Frequently Asked Questions

How much does EDGARization cost?
What is the advantage of a web-based system?
How soon after registration can I start filing?
How do I know whether EDGAR has accepted my filing?
Can I use the EDGAR password as my password for Corporate-Insiders.com?
What is your turnaround time?
Tired of paying other agents' rush rates?
Why do I need to EDGARize?
What is the difference between text and HTML documents?
How can I EDGARize text documents?
How can I EDGARize a MS Word or Wordperfect document?
Can I add graphics?
What are the hours for doing filings?
What happens if my filing is suspended by EDGAR?
Can filings be withdrawn if an error is found after submission?
When are paper copies required?
What are the system hours?
How secure is your technology?
What are the system requirements?
Who must file ownership reports?
How often do I have to file ownership reports?
Which form must be filed for ownership reports?
When is the ownership report filing due?
What is EDGAR HTML?
What is XML?
How can I get a CUSIP number?
How much can I earn through your rewards program?
How does your referral program work?

How much does EDGARization cost?
Conversion of your documents to SEC EDGAR format is fully automated and free. You pay only for live filings.

What is the advantage of a web-based system?
With our web-based systems, there are no software downloads or installations. You can file from any computer from anywhere, even when you travel. In addition, several users in your firm can use the system simultaneously. No special hard- or software is required.

How soon after registration can I start filing?
You can start immediately. We will send you a bill for the plan that you signed up for within a few days. However, in order to submit a filing, you must have received valid CIK, CCC and password codes from the SEC. See How to get Started for details.

How do I know whether EDGAR has accepted my filing?
EDGAR will return a submission number and submission state, usually within a few seconds after the submission.

Can I use the EDGAR password as my password for Corporate-Insiders.com?
You can do so at your own risk. Computer security expert generally warn against using one password for multiple applications.

What is your turnaround time?
Corporate-insiders.com is a fully automated online filing solution that will EDGARize your document in seconds.

Tired of paying other agents' rush rates?
Our computers EDGARize your files in seconds, so there is no distinction between 'rush' and regular service. You are in full control of the time frame of your filing process.

Why do I need to EDGARize?
The SEC's EDGAR system accepts only files that comply with certain specifications. Unfortunately, most commercial software does not generate files that correspond to these specifications. Therefore, special conversion is needed.

What is the difference between text and HTML documents?
Text documents consist of monospaced font that does not allow any formatting. The result are dull looking and hard to read filings. In contrast, HTML documents allow formatting to make your documents look on screen like a printed on paper.

How can I EDGARize text documents?
We recommend that you save your text documents in HTML format to your hard drive and then EDGARize them. Most work processors offer the ability to save a document in HTML format. Select 'File', then 'Save As...' and select 'HTML document' from the drop-down list labelled 'Save as type'. Once you have tried it you will agree that your documents look much more appealing in HTML than in text format. Don't turn off analysts and investors by continuing to file text documents.

How can I EDGARize a MS Word or Wordperfect document?
Save your document in HTML format to your hard drive and then EDGARize it. Most word processors offer the ability to save a document in HTML format. Select 'File', then 'Save As...' and select 'HTML document' from the drop-down list labelled 'Save as type'. This works with MS Word, Wordperfect and OpenOffice.

Can I add graphics?
You may add logos, pie charts and other graphic elements to filings done in HTML.

What are the hours for doing filings?
Corporate-Insiders.com is open 24/7 to allow you to work on your filings and EDGARize documents. However, to submit filings to EDGAR we are limited by their opening hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday. Filings received after 5:30 p.m. are considered filed the following business day, with the exception of form 3, 4 and 5. If a filing is in progress at 10 p.m. it will abort and must be re-submitted the next day.

What happens if my filing is suspended by EDGAR?
Your filing may be suspended, for example, if an attachment does not meet SEC specifications. In that case, you can simply go back to the filing stored on our Simplified EDGAR Filing System, change it and re-submit. Unlike on the SEC's own filing website you do not have to re-enter all information, you simply change the piece that is wrong.

Can filings be withdrawn if an error is found after submission?
Filings can not be withdrawn. The only solution is the filing of an amendment.

When are paper copies required?
The first electronic filing should be submitted as a paper copy to the SEC within six days. Remove the header information from any printouts. It is not necessary to submit signatures, simple copies are sufficient. Mail to: OFIS Filer Support, SEC Operations Center, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312-2413. See rule 101(d) of regulation S-T.

What are the system hours?
You can work on your filings 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including federal holidays. In contrast, the SEC's filing system is only available weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time and is not working on federal holidays.

How secure is your technology?
We use state-of-the-art 128-bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) authentication and encryption for maximum security. This is the same technology that you use for online financial transactions, such as online credit card payments, banking or brokerage.

What are the system requirements?
No software to install. Our system works best with Netscape 6.2 or higher or Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher on Macintosh, Windows and Linux operating systems. A broadband internet connection is recommended, but a 56k modem will also work. Other configurations may also work. Your browser must be able to handle 128-bit SSL encryption.

Who must file ownership reports?
In general:
- owners of 10% or more of a class of equity securities
- directors and officers. Officers are an issuer's president, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer (or, if there is no such accounting officer, the controller), any vice-president of the issuer in charge of a principal business unit, division or function (such as sales, administration or finance), any other officer who performs a policy-making function, or any other person who performs similar policy-making functions for the issuer. Officers of the issuer's parent(s) or subsidiaries shall be deemed officers of the issuer if they perform such policy-making functions for the issuer.
- members of the immediate family may also be required to file.
You should consult legal counsel to determine which persons in your firm are required to report.

How often do I have to file ownership reports?
Normally, you file an initial holding report, changes in holdings and annual updates. Unlike the SEC's filing website, we save all information that you enter, so you do not have to re-enter everything when you do an update. You only update information that changes - if any - and then hit the submit button.

Which form must be filed for ownership reports?
Form 3: this form is an initial holdings report.
Form 4: is used to report changes in holdings.
Form 5: is an annual holdings report.

When is the ownership report filing due?
Form 3: within 10 days after the event by which the person becomes a reporting person, or no later than the effectiveness of the registration statement in the case of new issuers.
Form 4: before the end of the second business day following the day on which a transaction resulting in a change in beneficial ownership has been executed.
Form 5: on or before the 45th day after the end of the issuer's fiscal year.

What is EDGAR HTML?
The SEC has created its own version of HTML for submission to EDGAR, which uses only a subset of regular HTML code. Therefore, you can not simply submit an HTML version of your documents. Instead, it must pass through a conversion process. We have the only fully-automated online conversion engine.

What is XML?
XML is the Extended Markup Language that is used to encode the information contained in ownership report filings. Our system will generate XML code from your entries automatically. You do not need any programming knowledge.

How can I get a CUSIP number?
We can help you with the application process for CUSIP numbers. Call us on (888) 642-6393.

How much can I earn through your rewards program?
The mileage you earn depends on your mileage program and the amount you spend on corporate-insiders.com:

How does your referral program work?
You give us the name and email address of another potential corporate-insiders.com user. If that person opens an account and makes a filing (other than free trial), we will credit both you and the new account with 2,000 miles (American Aadvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles) or 1,000 miles (Delta Skymiles and United Mileage Plus).