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Statistics on Products in the Trade Sector

• 1Contact
  • 1.1Contact organisation
    National Statistics Institute of Spain
    
  • 1.5Contact mail address

    Avenida de Manoteras 50-52 - 28050 Madrid

    
    
• 2Metadata update
  • 2.1Metadata last certified
    23/05/2024
  • 2.2Metadata last posted
    28/05/2024
  • 2.3Metadata last update
    23/05/2024
• 3Statistical presentation
  • 3.1Data description

    The Statistics on Products in the Trade Sector (SPTS) is a statistical operation of structural nature and with annual periodicity whose data collection is carried out by means of questionnaires attached to those for the Structural Business Statistics (SBS): Trade Sector and addressed to the same units included in its sample. Therefore, these two operations are fully integrated and share the same methodology in terms of their scope of study,  survey design, classification variables, collection and information processing.

    Note on Statistics on Products in the Trade Sector. For the purposes of statistical results, the SPTS is integrated with the SBS under its version based on Legal Units.

    Note on Structural Business Statistics: Trade Sector. According to the European Statistical System, Structural Business Statistics have implemented a new practical application of the statistical concept of ‘Enterprise' for reference year 2018. Under this new approach, an Enterprise may be made up of one or more Legal Units, and in the latter case, the Statistical Enterprise will include the economic and employment variables of the Legal Units that comprise it. This criterion differs from the one previously applied where each separate Legal Unit was considered an enterprise. In order for users to be able to compare the EEE data under the traditional approach (based on separate Legal Units) and the new approach (based on the concept of Statistical Enterprises), for the 2018 reference year, INE disseminated both versions of statistical results.

    The main objective of the Statistics on Products in the Trade Sector is to ascertain the specific characteristics of each of the sub-sectors that make up Trade (Trade and vehicle repair, Wholesale trade and Retail trade) in order to carry out a more precise sectoral analysis adapted to each economic activity.

    Variables studied:

    • Breakdown of turnover by products. For each of the sub-sectors, the companies surveyed (legal units) are requested to provide a breakdown of turnover according to the products they offer. The relationship of each of these products for each specific activity is adjusted to those collected in the Classification of Products by Activity, although in some cases it differs from this classification by introducing new products or services, or by including other limited activities to enable companies to implement a distribution more appropriate to their turnover.

    • Breakdown of turnover by type of customer or customer's sector of activity. Information regarding the type of customer is requested in the questionnaires in order to be able to correctly assign the company activity. Given that it is common for companies engaged in commercial distribution to carry out both wholesale and retail activities, information on who their customers are will determine which of the two types is their main activity. If a distribution company obtains a higher percentage of turnover from other wholesalers, companies or professionals, its main activity will be wholesale trade, while if its customers are mostly final consumers, the activity assigned will be retail trade.

    Specific variables for each particular sector. These collect information on the characteristics of each sector. Some examples:

    • Breakdown of consumption of spare parts and accessories. Variable requested to companies whose main activity is the repair and maintenance of vehicles.
    
    
    • For retail trade companies, breakdown of turnover according to the sales system (traditional, self-service, e-commerce, mail, catalogue or telesales, vending machines, itinerant or at home).

     

  • 3.2Classification system
    • Clasificaciones utilizadas

      In relation to the main activity of the companies, the survey uses the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009) to stratify, categorise, process and disseminate their data.

      
      
      

      The National Classification of Products by Activity (CPA-2008) is used for product coding.

      
      
      

        

  • 3.3Sector coverage

    The target population of the Statistics on Products in the Trade Sector is made up of  legal units (companies, corporations and individuals) whose main activity is described in section G of the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009) which includes the following divisions:

    • Division 45: Sale and repair of motor vehicles.
    • Division 46: Wholesale trade and trade intermediaries, except motor vehicles and motorcycles.
    • Division 47: Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles trade.

