Third Party Processing & Stacking
Secure Metro 2® processing and stacking services for businesses that prefer outsourced credit reporting or do not meet direct bureau volume requirements.
How to Report Credit Using a Third-Party Processor/Stacking Service
For businesses seeking to furnish data using the Metro 2® format but lacking sufficient reporting volume, a Stacking Service or Third-Party Processor, such as The Service Bureau, provides a reliable solution by aggregating tradelines into a single “stacked” file for submission to the credit bureaus. Because reporting requirements vary by bureau, they will typically specify whether a business may report directly or must submit through a third-party processor; however, businesses reporting larger volumes, generally more than 500 accounts, are often permitted to report directly without the need for a processor. Confirming these requirements with the credit bureaus in advance is essential to ensure Metro 2 compliance, data accuracy, and proper submission.
How to report credit using a third-party processor/stacking service:
Secure a Data Furnisher or Service Agreement and a Subscriber Code from each U.S. credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, Innovis, TransUnion) you plan to report to using a third-party processor.
Ensure your accounts meet the tradeline reporting minimums required by each bureau for processing or stacking services.
All reported accounts must comply with the guidelines outlined in the Metro 2 Credit Reporting Resource Guide®.
Use Credit Manager to ensure data accuracy, maintain compliance with Metro 2 format standards, and simplify uploads to our processing service.
Third Party Processing Data Flow
Third-Party Processing Service Data Flow Using Credit Manager
Your Accounts
Entered or imported into Credit Manager
Credit Manager
Validates Metro 2 compliance & formats file
The Service Bureau
Aggregates your data with other clients (stacking)
Credit Bureaus
Equifax · Experian · Innovis · TransUnion
Processing Fees
| Reporting to one credit bureau | $125 * |
| Reporting to two credit bureaus | $200 * |
| Reporting to three credit bureaus | $275 * |
| Reporting to four credit bureaus | $350 * |
* Three month, non-refundable deposit is required.
Processing fees apply per batch of accounts, not per individual account. Fees are charged each time a batch is uploaded.
The standard processing fee covers up to 1,200 accounts or 2MB of data. For larger batches, an additional charge of $15 per megabyte applies beyond the first 2MB.
Credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, Innovis, TransUnion) require monthly updates, whether reporting through a processor or reporting directly.
Ready to outsource your Metro 2 reporting?
Secure third-party processing and stacking for businesses that prefer outsourced credit reporting or do not meet direct bureau volume requirements.
Eligible non-profit organizations receive one year of free service. Offer applies to new customers only.