehensive financial information. The business credit report helps a lender decide if a particular company can remain buoyant in the wake of additional financial obligations. One glance at the numerics contained enables the businessman or lending party interested in the report, to identify whether or not the company is empowered with available funds to pay additional obligations on time.

Sources of Information:

The content of the business credit report comes from credit obligation information that is collected by representatives of the bureaus issuing credit reports. The information is accessed directly from specially designed accounting software for data management. The information on legal filings are collected from the offices of local and state courts. Information on a particular company's background is accessed from a variety of firms who hire professionals to source sensitive business data.

Objective of a Business Credit Report:

The main objective of a business credit report is to provide accurate and critical business related information. The information is primarily assimilated to enable the entrepreneur or lenders or any person financially associated with the company to take informed financial business decisions. In the volatile fiscal world and amidst business competition, it is very important for an entrepreneur or lending institution to know who to do business with and at what risk.

Information Accessible in a Business Credit Report:

A business credit report enables access to:
  • Financial information to identify business risk involved with extended credit levels
  • Factors that determine credit risk to assess the possibility of credit increase
  • Information on banking and collection credit history to identify erratic/profitable business growth strategies
  • Information on past liens and registrations to determine the possibility of a favorable credit decision
  • UCC or Uniform Commercial Code credit rating to assess the credit position in comparison with competitors
  • Background information to determine the business-worthiness of a company
Need for a Business Credit Report:

The business credit report is the safest rostrum for important financial decisions. The accurate and professionally compiled fiscal data and subsequent analysis and rating enables the entrepreneur, competitors and lending institutions to determine the amount of business that can be extended, the interest rates that can be applicable (in case of a loan), line of credit that can be extended and the business' position in the market.

Necessity to Monitor the Business Credit Report:

Just as defamation of character has an upsetting influence on your emotional and mental make up; any error on the business credit report or credit score results in a tarnished image in the fiscal world. It is important not only to monitor the business credit report of your own company, but also that of competitors and companies associated in some way financially with the business, like suppliers.

Access to sensitive financial data makes a big difference to calculation of the company's profit and loss and subsequently, success and failure. It is important to access the free business credit report and scan through the entries. If there is an error identified, the business credit report issuing bureau should be informed about the same for timely credit repair, with relevant documentation.

A business credit report determines and influences a number of delicate and highly sensitive decisions an entrepreneur may take in the business life time. The entries on the document have the potential of ruining a business venture or attracting outside investment. The credit report should be filed and maintained for reference at any point in time. There are a number of online resources that claim to enable you instant access to the business credit report; however, it is wise to note that only Equifax, Experian or TransUnion have the authority from the government to do so.

By Gaynor Borade
Published: 1/29/2009
 
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Your Comments:
Your Name:
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
Recipient Email Address:
 Separate multiple email addresses by ;
Your Name:
Your Email Address: