Source Type classifies the nature of the document or channel from which a piece of data was collected. Common source types include: regulatory/government filing (highest reliability), audited fund financial statements, fund manager disclosure, news or press release, industry database, proprietary interview, and inferred/estimated data.
Source Type works alongside Provenance to give users a complete picture of data reliability. A deal amount from an audited financial statement is more reliable than one from a press release, which in turn is more reliable than an estimate. Alternatives.pe uses Source Type to help users calibrate confidence when making investment decisions based on platform data.