Confused about accounts UCC definition for my restaurant receivables filing
Hi everyone, I'm struggling to understand the proper accounts UCC definition for a filing I need to complete. My restaurant has outstanding receivables from corporate catering contracts and some equipment lease agreements. The bank is requiring a UCC-1 filing to secure their loan, but I'm getting conflicting information about how to properly classify these accounts in the collateral description. Some sources say accounts receivable from services fall under a different category than accounts from goods sold. The loan officer mentioned something about 'accounts' having a specific legal definition under Article 9, but honestly I'm lost. We have about $85,000 in outstanding invoices from regular catering jobs plus another $45,000 from a convention center contract that runs through next year. I also have monthly receivables from three corporate clients with standing orders. Do all of these count as 'accounts' for UCC purposes? I don't want to mess up the collateral description and have the filing rejected. Any guidance would be really helpful - this is my first time dealing with secured transactions and the terminology is confusing.
40 comments


Amara Nwosu
The UCC definition of 'accounts' is pretty broad - it includes rights to payment for goods sold or services performed. Your catering receivables would definitely qualify as accounts since you're providing food service. The key distinction is between accounts (rights to payment) and inventory (the actual goods). All those outstanding invoices you mentioned would be considered accounts under Article 9.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That's helpful, thanks! So even though some of my receivables are from ongoing contracts rather than one-time sales, they still count as accounts?
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Amara Nwosu
•Exactly - the source doesn't matter as much as the fact that they represent payment obligations for services you've provided or will provide.
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AstroExplorer
I went through this exact same situation last year with my consulting business. The accounts UCC definition basically covers any monetary obligation someone owes you for work performed or goods delivered. Your restaurant receivables, contract payments, monthly billing - all of that falls under accounts. Just make sure your collateral description is specific enough to cover everything but not so narrow that it excludes future receivables.
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Liam O'Donnell
•How specific should I get in the description? Should I list each client or just say 'all accounts receivable'?
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AstroExplorer
•Generally 'all accounts, contract rights, and general intangibles' covers most situations. You want to be comprehensive without being overly restrictive.
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Giovanni Moretti
•I'd be careful about being too generic though. Some lenders want more specific descriptions depending on the industry and loan terms.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
Actually ran into a similar mess with my UCC filing last month. Spent hours trying to figure out if my service contracts counted as accounts or something else. Found this tool called Certana.ai that lets you upload your documents and it checks everything for consistency. Uploaded my customer contracts and UCC-1 draft, and it flagged that my collateral description was too narrow to cover all my receivables. Super helpful for catching those kind of details before filing.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That sounds exactly like what I need! Did it help you understand the accounts definition better?
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Yeah, it showed me which receivables were covered by my description and which weren't. Made it much clearer what needed to be included.
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Dylan Cooper
ugh why is this stuff so complicated?? I just want to know if my customer payments count as accounts for the UCC filing. Seems like everything in business finance has ten different definitions depending on who you ask.
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AstroExplorer
•I know it's frustrating but the definitions are actually pretty consistent once you understand the basic categories. Accounts = money owed to you. Inventory = stuff you own. Equipment = tools/machinery you use.
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Dylan Cooper
•ok that helps simplify it a bit. So basically if someone owes me money for work I did, that's an account?
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Amara Nwosu
•Right, and it doesn't matter if the work was a one-time job or part of an ongoing contract - still falls under accounts.
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Sofia Perez
The accounts UCC definition is found in section 9-102 if you want to read the exact legal language. But practically speaking, it includes receivables from sales of goods or services. Your restaurant situation definitely fits - catering contracts create accounts when you perform the service and invoice for payment.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Should I include future receivables too, or just current outstanding ones?
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Sofia Perez
•Usually you want to include both existing and future accounts. The UCC allows security interests in after-acquired property, so you can secure receivables that don't exist yet.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•Be careful with that though - some states have specific rules about after-acquired property clauses. Check your local requirements.
