USER GUIDE

How do I access Red Flag Alert?1 Click on or type the following link into

your browser bar at the top of your screen www.redflagalert.com and click on ‘Login’ on the top menu bar.

2 A username and password pop up will appear. Type in the password, username and secondary password (emailed by the Red Flag Alert Team) and click ‘Login’. The secondary password will change each month and emailed out to all users at the beginning of every month.

3 If you do not have a password and/or username, please call the Red Flag Alert Helpdesk on 0844 412 6699.

4 The search screen will then appear.

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Example: Search screen

Example: Pop up password screen

How do I do a Company Search?A company search can be completed using either the ‘Company Name’ field or the ‘Company Number’ field.

1 Type either the company name in the ‘Company Name’ field or the Company Registration Number in the ‘Company Number’ field.

2 Click on the ‘Search’ button at the bottom of the page or press Return.

3 Your matched results will be displayed on the ‘search results screen’.

Note: Input the full company name when using the ‘Company Name’ field. This will enhance your search by narrowing down the possible matches.

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Example: Company name field

How do I do a Directors Search?1 Type the Directors first name and other

forename(s) into the ‘First Name’ field.

2 Type the Directors last name into the ‘Surname’ field.

3 Complete the ‘Postcode’ and/or the ‘Date of Birth’ fields if you have them.

4 Click on the ‘Search’ button at the bottom of the page or press Return.

5 Your matched results will be displayed on the ‘search results screen’.

Note: Using the ‘Postcode’ and ‘Date of Birth’ fields will enhance your search by narrowing down the possible matches.

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Example: Director name search

How do I get a list of my search results?1 A complete list of companies matching

your search criteria will automatically appear on your screen.

2 From the results list you can access the Company or Directors data by clicking on the Company Name that you require.

Note: Depending on the number of possible matches it may take several seconds for the ‘search results screen’ to appear. If no companies fit the search criteria your have searched for, you will be asked to search again.

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Example: Search results screen

How can I obtain a Company Report?Once you have clicked on the company you require from the ‘search results screen’, the company report page will open as shown.

1 The individual data ‘Sections’ are listed on the left hand side of the page. The data can be viewed using the following methods.

a Select individual data section, then click the ‘Print’ link to print individual data sections.

b Click ‘Print All’ to view and print all the data sections in your default print settings.

c Click on ‘Expand All’ to view all the data sections within the same window.

d Click ‘Collapse’ all to return to the above page after you have expanded and viewed the data sections.

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Example: Company report screen

Note: To download a report of any of the sections in PDF format, open the sections you wish to view and then click ‘PDF’ button at the top left of the screen.

2 Alternatively you may build your own bespoke report. To do this simply follow the following steps.

a Click on one of the red data sections on the left side of the Company Report Screen.

b Once selected the data section you have chosen will turn from red to green and the data field will appear in the centre of your screen.

c Repeat this process until you have chosen all the sections you require.

d To view or print your bespoke report use the relevant hyperlinks at the top of the screen. To save the report then click on PDF icon which will export the data into one PDF which you will then be able to save.

Once you have chosen the data sections you require The Company Report Screen will look as follows.

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Example: Company report screen

The Advanced Search option is a multiple criteria search that enables you to view, upload and print a list of businesses by using a variation of data filters. The data filters include County, SIC, Postcode & Health Rating and provide you with the opportunity to identify businesses which match your chosen profile, be it for marketing, geographic/industry statistical analysis or sales lead generation. This section will explain what data fields are available to filter and provide examples of popular options existing customers have used.

Contents1 How do I complete an Advanced Search?

2 SIC Code Search

3 Postcode Search

4 Data Filters and their meaning

5 Health Rating Descriptions

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How do I complete an Advanced Search?There are multiple options available for you to use and each of the data filters can be used singularly or in conjunction with each other.

1 To perform an ‘Advanced Search’ click on either of the two ‘Advanced Search’ buttons on the ‘Search’ screen.

2 The ‘Advanced Search’ screen will then appear (as shown on page 10).

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Example: Advanced Search buttons on the Search screen

3 Select your required fields either by typing the information in the relevant field or by using the drop down menus where available.

4 Once you have completed your field selection(s), click on the ‘Search’ button at the bottom of the page.

5 To start again or to change your chosen filters simply click the ‘Reset’ button.

Note: The SIC Codes and Postcode filters are links to a separate screen and must be selected before choosing any other filters from the main Advanced Search screen.

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Example: Advanced Search screen

SIC Code SearchYou may wish to search for a list of companies to target for new business within a certain industry. In order to ensure your sales activity is focused and reaps the highest returns you could also include a particular geographic region (County), a company size (Turnover), exclude Non-Ltd Businesses and new start ups (Only Companies with filed accounts) and insist they meet your businesses credit expectations (Health Rating).

The search described above would be achieved following the process below:

1 From the ‘Advanced Search’ screen click on ‘SIC Code’ button at the top left of the page. The SIC code selection page will then appear (as opposite).

2 Use the drop down menus (from top to bottom) to select the filters you require.

3 Or use alpha numeric search to locate industry required.

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Example: SIC Code selection page

4 Select from the code box the SIC(s) you require or click ‘All Codes’ to select them all.

5 When the SIC code has been selected, it will appear in the selected box at the foot of the page. You can also remove these individually by clicking on them one by one.

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Example: Selecting required codes

6 When you have finished click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

7 You will then be automatically sent back to the ‘Advanced Search’ screen to complete your selection of filters.

8 Once filters have been selected, click ‘Search’.

9 To remove SIC codes, click ‘SIC Code’ button at top left of the ‘Advanced Search’ screen, click ‘Remove All’ button at foot of page and then click ‘Save Changes’ button at foot of page.