      

  • 3.4Statistical concepts and definitions
    • Turnover
      This includes the total amounts invoiced by the observation unit, during the reference period, for the sales of goods and services supplied to third parties, considering both those carried out directly by the observation unit itself, and those from temporary outsourcing.
      
      These sales of goods or services are accounted for in net terms, that is, including the charges to the client (transport, packages, etc.), though invoiced separately, but deducting the discount on sales for early payment, returns of sales or the value of returned packages, as well as taxes on sales. This includes taxes and fees on goods or services invoiced by the unit, but excludes the VAT paid by the client.
      
      From an administrative point of view, the General Accounting Plan (PGC) (RD 1514/2007, of 16 November) defines the Total net value of turnover, using the following accounting items: C700+C701+C702+C703+C704+C705-C706-C708-C709 with:
      
      C700. Sales of merchandise
      C701. Sales of finished products
      C702. Sales of semi-finished products
      C703. Sales of sub-products and waste
      C704. Sales of packages and packaging
      C705. Provision of services
      C706. Discount on sales for early payment
      C708. Returns of sales and similar transactions
      C709. "Taxes" on sales
      
      Therefore, turnover includes neither subsidies nor other operating income. It also excludes financial and extraordinary income, and other income that affects the results of the fiscal year.
    • Consumo de mercaderías para la reventa
      Valor de los bienes consumidos por la empresa para revenderlos sin someterlos a un proceso de transformación, netos de descuentos sobre compras por pronto pago, devoluciones y rappels por compras, efectuados por la empresa durante el ejercicio de referencia.
    • Company
      The company is the smallest combination of legal units that is an organizational unit producing goods or
      services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the
      allocation of its current resources. A company carries out one or more activities at one or more
      locations. A company may be a sole legal unit.
    • Personal ocupado
      Se corresponde con el número total de personas que trabajan en la unidad de observación (incluidos los propietarios que trabajan, los socios que trabajan con regularidad en la unidad y los familiares no retribuidos que trabajan con regularidad en la unidad) y el de personas que, aunque trabajan fuera de la unidad, pertenecen a ella y son retribuidas por ella (por ejemplo, los representantes de comercio, el personal de mensajería y los equipos de reparación y mantenimiento que trabajan por cuenta de la unidad de observación). Incluye tanto al personal remunerado como al no remunerado.
  • 3.5Statistical unit

    The statistical unit is the company that carries out the provision of any of the services included in the population scope as a main economic activity. The company is also the respondent unit because, as it is perfectly defined and located and has the accounting and employment data available, the response is provided and homogeneous information is obtained.

    Note: The SPTS considers each Legal Unit that produces goods or services as an Enterprise. Its results are, therefore, integrated with the Structural Business Statistics: Trade Sector under its traditional approach based on Legal Units.

      

  • 3.6Statistical population

    The target population of this statistical operation is made up of companies, corporations and individuals, whose main activity is described in section G of the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009).

    Each of these activity groups constitutes an independent population for sampling purposes.

      

  • 3.7Reference area

    From a geographical point of view, this statistic covers the whole of the national territory.
    No results are published that are broken down geographically.

      

  • 3.8Time coverage

    This statistic is conducted on an annual basis.
    There are results available from the reference year 2005 to 2007 using the CNAE-93 as the classification of economic activities; from the reference year 2008 onwards, the CNAE-2009 is used.

     

  • 3.9Base period

    Results for this statistic are available from the reference year 2005.

    • Series until 2007: Results based on the previous National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-93)
    • 2008 series onwards: Results based on the current National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009)

    This operation is integrated into the Structural Business Statistics: Trade Sector, with which it shares the same methodology. For the reference year 2016, this structural operation applied some methodological improvements that had a certain impact on some of its variables, therefore also affecting the results of the Statistics on Products in the Trade Sector. See more details in section 15.2

       
• 4Unit of measure
  • 4.1Unit of measure
    • Thousands of euros for monetary variables.
    • Units for the remaining variables.

      

• 5Reference period
  • 5.1Reference period

    The reference period for the data is the calendar year.