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ElectricDreamer
Just went through UCC filing for my food truck business. Similar situation with accounts from regular customers and event bookings. The definition is pretty straightforward - if you provided goods or services and are owed money, those are accounts. Your catering receivables, monthly billing, contract payments all qualify.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Did you have any issues with the filing getting rejected over collateral descriptions?
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ElectricDreamer
•No issues once I made sure the description covered all types of receivables. The key is being comprehensive without being overly complex.
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Ava Johnson
From what I understand about accounts UCC definition, the main requirement is that it represents a right to payment for goods or services. Restaurant receivables would definitely qualify whether they're from individual meals, catering contracts, or ongoing service agreements. The UCC doesn't really distinguish between different types of service accounts.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That makes sense. So I don't need to worry about categorizing different types of receivables separately?
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Ava Johnson
•Generally no, they all fall under the broad accounts category. The important thing is making sure your collateral description captures everything you want to secure.
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Miguel Diaz
•Although if you have any licensing fees or franchise payments, those might be classified differently as general intangibles rather than accounts.
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Zainab Ahmed
I was confused about this too until my attorney explained it. Accounts under the UCC basically means any contractual right to payment. Your restaurant receivables from catering services create accounts when you perform the work and bill for it. The definition is broad enough to cover most business receivables.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Good to know! Did your attorney mention anything about how to word the collateral description?
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Zainab Ahmed
•She recommended using standard language like 'all accounts, chattel paper, instruments, and general intangibles' to cover all bases.
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Connor Byrne
Had a similar question about my service business accounts. Used Certana.ai to verify my UCC-1 was properly describing all my receivables. Really helpful because it cross-referenced my customer contracts with the collateral description to make sure everything was covered under the accounts definition. Saved me from having to refile later.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That verification feature sounds really useful. Did it help clarify which receivables counted as accounts?
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Connor Byrne
•Yes, it highlighted that some of my licensing income needed to be classified as general intangibles rather than accounts. Good catch before filing.
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Yara Abboud
The accounts UCC definition is actually pretty logical once you get used to it. Think of it this way - if you delivered food or services and someone owes you money for it, that's an account. Your catering receivables, monthly contracts, outstanding invoices all fit that description. The UCC definition is designed to be broad enough to cover most business receivables.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That's a helpful way to think about it. So basically any unpaid invoice would be an account?
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Yara Abboud
•Right, as long as the invoice is for goods sold or services performed. The key is the underlying transaction that created the payment obligation.
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PixelPioneer
•Just be aware that some specialized payment rights might fall under different categories like instruments or chattel paper depending on the specific circumstances.
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Keisha Williams
Been doing UCC filings for small businesses for years. The accounts definition covers your situation perfectly - restaurant receivables from catering services are classic examples of accounts under Article 9. Your outstanding invoices from corporate clients and convention center contracts all qualify. The definition is intentionally broad to capture most commercial receivables.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Thanks for the reassurance! One last question - do I need to list specific dollar amounts in the collateral description?
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Keisha Williams
•No, you don't need specific amounts. The collateral description should focus on the type of property (accounts) rather than values. Dollar amounts can change but the classification stays the same.
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Isabella Costa
The UCC Article 9 definition of "accounts" in section 9-102(a)(2) is actually quite comprehensive for your restaurant situation. It covers "a right to payment of a monetary obligation, whether or not earned by performance, (i) for property that has been or is to be sold, leased, licensed, assigned, or otherwise disposed of, (ii) for services rendered or to be rendered..." Your catering receivables, corporate contract payments, and monthly billing arrangements all fall squarely within this definition since they represent payment obligations for food service you've provided. The key thing to remember is that accounts are created when you perform the service and become entitled to payment - whether that's from a one-time catering job or an ongoing corporate contract doesn't change the classification.
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Sydney Torres
•This is exactly the kind of detailed explanation I was looking for! So even though my convention center contract runs through next year, those future payments would still be classified as accounts once I perform the services each month?
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