Frequently Asked Questions

U. S. Credit Information

• Online Credit Reporting
• Customer Contributed Data
• MultiVision
• Risk Management Services
• Credit Marketing Services

Online Credit Reporting:

Q.		What Steps has Equifax taken to accommodate customer Year 2000 readiness testing for U.S. online credit reporting?
A.		Equifax has developed a phased strategy to accommodate customer testing. Phase I allows customers to test online Year 2000 credit reporting with a limited number of static test files. Phase II allows customers to test in-depth online credit reporting with four different future system dates using a large number of static consumer test files. The credit files for all four Year 2000 test regions are identical. The dates within the credit files, however, have been aged to correspond to the region’s system date. Both phases allow customers to test DAT and online System-To-System versions 90, 93 and 5.0. Phase I was available on 05/14/1998 and Phase II was made available on 09/03/1998.
Q.		What are the system dates for Equifax’s four Year 2000 test regions?
A.		The four system dates for Equifax’s Year 2000 test regions are 12/31/1999, 01/03/2000, 02/29/2000, and 03/01/2001.
Q.		How should customers and third party vendors go about scheduling online Year 2000 credit reporting testing with Equifax?
A.		PC and Dial-up access customers and vendors should call 1-800-685-5000. System-To- System (i.e. mainframe-to-mainframe connection) customers and vendors should call 1-888-200-0707.

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Customer Contributed Data:

Q.		Will Equifax use a pivot year / windowing rule when processing customer contributed data and credit reporting dates not in Equifax's version 5.0 format?
A.		Yes, a Pivot Year and Sliding Window default rule will be used within Equifax's Customer Tape Processing and ACRO systems. The Pivot Year and Sliding Window default rule will be used when processing non-Metro 2 formatted customer tapes, and credit reporting dates formatted in Equifax's version 90 or 93 formats. As Equifax continues to review its Year 2000 readiness, this default rule may be subject to change. Our Pivot Year and Sliding Window default rule is based on the current year. The Window is 10 years. The application will calculate the Pivot Year by adding 10 to the current year. Incoming dates greater than the last two digits of the Pivot Year will be considered to be in 1900. Those dates less than or equal to the Pivot Year will be considered to be in 2000. If the Current Year is 2005 (05), then the Pivot Year will be 2015 (15). If the incoming 2-digit year is 00, the system will treat the date as 2000. If the incoming 2-digit year is 09, the system will treat the date as 2009. If the incoming 2-digit year is 89, the system will treat the date as 1989. If the Current Year is 2012 (12), then the Pivot Year will be 2022 (22). If the incoming 2-digit year is 21, the system will treat the date as 2021. If the incoming 2-digit year is 30, the system will treat the date as 1930. If the incoming 2-digit year is 89, the system will treat the date as 1989. If the Current Year is 1999 (99), then the Pivot Year will be 2009 (09). If the incoming 2-digit year is 09, the system will treat the date as 2009. If the incoming 2-digit year is 21, the system will treat the date as 1921. If the incoming 2-digit year is 89, the system will treat the date as 1989.
Q.		Will PC, DAT, or TTY based software systems need to be altered to format dates in a four-digit year date format when submitting credit reporting inquiries to Equifax?
A.		In most cases third party vendor software will not require date format modifications. Credit reporting inquiries submitted from PC, DAT, or TTY based systems will continue to be in Equifax's variable length format where dates are represented in a two-digit year format. Equifax recommends that you contact your software vendor regarding their plans for modifications.
Q.		Will the display for Print Image products such as ACROFILE, Persona, FINDERS and ID Report change as related to the presentation of date fields?
A.		Yes. For Print Image products the Birthdate and Death Notice Date fields will display as MM/DD/CCYY. All other date fields will continue to be displayed as MM/DD/YY.
Q.		Since the Metro 2 Format is Year 2000 ready, will there be a "cut-off" date when the current Metro Format will no longer be accepted?
A.		At this time, Equifax will continue to accept both formats. However, Associated Credit Bureaus plans no further enhancements to the Metro Format. The last two digits of the year should continue to be reported in the current Metro Format. As of December 1998, our Customer Tapes System "logically" determines the century from the date given by using the windowing technique described above. NOTE: The date fields CANNOT be expanded to accommodate the full four-digit year in the current Metro Format.
Q.		How can customers obtain a copy of the Metro 2 format?
A.		A hard copy of the Metro 2 format may be ordered through Associated Credit Bureaus. It can also be downloaded from ACB's web site by going to www.acb-credit.com and the "Data Providers" link at the bottom of the page. A registration form must be filled out for ACB to track who is requesting a copy. A User ID and Password is required to download the Metro 2 format. Customers may also contact Equifax’s Year 2000 Customer Call Center at 1-877-272-5005 to get the password.
Q.		Why should a customer convert from Metro to Metro 2?
A.		The Associated Credit Bureaus have jointly recommended that parties use the Metro 2 format. The Metro 2 Format is Year 2000 ready. There are new data elements fields within Metro 2. The Metro 2 format promotes complete and accurate data reporting and integrity. It provides expanded functionality, future enhancements and is FCRA compliant.
Q.		What steps do customers need to take to begin testing the Metro 2 format with Equifax?
A.		Customers wishing to test the Metro 2 format should contact their Equifax Quality Control Analyst. Customers will submit two test files. One test file should contain test data in the format currently being submitted. The second test file should be in the Metro 2 file format and contain the same test data as the first file.
Q.		How can a customer obtain the name and telephone number of their Equifax Quality Control Analyst?
A.		Customers may call Equifax’s Year 2000 Customer Call Center at 1-877-272-5005 to obtain the name of their Equifax Quality Control Analyst.
Q.		When will Equifax begin production processing of trade data files submitted in the Metro 2 format?
A.		Equifax has targeted early First Quarter 1999 to begin production processing of trade data submitted in the Metro 2 format.

