Skip-the-Branch Checklist

How the Skip-the-Branch Checklist works

Most people put off asking about a business loan because they imagine a folder of paperwork and a morning lost to a bank appointment. In practice, an online application relies on things you already have: your ABN, your photo ID, your internet banking and, depending on your situation, a few files from your accounting software or ATO online services.

This checklist turns your answers into a list sorted by how each item is handled. Some things you simply have ready. Others are shared through a secure, read-only link. Some are uploaded or forwarded. The loan documents themselves are e-signed. And for property-secured loans, a couple of steps — the valuation and registering the security — are arranged for you.

What do the online levels mean?

• Fully online — every step, from enquiry to signing, can be done from a phone or laptop.
• Mostly online — everything at your end is online, with one or two extra steps someone else arranges, such as a property valuation, or a document you'll need to gather first.
• Online, plus an extra step — still no branch, but expect something like a witnessed signature on property documents, or catching up on bookkeeping before applying.

None of these levels says anything about your chances of approval. They describe the process, not the outcome. Approval depends on your actual circumstances, which a specialist reviews once you send an enquiry.

Why do structure and banking change the list?

A sole trader and their business are legally the same person, so the list is short. A company adds director details, and every director usually completes their own identity check and signature. A trust adds the trust deed, because the lender needs to see who the trustee is and what it's allowed to do. Partnerships need each partner's details.

Banking matters because bank data is the centre of most online assessments. A separate business account with internet banking can usually be shared in minutes through a secure statement link. Business money flowing through a personal account can still be assessed, but it takes more explaining. Some smaller banks and credit unions aren't available through every statement service, in which case official PDF statements do the same job.

Getting your documents ready without a printer

If you're a company director, setting up myID and linking it to your business through the Relationship Authorisation Manager lets you download BAS and ATO statements yourself in minutes. If you use Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, a profit and loss report exports in a couple of clicks. Supplier quotes can simply be forwarded. You'll find a full map of where every document lives on our page about paperless business loan documents.

When you're ready, the enquiry itself takes about a minute and involves no credit check. It goes to one team, not to a list of lenders — and accurate answers on the form mean your specialist can confirm your checklist on the very first call.