    Data referred to the period: Anual A: 2022

      

• 6Institutional mandate
  • 6.1Legal acts and other agreements

    The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2021-2024, approved by Royal Decree 1110/2020, of 15  December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2021-2024. (Statistics of the State Administration).

    
    

    This statistical operation, framed in the Structural Business Statistics:Trade Sector, conforms to the requirements of REGULATION (EU) 2019/2152 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL  regarding European business statistics and its corresponding Act of implementation 2020/1197.

    https://www.ine.es/normativa/leyes/UE/inditema.htm  

     

  • 6.2Data sharing
    The exchanges of information needed to elaborate statistics between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomic statistical offices, are regulated in the LFEP (Law of the Public Statistic Function). This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
    

    The Statistics Institute of Catalonia participates in the translation of the questionnaires.

      

• 7Confidentiality
  • 7.1Confidentiality - policy

    The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society

    
    
  • 7.2Confidentiality - data treatment
    INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.
    

    Disaggregation levels have been designed in the tabulation plan that are not affected by confidential data. For tailored requests, cell suppression is used to preserve statistical confidentiality.

      

• 8Release policy
  • 8.1Release calendar

    The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.

    
    
  • 8.2Release calendar access

    The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar)

    
    
  • 8.3User access

    The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice

    
    
• 9Frequency of dissemination
  • 9.1Frequency of dissemination

    This statistic is published annually.

      

• 10Accessibility and clarity
  • 10.1News release

    The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web

    
    
  • 10.2Publications

    The results of this statistical operation are published on the INE Website (https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176903&menu=resultados&idp=1254735576799) and some results are included in publications such as the Anuario Estadistico (Statistical Yearbook), Cifras INE (INE figures), etc.

      

  • 10.3On-line database

    INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organisation of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration . The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or subject based on the individually collected data. Also included in the scope of this definition are synthesis preparation.

    
    

    Access to tables and time series:
    From www.ine.es : On INEbase in the "Services" section by selecting Trade and then "Statistics of products in the trade sector":
    https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176903&menu=resultados&idp=1254735576799

    The number of consultations in 2023 was:

    Number of consultations of data tables:  AC1=35,030 accesses

    Number of metadata queries:  AC2=405 accesses

      

  • 10.4Micro-data access
    A lot of statistical operations disseminate public domain anonymized files, available free of charge for downloading in the INE website Microdata Section
    

    No microdata file is provided for this statistical operation.

    Microdata files are only provided to other statistical bodies (Statistics Institutes of the Autonomous Communities) which also have the obligation to preserve statistical confidentiality.

      

  • 10.5Other

    The data, which is published annually, aims to provide basic and relevant information on the main results of the statistical operation in order to satisfy the demand for information from its various users.

    It is worth noting that the year-on-year variations obtained from the results of this survey may sometimes (and to a greater or lesser extent) be due to changes in the structure of the corresponding reference populations (for example, activity changes in certain companies that result in their being assigned to a different activity sector from the previous year, etc.), and thereforethe aforementioned variations must not be directly associated with a change of the same magnitude in the productive activity of the group of companies in a given sector or sub-population in all cases.

    Finally, it is important to point out that the publication of the survey is not limited exclusively to the tables offered here or included in the publication. Safeguarding the restrictions arising from statistical confidentiality or from the survey sample type, the existing computer procedures allow for tailored requests for aggregated data, which can be provided in the support or format chosen by the user.

    The request is made through the Information Area https://www.ine.es/prodyser/informacion 

      

  • 10.6Documentation on methodology

    A detailed description is available at:

    https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176903&menu=metodologia&idp=1254735576799#

       

  • 10.7Quality documentation

    Based on REGULATION (EU) 2019/2152 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on European business statistics, the European Commission (Eurostat) evaluates the quality of the data transmitted and publishes reports on the quality of the European statistics. To this end, each country provides information on the variation coefficients for the characteristics collected therein and with the level of disaggregation requested, as well as non-response data. The quality report contains both quantitative and qualitative information. 

