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
Businesses without enough volume to report directly can use a Stacking Service or Third-Party Processor, like The Service Bureau, to aggregate tradelines into a single “stacked” file for bureau submission. Requirements vary by bureau — some require third-party submission, while businesses reporting more than 500 accounts are often permitted to report directly. Confirm requirements with the bureaus in advance to ensure Metro 2 compliance, data accuracy, and proper submission.
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.