The first thing to understand about Duns and Bradstreet (D&B, DnB), is that you do not HAVE to buy anything to receive a Paydex. D&B will tell you otherwise but it is not true.

The first thing to do is get a D&B number and this can be done through three ways:
First you can go online and get a number for free. It will take 30 days to get the number. It has been some people�s experience that they do not get a number after 30 days and when contacting D&B they say �all you are applying for is a marketing number and you have to buy creditbuilder.� This is not true.
Second, you can call 866-705-5711 and state you are applying for federal grants/contracts and you need a duns number. They will give it to you on the spot with no solicitations.
Finally you can purchase creditbuilder which will include a duns number and you also will get the number right away. Also if you speak to a rep on the phone they sometimes give you the option of buying creditbuilder lite. This can be different prices as it is not listed on the website but others have paid $199 or $250 for it.

I myself have gotten my number by stating I am applying for government contracts and got it right away. That is how others on this board have done it as well.

Now that you have a duns number I would suggest whenever you apply for a net 30 or revolving account you include this number on your order form. Start with the credit building vendors like Uline, Viking and Nebs. When you order and pay, they will report to D&B. This is how you will begin to build a credit file.
If you purchase credit builder then they should be adding vendors you have done business with in the past.

Eupdate is the tool you can use to go into your D&B file and see what trades are listed and if you have a paydex and other company information. You have to request a password. You may receive a password or you may receive an email that states �you have to call them so they can help you� It is my experience when you call they will tell you several things which just amount to the bottom line of �you just have a marketing number and you cannot access your file until you buy creditbuilder.� This is also not true. I was unable to get a password until I had trades reporting. Others have been able to get a password right away. Either way we got a password without buying anything. If you buy creditbuilder you should have no problem getting a password.

Once you have your eupdate password you can check your report as well as update you company information. It is suggested that you don�t check eupdate too often or make to many changes too often. This may result in a red flag to D&B and they may lock your file. It is hard to tell what D&B may do but take the side of caution.

Now what D&B has not done as a result of you NOT buying creditbuilder is give you a D&B rating. This is the information of the rating and the chart as found on their site.

The D&B Rating field in a report may also display the following designations when certain conditions are present:
The '- -' Symbol: This represents the absence of a D&B Rating and should not be interpreted as indicating that credit should be denied. It means that the information available to D&B does not permit us to classify the company within our Rating Key and that further inquiry should be made before reaching a credit decision. Some reasons for using the "- -" symbol include: deficit net worth, bankruptcy proceedings, lack of sufficient payment information or incomplete history indicator.
DS (DUNS Support): This indicates that the information available to D&B does not permit us to classify the company within our Rating Key. When ordering these reports, an investigation can be performed and results sent to you at your request for an additional fee.
INV (Investigation Being Conducted): When an "INV" appears, it means an investigation is being conducted on this business to get the most current details.
NQ (Not Quoted): This is generally assigned when a business has been confirmed as no longer active at the location, or when D & B is unable to confirm active operations. It may also appear on some branch reports, when the branch is located in the same city as the headquarters.
Rating Classification Composite Credit Appraisal
(Based on Worth from Interim or Fiscal Balance Sheet) High Good Fair Limited
5A $50,000,000 and over 1 2 3 4
4A 10,000,000 to 49,999,999 1 2 3 4
3A 1,000,000 to 9,999,999 1 2 3 4
2A 750,000 to 999,999 1 2 3 4
1A 500,000 to 749,999 1 2 3 4
BA 300,000 to 499,999 1 2 3 4
BB 200,000 to 299,999 1 2 3 4
CB 125,000 to 199,999 1 2 3 4
CC 75,000 to 124,999 1 2 3 4
DC 50,000 to 74,999 1 2 3 4
DD 35,000 to 49,999 1 2 3 4
EE 20,000 to 34,999 1 2 3 4
FF 10,000 to 19,999 1 2 3 4
GG 5,000 to 9,999 1 2 3 4
HH up to 4,999 1 2 3 4

Rating Classification Composite Credit Appraisal
Based on Number of Employees) Good Fair Limited
1R 10 and over 2 3 4
2R 1 to 9 2 3 4

Key To Employee Range
Applicable to lines of business not covered by the D&B Rating system
ER1 1,000 or more
ER2 500-999
ER3 100-499
ER4 50-99
ER5 20-49
ER6 10-19
ER7 5-9
ER8 1-4
ERN Not Available

Some people have gotten this information without paying for something. But this information is different from a Paydex. The Paydex is what is important when applying for credit.

PAYDEX� Score
The PAYDEX Score is D&B's unique dollar-weighted numerical indicator of how a firm paid its bills over the past year, based on trade experiences reported to D&B by various vendors. The D&B PAYDEX Score ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating better payment performance.
Key to the D&B PAYDEX� Score
PAYDEX Payment
100 Anticipate
90 Discount
80 Prompt
70 15 Days Beyond Terms
60 22 Days Beyond Terms
50 30 Days Beyond Terms
40 60 Days Beyond Terms
20 90 Days Beyond Terms
20 120 Days Beyond Terms
UN Unavailable

A paydex can be obtained without buying anything. The truth of the matter is it will take time. For me it took 3 and a half months. Others depending on your spending have gotten it quicker. With creditbuilder you can obtain your paydex faster.

It seems that D&B updates their information Saturday nights. So if you want to check its best to do so on Sunday as that should be the current information they have. If it is it�s a different story, but it should be.

D&B will call you after you get your number and try to sell you something. They will tell you your number is no good and that you will not have a credit file. They may deny you a password to eupdate. Even if you get in the file there may be information that is missing or wrong. It is suggested you call a rep and make changes and they will still try to sell you something. Be patient. Place your orders and pay the bills. The trades will show up and once you get four of five you will get a Paydex.

This is the basic of building the D&B file. I hope this answers a lot of questions that come up.