    This standardised methodological report contains all elements that are considered as a "User-oriented Quality Report" for this operation. 

    https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/EN/sbs_esms_es.htm

     

• 11Quality management
  • 11.1Quality assurance

    Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.

    
    

    The process of preparing the statistic has established controls to detect and correct errors in order to guarantee the quality of the statistic.

    This error control is carried out from the filtering phase up to the sending of the final series required by Eurostat. During the questionnaire filtering phase, measures are taken to reduce non-response.

    In addition to the controls recommended by the European body, the last phase includes other internal controls to guarantee a final product of sufficient quality.

      

  • 11.2Quality assessment

    Commission Regulation 275/2010 establishes the elements for the evaluation of the data series sent to Eurostat by the different member states for structural business statistics, based on the quality criteria listed in article 12, paragraph 1 , of Regulation (EC) No. 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, namely: relevance, precision, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility, clarity, comparability and coherence.

    The statistics can be considered of high quality given that a sufficiently representative sample of the target population is procured for each stratum of activity and company size. In addition, the data is subjected to adjustment criteria and year-on-year checks, as well as cross-checks with data from administrative registers, such as those provided in the commercial register.

      

• 12Relevance
  • 12.1User needs

    The survey users include:

    • Various INE statistical operations such as National Accounts, Statistics on Affiliates of Foreign Companies in Spain and short-term survey on Retail Trade Index.
    • Ministries and other public agencies.
    • Territorial administrations (Autonomous Communities, City Councils)...).
    • Companies and institutions.
    • Researchers and universities.
    • Individuals, and in general anyone interested in the structural analysis of the trade sector.

      

  • 12.2User satisfaction

    The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013,  2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...

    On the INE website, in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click  next link)

     

    
    

    In the quality section of the INE website, there are different "User Satisfaction Surveys" where the group (Services) in which this statistical operation is classified is evaluated. These results can give an idea of the opinion of users regarding this operation.

      

  • 12.3Completeness

    This statistical operation appears in the 2021-2024 National Statistics Plan in the section on structural information for the services sector and in the EU Statistical Programme: Annual company statistics.

    Rate of completeness of the data: R1=100%

       

• 13Accuracy and reliability
  • 13.1Overall accuracy

    The sampling design attempts to minimise sampling errors and the different survey processes are aimed at eliminating or reducing, as far as possible, survey errors, both in the collection phase (response rate and filtering control) and in subsequent filtering and imputing phases.

    The collection procedure, coverage control, filtering of errors and imputing the non-response provides a high degree of statistical reliability.

      

  • 13.2Sampling error

    Sampling errors are calculated for the main variables at different levels of disaggregation.

    Unbiased estimators have been used in the stratified sampling with a correction of the directory according to the type of incidence presented.

    https://www.ine.es/dynt3/inebase/es/index.htm?padre=6610&capsel=6614

    Sampling error for Turnover variable:  A1 = 0.15%

      

  • 13.3Non-sampling error

    A control of non-sampling errors is carried out throughout the statistical process. Specific information on the non-response rate is also available.

    Over-coverage rate: A2=7%

    Non-response rate by unit: A4=14.2%

    • By size according to the number of employees: Up to 9: 19.7%      From 10 to 49: 5.4%        50 or more: 4.4%

     

• 14Timeliness and punctuality
  • 14.1Timeliness

    Implementation act 2020/1197 of REGULATION (EU) 2019/2152 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on European business statistics requires the availability of results within 18 months of the end of the reference period. This objective is met by publishing the Final results of the statistics before the end of this deadline.

    Opportunity final results:   TP2 = t+16 months+ 28 days

      

  • 14.2Punctuality

    Data is published according to the availability calendar of structural statistics that the INE prepares and publishes for each year.

