Making precise records can help you assess the performance of your business. It’s difficult to spot patterns, calculate ratios or make future decisions without these records. You also need these records when you file tax returns and also to support the data you report in your financial statements. These include income (profit and loss) statements as well as balance sheets.

Most states have departments of corporation or secretary of state offices that require businesses to file an official declaration of ownership. Most have made these documents available online. You can search for these records by name of the business and the websites typically include a list of the names of the officers and directors, their addresses, and additional details about the business. Certain private firms or companies compile business directories. These directories may list the headquarters city as well as the city where a business is registered. They also include contact details and the principal officer or sharevault officers of the company as well as a brief overview about the kind of business in which the company is engaged.

A lot of cities require that any person or company engaging in an activity within the city must register, and a lot of cities have placed these documents online. Some counties also maintain an index of business names that are fictitious, where the top officers or partners of a company could be listed along with their addresses. Certain states have a master list of all fictitious business names and some counties, as well as the secretary of the state department or the corporation department have made these available online.