How signals work: dates, "new" and history

Each signal is a dated fact from the public record. It carries two dates, and knowing the difference tells you how fresh it really is.

The two dates

• When it happened - the date on the record, such as the day a director was appointed or a company entered liquidation. This is the date you see on a company's profile.
• When it appeared - the date it showed up in NewcoHunter. "New this week" in your alerts is based on this date.

New versus history

Recent signals are shown as new and can trigger alerts. Older ones stay on the company's profile as history, so you can still see what has happened there, but they will not be sent to you as fresh news.

Why some signals are months old

Signals that come from a company's accounts, such as Net assets up and Net assets down, reflect the company's last financial year. Companies file accounts well after the year ends, so these signals describe the past rather than this month. Treat them as a view of direction, not a live feed.

Changes such as a new director, a new owner or an insolvency case are different. They are filed as they happen, and many appear the same day. See How fresh is the data?

What to do with this

• Use the happened date in your outreach, not the appeared date.
• For accounts-based signals, say "your latest accounts" rather than implying something is happening right now.