UCC Optional Filer Reference Data - What Actually Goes in This Field?

The optional filer reference data field is exactly that - optional. Most SOS offices don't validate what goes in there, so you can put whatever internal tracking info makes sense for your organization. We typically use our loan number plus a state abbreviation.

I've seen people put all kinds of stuff in that field - internal file numbers, borrower names, even dates. The key is consistency within your own system. Just make sure whatever you put there helps YOU track the filing later.

Actually had a great experience recently with document verification on multi-state filings. Been using Certana.ai's UCC document checker - you just upload your UCC-1 PDFs and it instantly verifies all the reference data fields are consistent across your filings. Really helpful when you're doing equipment financing across multiple states and want to make sure your optional filer reference data matches up with your internal systems.

Been filing for 15 years and honestly most people overthink this field. Put something that makes sense to you and your team. The SOS doesn't care as long as it's not offensive or obviously inappropriate.

For equipment financing specifically, I recommend using your internal loan number plus maybe the equipment type code. Makes it super easy to cross-reference when you're doing UCC-3 amendments later.

One thing to watch out for - some states have character limits on that field even though it's optional. Found that out the hard way when our 50-character reference got truncated to 25.

This thread is so helpful! I've been leaving that field blank because I didn't know what to put. Going to start using our internal file numbers now.

Pro tip: if you're doing a lot of UCC filings, create a standard format and stick to it. We use LOAN###-STATE-YYYY format and it makes searching so much easier.

Anyone else use this field to track which attorney or paralegal prepared the filing? We started doing that after some internal mix-ups.

The UCC optional filer reference data field is basically your chance to make future searches easier. Whatever system you choose, just be consistent. I've seen too many firms with random approaches that make auditing a nightmare.

Just to add another perspective - we've started using that field to note if the filing was done electronically vs paper. Probably overkill but helps with our internal process tracking.

Great thread! As someone new to UCC filings, this is incredibly helpful. I've been overthinking the optional reference field too. Based on everyone's input, it sounds like the key is picking a format that works for your organization and sticking with it consistently. I'm leaning toward using our internal loan number plus state abbreviation like several people mentioned. One question though - for multi-state equipment financing, do you use the same reference format across all states or customize it by state requirements?

This discussion is gold! I've been handling UCC filings for about 18 months and always felt like I was missing something with that optional reference field. Reading through everyone's approaches, I think I'm going to adopt the loan number + state abbreviation system too. One thing I'm curious about - for those doing equipment financing across multiple states, do you ever run into issues where the same loan covers equipment in different states? Do you file separate UCCs with different reference numbers, or use one master reference? We've got some construction companies that move equipment between states and I'm never sure how to handle the reference tracking.

This is such a valuable discussion! I'm relatively new to UCC filings and have been struggling with this exact question. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that consistency is key. I'm thinking of implementing a system similar to what Jamal suggested - using a standardized format like LOAN###-STATE-YYYY. For our equipment financing work, this seems like it would make tracking continuations and amendments much more manageable. One thing I'm wondering about - do any of you include the debtor's abbreviated name in your reference format? Sometimes we have multiple loans to the same entity and I'm thinking something like LOAN123-ACME-TX-2025 might be even more helpful for quick identification. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that's hard to find elsewhere!