      

• 15Coherence and Comparability
  • 15.1Comparability - geographical

    The availability of a common methodology, design and process of collection, filtering, editing and updating in all its geographical scope, guarantees the comparability of the results between the different Autonomous Communities. On the other hand, the methodological adaptation to the european regulation on structural business statistics makes it possible to compare with the other European Union countries.

      

  • 15.2Comparability - over time
    In reference year 2008, a logical gap occurred in the series, due to the introduction of the new National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009).

     

    In reference year 2016, the second year of the 'Project for the integration of structural economic surveys ' different methodological improvements related to the treatment of companies that cause a high or low target population during the reference year, as well as the imputation of non-response, were applied. All of this has had a certain impact on the study variables which is explained and quantified in the document " Measurement of the effect of the methodological changes in the Structural Business Statistics 2016", available together with the published data from the Structural Business Statistics: Trade Sector. Therefore, the results obtained for 2016 are not strictly comparable to those of other years as the evolution of the variables is due not only to possible real changes produced in that period, but also to the effects of methodological improvements on the estimation of these variables.

     

    Length of comparable time series: CC2= 7

      
  • 15.3Coherence - cross domain

    The use of the same National Classification of Economic Activities allows the comparison of the survey information with other economic statistics (such as short-term surveys on the Trade Sector) and with the Central Business Register (Directorio Central de Empresas DIRCE).

    It is comparable at the international level, it covers the information needs of the statistic's various users and it is a useful instrument for the National Accounts. Furthermore, it serves as a framework for updating short-term indicators and for studying the changes that have occurred in the sector.

      

  • 15.4Coherence - internal

    Coherence is a fundamental matter both in the survey methodology approach and in the whole preparation process. The coherence between the variables is compared in all phases of the statistical process.

    Statistics are internally consistent (e.g., arithmetic and accounting identities are observed) and consistent or reconcilable over a reasonable period of time.

      

• 16Cost and burden
  • 16.1Cost and burden

    INE, aware of the statistical burden borne by companies, attempts to apply certain measures in its surveys to reduce this burden as far as possible and, in any case, to facilitate the completion of the information required from the respondents.

    Below are some of the measures adopted in this operation to reduce the statistical burden:

    • Cooperation arrangements are established to take full advantage of the information available and to avoid unnecessary duplicate statistical operations. The sample size and breadth of the questionnaires are reduced to the bare minimum.
    • In the sample selection process, negative coordination methods are applied, i.e. minimum possible overlap (covering the survey objectives) between samples of surveys that coexist in the same period of time.
    • Use of different questionnaire models with different levels of simplification depending on the characteristics of each company. Thus, small companies usually fill out a questionnaire with fewer variables and breakdowns. All questionnaire models attempt to reduce the breadth of the questionnaires to the bare minimum.
    • Internet completion is encouraged by electronic questionnaires with questions, flows and validations adapted to the respondent company, which facilitates completion and improves the quality of data collected. Internet questionnaires are designed in such a way that subsequent contact with respondents can be avoided or at least minimised.

    The estimate of the budgetary appropriation necessary to finance this statistic foreseen in the 2024 Annual Programme is 31.25 thousand euros.

      

• 17Data revision
  • 17.1Data revision - policy

    The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (link).

    This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow:  routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions-; more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place-; and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic-.

    
    

    There is no data review.

       

  • 17.2Data revision - practice

    Data is published when definitive, it is not subject to review.

       

• 18Statistical processing
  • 18.1Source data

    The SPTS investigates the same sample of legal units selected for the Structural Business Statistics: Trade Sector.

    The details relating to the population frame (DIRCE- Business Register), type of sampling (stratified), allocation between strata (optimum), sample selection (random in each stratum of a non-comprehensive type), sample estimators and sampling errors can be consulted in the Methodological Notes of the Structural Business Statistics of the Trade Sector.

    In the document "Structural Business Statistics. Methodology" available on the INE website, more details can be consulted on the sample design, estimators and how sampling errors are calculated.

    https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/en/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176902&menu=metodologia&idp=1254735576799

       

  • 18.2Frequency of data collection

    Data is collected annually. For reference year t, the collection takes place from April to September of year t+1.

