CREDIT REPORTING USER GUIDE Last Modified: 3/1/19 Last Modified: 3/1/19 1
Table of Contents Introduction... 3 How To Log In... 3 Three Types of Credit Reports... 4 SWBCS Trade Credit Report... 4 SWBCS Construction Credit Report...10 SWBCS Group Reports... 13 Credit Report Tool Bar... 17 Polling... 18 Alerts... 21 Video Tutorial... 23 Recommended Browsers... 23 Last Modified: 3/1/19 2
Introduction Southwest Business Credit Services (SWBCS) is your first resource in business credit management. We provide domestic and international business and trade credit reports, industry credit group services and professional education. Everything we do is designed to help the business credit grantor answer the all-important question, "How likely are we to get paid?" This User Guide will help you to: - Retrieve Credit Reports, both from your Credit Group and Full SWBCS Trade Credit Reports - Enter and Retrieve Alerts - Prepare subjects and enter experience for Credit Group Meetings - View Rosters of Credit Group Members - Manage your account and the users/permissions accordingly - Submit your monthly AR data files via secure FTP How To Log In The SWBCS website is located at www.swbcs.com. To log in, simply move your mouse toward the upper center of the website and click on the Member Login button. Last Modified: 3/1/19 3
Three Types of Credit Reports: Summary There are three types of credit reports we offer from our exclusive database. Our flagship report, the SWBCS Trade Credit Report, amalgamates trade data both from our own membership base, as well as thousands of other data sources, into a single reporting system. These other sources include partner credit organizations, regional and/or specialty/boutique bureaus, and also collection agencies, that participate in our data interchange. These credit reports will have the benefit of all of this data, and you ll still enjoy seeing your credit group alerts and regional legal filings as you are already accustomed to seeing from SWBCS. You also have access to the Construction Credit Report which includes all the information contained in a standard SWBCS Trade Credit Report plus several Public Record Searches (Bankruptcy, Tax Lien and Judgment) and links to State Registrars of Contractors for licensing data to purchase filings. You also have access to the SWBCS Group Credit Report, which contains trade data from your credit group members. This mini-report will have the ability to Poll your credit group and will also show your group s alerts, just as you re accustomed to seeing but if you need more information and you need it instantly you can simply click a button to view the aforementioned full SWCBS Trade Credit Report without searching again for the subject in question. SWBCS Trade Credit Report We realize that pulling credit reports is what our members do most often, so that is why we have made our search form as easy to use as possible. Right when you login the Credit Report Search screen is displayed. Enter the appropriate search criteria Search by Name (with or without City and State) o Or by address, Phone/Fax Number or Motor Carrier Number Last Modified: 3/1/19 4
Select the report(s)s to view If desired results are not displayed, click Modify Search to refine your search criteria. You may select multiple lines that match your criteria for the price of one report (as shown below) to ensure the most comprehensive report possible. Click Generate Report at the bottom of the page as shown above. Last Modified: 3/1/19 5
The Trade Credit Report will be displayed which includes: 1) Company Information, credit summary, the historic 25 months summary, risk score, rating and alerts, if applicable: Guide to Interpret the Risk Score and Credit Rating Last Modified: 3/1/19 6
2) Trends / Charts / Historical Risk Scores over the last 13 months 3) Alert information on the company, if applicable: Last Modified: 3/1/19 7
4) Recent Experience includes your Group Member Numbers, if applicable: 5) Address List contains all the locations and alternate names included in the report: Last Modified: 3/1/19 8
6) Experience Summary: Summary of experience by month with drill-down options 7) Experience Detail: Summary by Industry 8) Inquiry history Last Modified: 3/1/19 9
SWBCS Construction Credit Reports You also have access to the Construction Credit Report which includes all the information contained in a standard SWBCS Trade Credit Report plus several Public Record Searches (Bankruptcy, Tax Lien and Judgement) and links to State Registrars of Contractors for licensing data to purchase filings. From the Menu bar on the left side of the screen, select Follow the same search and selection process as shown previously under SWBCS Trade Credit Report In addition to the trade data, the report includes two additional public record sections as follows: 1) The first additional public records section includes details on conventional public record filings of tax liens, judgments and bankruptcy. It states Clear if there are no filings for that category. Last Modified: 3/1/19 10
2) The second additional public credit section follows the trade data section and includes a nationwide search of county recorder offices for construction project information. It searches by state, county and nationally for many types of data including mechanics lien filings, releases and discharges, notices of commencement and completion, notice of lis pendans both action and discharge. Anywhere you see a document filing number highlighted in blue this is a live link you can click on to purchase a copy of the actual filing just as if you went into the country recorder s office yourself. The Green search bar provides a link to State Registrars of contractors to verify contractors licensing details in select states where available. Last Modified: 3/1/19 11
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SWBCS Group Reports You also have access to the SWBCS Group Credit Report, which contains trade data from your credit group members. This mini-report will have the ability to Poll your credit group and will also show your group s alerts, just as you re accustomed to seeing but if you need more information and you need it instantly you can simply click a button to view the aforementioned full SWCBS Trade Credit Report without searching again for the subject in question. Steps to run a SWBCS Group Credit Report: Upon entering the Group Login Page you will be prompted to Agree to the Group Terms Last Modified: 3/1/19 13
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Sample SWBCS Group Credit Report: Last Modified: 3/1/19 16
Credit Report Tool Bar To adjust report settings, add notes, email, save a copy and print reports. Report Preferences, Admin user can make adjustments to default print settings Email Reports: Send report as attachment in.pdf via email Note: User email is required and entered as default User Notes: Add comments that will be saved and displayed at the top of the report Notes are only visible to you and other members of your company First download report to.pdf to then Print Last Modified: 3/1/19 17
Polling Polling allows Group members to request experience on a subject. Scroll to the bottom of the Groups Login page to: 1) Initiate a Poll by selecting Ask My Group 2) See any active Polls to enter your payment experience to update a report After selecting Ask My Group you will be prompted through the Poll prompts: Last Modified: 3/1/19 18
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Follow prompts to manually enter your payment experience: Upon submission of Poll, group members will receive an email with link to submit their experience: Last Modified: 3/1/19 20
Alerts Users who subscribe to our proprietary, flexible credit alert system receive early, automated email warnings about active customers significant events that could impact their business. User-contributed information is shared with other members, who can select which credit, payment and collection alerts to view and who receives them. Alert fields and types also can be configured to the needs of different departments. Alerts can be accessed in one of two ways. 1) Select Alerts from the main menu toolbar 2) From the Groups Page: Last Modified: 3/1/19 21
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Video Tutorial At the top of your menu bar select Quick Tour and drop down to select Credit Report for a short video tutorial on the Trade Credit Report Recommended Browsers To ensure a positive online experience, we encourage the use of the following internet browsers: Chrome Internet Explorer 11 or higher Firefox Last Modified: 3/1/19 23