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Example: Selection of filters

Postcode SearchA more granular search for a list can be achieved by selecting a specific post code. This example could be used to generate leads for a specific marketing initiative in a particular region. In addition to this, the fields Company Health and Asset level have also been chosen to further reduce the search return and provide a more specific range of prospects.

1 Click on the ‘Postcode’ button at the top left of the ‘Advanced Search’ screen.

2 The Postcode screen will then appear (as shown opposite).

3 Select the relevant county, town or postcode.

4 Once selected the postcode section will show you all postcodes for your selected region.

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Example: Postcode search

5 Click individual postcode or click the red writing on the top of the postcode box and all the postcode for the region will drop in the links at the bottom of the page.

6 Click ‘Save Changes’ and return to the ‘Advanced Search’ screen

When in the ‘Advanced Search’ screen select the ‘Company Health Rating’ and then use the drop down menu to choose which Asset band you would like.

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Examples: Selection of appropriate address details

Back to Advanced Search7 The ‘Health Rating’ band you wish to

search can be selected from the ‘Health Rating’ drop down menu.

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Examples: Selection of Health Rating band

8 The ‘Turnover’ band can be selected from the ‘Turnover’ drop down menu – note that this will exclude all companies that are not required to declare turnover, by audit exemption.

As an alternative to searching by ‘Turnover’ try using an ‘Asset’ band – all companies with filed accounts have to disclose their assets, regardless of audit exemption.

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Example: Selection of Turnover band

9 Finally, scroll down to the bottom and click ‘Search’.

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Example: Selection of companies with filed accounts

10 To view your results click on the Search Button. The ‘Search Results’ screen will then appear as below.

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Example: Search Results screen

Data Filters and their meaningSIC Codes

The SIC “Standard Industrial Classification”. Every business should have a SIC code describing its principal business activity. You can specify a specific industry and search for business’s which fall into this category.

Postcodes

The “Postcode” search enables a search by specific county, town and individual Postcode. The search will list any business which fall into the specified area you have selected.

Company Health

This is a unique rating on how healthy a business is: 3 Red Flags being the least healthy and Gold being the healthiest. For more information please see The Health Rating System at the end of this manual.

County

Will enable you to select a county and search for a list of business within that area. To select a number of counties (as a region) use the Postcode option above to combine the codes of a number of counties together.

Company Name

Will enable you to search for specific company by company name. This search is the same as the Simple Search screen.

Company Reg No.

Will enable you to search for a specific company by registration number. This search is the same as the Simple Search screen.

Holding Company Name

Holding company is the administrative parent of another business. The Holding Company search will return all businesses that are linked to the holding company specified.

Holding Company Reg No.

Using the specific “Holding Company Registration No.” will allow a more specific Holding Company Search. The search will return all businesses that are linked to that specific holding company.

Auditor

Searching by auditor name will show any business which has accounts filed by the selected Auditor/Accountant.

Auditor City

Will search for any business which is audited by your chosen Auditor in a particular town or city.

Turnover Level

Provides a range of turnover bands to suit your needs. By using the bandings provided in the drop down menu, you can search for any businesses that fall into the band selected.

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Data Filters and their meaningAssets level

Provides a range of Asset Level bands to suit your needs. By using the bandings provided in the drop down menu, you can search for any businesses that fall into the band selected.

Only companies without accounts filed

Will search for companies that have not yet filed accounts at Company’s House.

Only companies with filed accounts

Will only search for companies WITH Accounts filed at Company’s House.

Records per page

Specify here how many businesses you would like to be displayed within one page (set at 100, max 999); it is important to display a sufficient number of companies when intending to download and export a large list.

Directors

Will search for any director’s name specified and show any business which they are associated with. This search is the same as the Simple Search screen.

Reset

The Reset key will revert any changed fields back to the default setting, creating a blank search ready to complete.

The Health Rating SystemGOLD:

Companies will be healthy and will have traded for a number of years; they will have financially sound accounts, good payment history and few or no legal notices.

SILVER:

A stable and healthy company, which may have traded for a smaller number of years; they will have financially stable accounts, good payment history and few if any legal notices.

BRONZE:

May not have published accounts or are a newly formed company; if accounts are available they would indicate that this business is an average risk with standard payment history and possible legal notices.

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AMBER:

Businesses that have passed the lower threshold of the credit score algorithms and are either very new or display some financial, payment or filing characteristics that make them an elevated risk. They should be treated cautiously and all monitoring notices reviewed carefully.

1 RED FLAG:

We recommend you monitor the company due to the detrimental data currently against them. They may have good accounts and standard or poor payment history.

2 RED FLAGS:

Serious detrimental data has been identified and close monitoring is suggested. They may still have good accounts and standard or poor payment history.

3 RED FLAGS:

Serious detrimental data has been detected and a full review of their account status and close monitoring is recommended.

INSOLVENCY FLAG:

Company has undergone some form of Insolvency; please check the full record.

NOT TRADING:

This simply indicates that according to information filed at Companies House the company had a non-trading status. Should credit be sought in the name of the company care should be taken and a full disclosure sought.

DISSOLVED:

This company has been dissolved by Companies House and no longer exists. Should you be trading with a company in this name you should 1) review your situation immediately, 2) obtain a full disclosure of affairs before entering into any further transactions and 3) ensure you are trading with the correct company going forward.

BUSINESS DISCONTINUED:

This business has been discontinued.

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Further InformationContact: info@redflagalert.com or call 0844 412 6699

Manchester Office: 340 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LYLondon Office: 31st Floor, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5NR

Office LocationsRed Flag Alert have offices throughout the UK; visit our website for further information.

Ref: RFA 1338/05.15

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