These reports reflect data from firms which identify themselves as operating primarily in the line of business being analyzed. Sales from secondary lines of business are attributed to the primary classification unless reported through a separately organized entity. Raw data utilized in these reports is sourced from the nations most acknowledged business credit reporting agencies and other private databases. In total, over half a billion sourced data points were accessed from eighteen million business operations for each of the twice annual updates.
Census and other government data is used incidentally to inform and test projections for non-reporting firms. Failure rates, experience-rated survivor measures and sales analysis of business operations are based on information supplied largely by business owners and representatives. Inaccurate information supplied by business owners or representatives may affect the analysis. Failure rates assume that the discontinuation of a facilitys presence among the reporting databases reflects the discontinuation of operations of that facility.
