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updatedAt: 2026-07-31T09:11:58.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://docs.youlend.com/llms.txt
---

# Prequalification

Learn how to prequalify merchants for cash advance offers using YouLend's prequalification API or CSV file exchange, including best practices and data requirements.

A prequalified offer is an indicative funding amount that can be used to market to a merchant. These teaser offers can be presented in a few ways, for example:

* Surfaced within your native application environment
* Sent via scheduled or triggered email marketing (or direct mail)
* Integrated into the workflow of your customer support team so they can discuss cash advance when they speak with your merchants

Prequalified offers can be calculated by providing YouLend with anonymised history of sales/ payments/ payouts (collectively known as "payment data") for a merchant. YouLend will return a result for each merchant indicating whether that merchant is eligible for cash advance or not, and if so for how much. This can be done via two routes:

1. Via [Prequalification API](https://docs.youlend.com/reference/post_requests-1)
2. Via csv file exchange (usually SFTP server)

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  ### Good to know

  For a merchant to be prequalified a minimum of three months' data must be provided. YouLend recommend that partners share at least 12 months to get more accurate offers

  Payment data should be shared as aggregated data, not transaction level data
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<Callout icon="👍" theme="okay">
  ### Best practice

  The prequalified amount is generally very close to the final offer. The fee and the repayment percentage ('sweep') are more likely to differ

  At the prequalification stage, we recommend using only the highest funding amount from the prequalified offers as an enticement, without providing the detailed fee and repayment percentage

  Example copy: You are prequalified for business funding of up to £27,400 based on your card sales. _Apply here_
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### Example prequalification file (csv)

| CustomerId | Jun-24 | Jul-24 | Aug-24 | Sep-24 | Oct-24 | Nov-24 | Dec-24 |
| :--------- | :----- | :----- | :----- | :----- | :----- | :----- | :----- |
| 1          | £1,010 | £6,024 | £1,010 | £6,024 | £9,500 | £6,024 | £6,024 |
| 2          | £2,501 | £1,010 | £9,500 | £1,010 | £1,010 | £2,501 | £9,500 |
| 3          | £5,010 | £6,024 | £6,130 | £2,501 | £4,120 | £1,010 | £6,024 |
| 4          | £9,500 | £1,010 | £1,010 | £6,024 | £6,024 | £6,024 | £2,501 |
| 5          | £1,012 | £7,510 | £1,019 | £7.016 | £2,501 | £1,010 | £1,010 |
| 6          | £2,913 | £1,300 | £2,501 | £1,010 | £6,024 | £9,500 | £6,024 |

<Callout icon="⚠️" theme="warn">
  ### Important

  There are certain industries which YouLend cannot fund. We recommend screening out merchants in these industries before data is sent to YouLend for prequalification. For a complete list of disallowed SIC codes, please see the [Disallowed SIC Codes](https://docs.youlend.com/docs/disallowed-sic-codes#/) section in the General Guide.
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