      

  • 18.3Data collection

    The information is collected annually, simultaneously with that of the Structural Business Statistics: Trade Sector, through the INE Collection Units.

    Questionnaire completion via the internet is encouraged as much as possible, a method that reaches over 98% of the total number of questionnaires collected. However, respondents have other response channels available (postal mail, telephone etc...).

    In addition, the collection units are responsible for manning the telephone lines to resolve questions from respondents and for recording and filtering questionnaires. Errors and anomalous data are subject to revision, establishing, if necessary, new telephone contact with respondents.

       

  • 18.4Data validation

    During the questionnaire collection phase, a first filtering and coding process is carried out. Both the electronic questionnaires that the respondents fill out on the Internet, as well the application for the management, recording and filtering of the collection used by the INE collection units, have systems programmed for the detection of errors to validate the data as they are entered by the user. It distinguishes between serious type errors (which must be necessarily corrected) and anomalies of a second level (which, after confirmation, must be justified). In addition, during data collection and filtering, measures are also taken to reduce non-response.

    The records made by Collection Units form and supply weekly the complete record files on which the subsequent phases of the joint information processing are carried out. These files are processed in the Central Services where information coverage is controlled to guarantee completeness of the recorded data, detect duplicates and coverage errors and at the same time carry out an initial assessment of the quality of the variables collected.

      

  • 18.5Data compilation

    Compilation of the information of the sample Legal Units

    As the collection progresses and the complete recording files are formed, the data is subjected to additional micro-filtration controls at Central Services focused, selectively, on the detection and filtering of errors and inconsistencies in the variables of each record, as well as the filtering and imputation of content errors. Depending on the characteristics of each type of error, automatic imputation procedures are used in certain cases. Likewise, systematic errors detected in previously studies and analyses on recorded data are corrected.

    Since reference year 2016 various methodological improvements have been applied to the Structural Business Statistics, included in the "Integration Project of the Structural Economic Surveys". The aforementioned improvements are related to the treatment of companies that cause the target population to rise or fall in the reference year, as well as the imputation of non-response. On the other hand, the estimation of employment variables has been improved by using administrative sources.

    • The non-response (companies considered to be active for which it was not possible to get a duly completed questionnaire) is subject to automatic imputation, which allows it to be considered as an effective sample. This indicates a relevant methodological change with respect to what was done until 2015; only very relevant companies with non-response were imputed, the rest were not considered to be an effective sample and so they contributed to increasing the scale of elevation factors, as they were companies that were collected in the stratum that represented them.

    For internal methodological studies, the conclusion was made that reconsidering the non-response brought with it a certain overestimation of monetary variables, as a significant part of the non-response is only active during part of the reference year. For this reason, a decision was made to substitute this re-weighting with the application of different imputation techniques, based on administrative data. The minimum aim of these imputations was that both the turnover and the number of employees corresponds to the company's own value and during the year in question. The rest of the variables are imputed, using highly correlated administrative information, conditional on the two variables, which guarantees the global coherence of the imputed records.

    • With regards to the employment variables, their estimation has been improved for each company by combining the information collected in the questionnaires with data from administrative sources. More details can be found in the Structural Business Statistics. Industrial Sector / Trade Sector / Services Sector. Methodology document.

    For the effective sample (which, as explained, has included the non-response since 2016), elevation factors are calculated to determine the estimates of different variables. The last stage, before the tabulation and release of the results, is obtaining analysis tables through macro-filtration techniques to eliminate the errors and inconsistencies detected. The data are also subjected to comparisons with other statistics (e.g., other short-term INE surveys on the sectors studied) and with information from administrative sources, in order to guarantee a final product of sufficient quality. 

      

  • 18.6Adjustment

    No seasonal adjustments are made.

       

• 19Comment
  • 19.1Comment