Walk in prepared — not hoping
Every bank credit appraisal for an MSME follows the same documentation checklist. The businesses that get approved quickly are the ones who have these five documents ready, clean, and consistent before they walk in.
The five documents
1. Last 2 years audited financial statements. P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow — signed by your statutory auditor. Unaudited statements get a haircut or outright rejection.
2. GST returns — last 12 months GSTR-3B. The bank compares your GST-declared revenue with your financial statements. Unexplained differences are an instant red flag.
3. Bank statements — all accounts — last 12 months. All means all. The bank adds credits across all accounts to verify stated turnover.
4. CMA data. A standardised financial analysis format banks use for credit appraisal. A well-prepared CMA tells your credit story; a poorly prepared one raises more questions than it answers.
5. Stock and debtors statement. Current stock (valued at cost) and outstanding debtors with ageing. Determines working capital requirement and collection quality assessment.
Prepare these five documents before your first conversation with the RM. A bank that sees a complete, consistent file moves 3x faster.