Experian Vs. D&B Reporting Methods

The differences between Experian and D&B make Experian a better value for your credit evaluation process.

1. Experian sources and collects all information through a network of Accounts Receivable contributors and third party data vendors or providers. Experian does not collect any self-reported information directly from debtor businesses. Hence, a business cannot influence its own credit rating. All information reported by Experian has been collected and processed to ensure its objectivity and validity.
2. Experian provides detailed payment information on each trade line contributed by industry type. This granular view is rolled up to a Trade Payment Totals section that differentiates New, Continuous and Additional trade lines. D&B provides summarized payment data without detailed industry identification.
3. Experian collects Accounts Receivable data based on the "Pay From" location of a business. Experian then builds an Accounts Payable profile for that "Pay From" operating location. Experian also provides Corporate linkage identification on Parents and Subsidiaries, as well as Headquarters and Branch locations.
4. Experian reports Trade Payment Information by utilizing balance forward accounting practices. Information is gathered electronically from a network of Experian Data Contributors who transfer their month-end accounts receivable file on a recurring periodic basis. Each trade line that appears on an Experian report is the result of the contributor's effort to assure that one or multiple invoices throughout a billing period on each named account is totaled and consolidated into a single account line. D&B often derives their tradelines from "trade experiences" which often represent open item invoices, and consequently are not totaled or consolidated into a representative picture of the accounts month end payment performance. D&B's ability to dilute payment performance by stretching "trade lines" into "trade experiences" gives the perception that there is more activity than may be the case.
5. Experian provides the Business Category (industry type) for each trade line reported in order to identify the type of business who reported the trade line. Though D&B provides a summarized business category section, they don not link the category to a specific accounts receivable dollar amount for each trade line. Experian also provides the specific "Date Of Last Sale" for trade lines as opposed to D&B's "Last Sale Within" monthly ranges such as 3-6 Months or 6-12 Months.
6. Experian provides for the selection of up to five profile reports (for the price of one) in order to allow comparative analysis between the specific entity of interest and other branches or similar businesses operating at different locations in the same State. D&B does not provide this flexibility.
7. Experian Business Information Services (BIS) leverages the information assets of its industry leading credit databases. Experian sources and also provides a Business Owner Link that allows a Business Owner Profile report (BOP) to be pulled on the owner of a business. The BOP is based on personal credit information from the business and the owner. The Experian Business Owner Profile contains a risk score that's derived from an analysis of commercial and proprietor/owner credit history. D&B has no ability to provide this type of information on small businesses.
8. Experian provides a chronological summarization of all UCC filings on a given business entity when more than ten UCC's are present on a business. This summary section provides a quick assessment and macro-view of a company's financing patterns and trends. D&B does not provide a summarization or analysis on UCC's.
9. Experian provides bank information consisting of Bank Name, full addresses, telephone number, account types, date opened and account status as compared with D&B's narrative description, often with little or no identification of the bank or its location.
10. Experian displays company background information which includes the State and Date of Incorporation, State Charter Number, Filing status, Profit or Non-profit, Date of most recent filing, Business Agent name and address. Experian does not provide this information unless it's verified from the Secretary of State offices. D&B provides only Date and State of Incorporation, and Type (Profit, Non-Profit, or Cooperative) often sourced directly from the business entity rather than the Secretary of State offices.
11. Experian provides detailed Collection account data and Leasing experiences / terms, Government Contracts and Government Loan data. Experian has an industry leading advantage in gathering commercial collections data, particularly on small businesses. This data is proven to be perhaps the strongest predictor of credit risk. D&B does not provide the depth of information that Experian provides on these data types.
12. Experian provides Inquiry History of the most recent 9 months from the date a report is pulled. Every inquiry reveals the Business Category of the company that inquired on the business entity. D&B provides no Inquiry information.