---
title: "Why every business fact needs a source and an \"as of\" date"
slug: why-facts-need-sources-and-dates
cluster: business-dna
type: spoke
description: "A fact with no source can't be checked, and a fact with no date can't be trusted to still be true. Here's why Business DNA attaches both to every fact."
answer: "Every business fact needs a source so it can be checked, and a date so readers know how old it is. Business facts decay: directors change, insurance renews and offices move. Business DNA attaches a source and a date to each individual fact, so people and AI assistants can quote it accurately, with its age, rather than guessing."
published: 2026-11-05
updated: 2026-11-05
author: "About This Business editorial team"
takeaways:
  - "A source answers \"says who?\" and a date answers \"since when?\""
  - "Business facts decay: people change, policies renew, offices move."
  - "Business DNA dates each fact, not just the page."
  - "Dated, sourced facts let AI assistants tell a current fact from an old copy."
imagePrompt: "An old brass desk calendar with blank flip cards beside a stack of documents tied with string, a small blank paper luggage tag attached to the stack, morning light through a tall window casting long shadows across a worn wooden desk"
imageAlt: "A brass desk calendar beside a string-tied stack of documents with a paper tag"
faq:
  - q: "Why not show one \"last updated\" date for the whole profile?"
    a: "Because facts age at different speeds. A founding year never changes, but an insurance policy may renew every year. Business DNA shows a date on each fact and a last-reviewed date for the profile."
  - q: "What does an \"as of\" date mean?"
    a: "It's the date a fact was known to be true according to its source. It doesn't promise the fact is still true today, but it tells you how old the information is."
  - q: "What should I do if a fact's date is old?"
    a: "Treat it as a prompt to ask, not a conclusion. An old date means the record hasn't been refreshed, not that the fact has stopped being true."
sources:
  - title: "Our Standards — how sources and evidence dates are shown"
    url: "/our-standards"
---

## Why do business facts go out of date?

**Because businesses change constantly, and most of the web never records those changes.**

- **People change.** Directors resign, new leaders are appointed and contact names go stale.
- **Cover renews.** Insurance policies typically run for a year, so last year's certificate says nothing about this year.
- **Places move.** Offices relocate, and service areas grow or shrink.
- **Status changes.** Companies are renamed, restructured or dissolved.

A directory listing written years ago can sit unchanged, still ranking, and now still being read by AI assistants.

## What does a source tell you?

**A source answers "says who?", which lets you check the fact and tells you what kind of claim it is.** Every Business DNA fact carries a source label, and each profile's Sources section lists every source, its type and the date it was consulted. A fact sourced from the business's own website is company-provided. A fact checked against an issuer's record may be authenticated. See [Company-provided vs authenticated](/knowledge/business-dna/company-statement-vs-authenticated).

## What does a date tell you?

**A date answers "since when?", which tells you how much to rely on the fact today.** Authenticated facts show their last-authenticated date. Business DNA dates each fact rather than only the page, because a founding year from 1998 and an insurance policy checked last month don't have the same shelf life.

## Why do sources and dates matter for AI answers?

**AI assistants combine many sources into one answer, and without dates they can't tell an old fact from a new one.** An assistant may blend an old address with a current phone number and present both as current. A sourced, dated fact gives it something better: it can say *"according to the company's Business DNA, as of October 2026…"* and link back. The companion guide explains how assistants choose sources: [How AI assistants decide what to say about your business](/knowledge/ai-search).

## What does an old date mean?

**It means the record hasn't been refreshed, not that the fact is false.** A profile might show insurance last authenticated eighteen months ago. That's not a finding that the business is uninsured. It's a reason to ask. See ["Information pending" isn't a red flag](/knowledge/business-dna/information-pending-is-not-a-red-flag).

For owners, the fix is a regular review: [Keeping your record fresh](/knowledge/owners-guide/keeping-your-record-fresh).

---

Part of **[What is Business DNA? The complete guide](/knowledge/business-dna)**.