Unlike most other databases at Morningstar (open and closed end mutual funds, variable annuities, variable life, exchange traded funds, stocks, ownership database), save for hedge funds, this is a voluntary database.
Both separate accounts and collective investment trusts are unregistered investment vehicles – they are not registered with the SEC in the U.S. - data streams of information are not readily available.
We have to constantly recruit and constantly asking the money managers to keep supplying data
The database is used by money managers for competitive analysis, institutional investors and consultants for DB/DC pension plans, endowments, and foundations. It is also used by advisors for high net worth clients, smaller institutions
The data is one database that is accessed and used in different ways by Morningstar Direct, Institutional Investor Exchange, Advisor Workstation Enterprise Edition, Morningstar Office, and Principia.
The database contains a wide assortment of quantitative data points as well – more than 750
There is a lot of qualitative information gathered as well – for example: strategy objective and investment approach, firm history, manager biographies, performance disclosure