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MultiVision:

Q.		When will MultiVision customers be able to begin Year 2000 testing with Equifax?
A.		Customer Year 2000 testing for MultiVision became available October 1998. Customers should contact their Equifax MultiVision Business Analyst to make arrangements for Year 2000 testing.
Q.		Has Equifax created credit reporting test files to aid their customers with MultiVision Year 2000 testing? If so, how can the customer obtain a copy of the test cases?
A.		Yes. Equifax has credit reporting test cases available for MultiVision Year 2000 testing. For those customers who are ready to begin testing, a matrix of test cases will be provided. To obtain an electronic copy of the matrix, System-To-System customers should call 1-888-200-0707. PC and DAT customers should call 1-800-685-5000.
Q.		Do customers ordering the MultiVision product from Equifax have a choice of two-digit year or four-digit year formats in their order records and Equifax’s results record?
A.		Yes. Equifax provides for the option of formatting dates in either a two-digit or a four-digit year format when sending orders and receiving results from Equifax’s MultiVision product. Customers should contact their Equifax MultiVision Business Analyst to indicate their date formatting preference.

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Risk Management Services:

Q.		Describe the methodology used within Equifax’s Risk Management Services to achieve Year 2000 readiness.
A.		In order to become Year 2000 ready, Equifax’s Risk Management Services third party application, Columbia Ultimate Business Services, The Collector System (CUBS), uses an incremental Julian date beginning with 12/31/1967. Equifax will use this same strategy for all custom modules interfacing with the CUBS system. CUBS ‘95 became 100% Y2K ready and certified in December 1998; the CUBS ’97 and ’98 versions are also Y2K certified.
Q.		What date formatting changes should collections clients make to their placement file structures to ensure Year 2000 readiness when interfacing with Equifax Risk Management Services?
A.		Equifax’s Risk Management Services third party application, Columbia Ultimate Business Services, The Collector System (CUBS), provides clients the option of selecting a four-digit year or a century indicator format. Equifax encourages clients to modify their interface file structures to provide four-digit years for all date fields.

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Credit Marketing Services:

Q.		In order to be Year 2000 ready, what date associated changes are being made within Equifax Credit Marketing Services’ applications?
A.		The overwhelming majority of Year 2000 date associated changes to Equifax Credit Marketing Services’ applications are divided between either: Date Conversions - converting one date format to another for calculation purposes, or Date Display - display date data with a four-digit year format on report headers. Other instances where date related code requires modification are: binary date manipulation date parameters being passed from one program to another a date being either read from a source tape, or taken from the credit file and used in a date calculation or comparison a two-digit year being validated any printed output being generated from within a module (reports, headers, etc.) a date being returned to the customer via a Little Criteria Record
Q.		Will the Credit Marketing Services’ Year 2000 coding methodology change the way customers receive information?
A.		No. Equifax’s Credit Marketing Services will continue to deliver date data formatted according to customer specifications. With the exception of report headers, the current output to customers will not change unless requested by the customer.
Q.		Will Equifax’s Credit Marketing Services’ application be able to process either two-digit or four-digit year date data sent by customers on their source tapes and return either two-digit or four-digit year date data in customer output files?
A.		Yes. Customer Specification Packages must identify date fields and define processing rules for interpreting them and how they are to be formatted in customer output files. The Credit Marketing Services application will follow the processing rules as defined by the customer.
Q.		In order to manage Year 2000 changes to customers programs, when can customers begin requesting Year 2000 changes to their Little Criteria Record (data attributes) output, reports, etc.?
A.		As of October 1998 customers began requesting changes. Credit Marketing Services is evaluating the changes that will need to be made to customer programs. Sales Representatives will provide their customers with a report detailing our findings. However, if customers know what changes they require and would like to implement them immediately, they may contact their Sales Representative to update criteria specifications.

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