• Methods and Projects
• Standards and Classifications

• Standardised Methodological Report

Minimise complete Methodological Report Complete Methodological Report Queried fields

Services Sector Activity Indicators

• 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
    18/03/2024
  • 2.2Metadata last posted
    18/01/2024
  • 2.3Metadata last update
    18/03/2024
• 3Statistical presentation
  • 3.1Data description

    The main objective of the survey is to provide indicators on the short-term evolution of the activity of companies operating in the service sector in Spain through two variables: turnover in nominal terms, i. e. at current prices, and employment.

    This is a statistic per se with direct data collection. Results are presented as indices so as to measure variations as compared to the base year 2021.

  • 3.2Classification system
    • Agrupaciones de actividades
      G   Comercio al por mayor y al por menor; reparación de vehículos de motor y motocicletas
           45   Venta y reparación de vehículos de motor y motocicletas
                 451_453_454   Venta de vehículos, motocicletas y repuestos
                 452   Mantenimiento y reparación de vehículos de motor
           46   Comercio al por mayor e intermediarios del comercio, excepto de vehículos de motor y motocicletas
                 461   Intermediarios del comercio
                 462   Comercio al por mayor de materias primas agrarias y de animales vivos
                 463   Comercio al por mayor de productos alimenticios, bebidas y tabaco
                 464   Comercio al por mayor de artículos de uso doméstico
                 465   Comercio al por mayor de equipos para las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones
                 466   Comercio al por mayor de otra maquinaria, equipos y suministros
                 467   Otro comercio al por mayor especializado
                 469   Comercio al por mayor no especializado
           47   Comercio al por menor, excepto de vehículos de motor y motocicletas
      H-N_STS   Servicios requeridos por el Reglamento STS (excepto la sección G)
           H   Transporte y almacenamiento
                 49   Transporte terrestre y por tubería
                       491_492   Transporte por ferrocarril
                       4931_4939   Otro transporte terrestre de pasajeros
                       4932   Transporte por taxi
                       494   Transporte de mercancías por carretera y servicios de mudanza
                 50   Transporte marítimo y por vías navegables interiores
                 51   Transporte aéreo
                 52   Almacenamiento y actividades anexas al transporte
                 53   Actividades postales y de correos
           I   Hostelería
                 55   Servicios de alojamiento
                 56   Servicios de comidas y bebidas
           J   Información y comunicaciones
                 58   Edición
                 59   Actividades cinematográficas, de vídeo y de programas de televisión, grabación de sonido y edición musical
                 60   Actividades de programación y emisión de radio y televisión
                 61   Telecomunicaciones
                 62   Programación, consultoría y otras actividades relacionadas con la informática
                 63   Servicios de información
           M_STS   Actividades profesionales, científicas y técnicas requeridas por el Reglamento STS
                 69_702   Actividades jurídicas, de contabilidad y de consultoría de gestión empresarial
                 71   Servicios técnicos de arquitectura e ingeniería; ensayos y análisis técnicos
                 73   Publicidad y estudios de mercado
                 74   Otras actividades profesionales, científicas y técnicas
           N_STS   Actividades administrativas y servicios auxiliares requeridas por el Reglamento STS
                 78   Actividades relacionadas con el empleo
                 79   Actividades de agencias de viajes, operadores turísticos, servicios de reservas y actividades relacionadas con los mismos
                 80   Actividades de seguridad e investigación
                 812   Actividades de limpieza
                 82   Actividades administrativas de oficina y otras actividades auxiliares a las empresas
    • Comunidades Autónomas
      01   Andalucía
      02   Aragón
      03   Asturias, Principado de
      04   Balears, Illes
      05   Canarias
      06   Cantabria
      07   Castilla y León
      08   Castilla - La Mancha
      09   Cataluña
      10   Comunitat Valenciana
      11   Extremadura
      12   Galicia
      13   Madrid, Comunidad de
      14   Murcia, Región de
      15   Navarra, Comunidad Foral de
      16   País Vasco
      17   Rioja, La
  • 3.3Sector coverage

    The Services Sector Activity Indicators study the population formed by the companies whose main activity is described in sections G, (Trade), H (Transportation and Storage), I (Accommodation and Food Service), J (Information and Communications), L (Real Estate Activities), part of section M (Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities) and section N (Administrative and Support Service Activities) in the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE 2009).

    In section M the population belonging to group 70.1 (Activities of head offices) and divisions 72 (Scientific research and development) and 75 (Veterinary activities) are not studied.

     

  • 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.
    • 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 basic statistical unit is the company that carries out any of the economic activities included in the population scope as its main economic activity.

    The company is the smallest combination of legal units that constitute an organisational unit that produces goods or services, and which has a certain degree of decision-making autonomy, especially with regard to the allocation of their current resources. A company may carry out one or more activities in one or more local units. A company may consist of a single legal entity.

  • 3.6Statistical population

    The Services Sector Activity Indicators study the population made up of companies whose main economic activity Is described in sections G, (Trade), H (Transportation and Storage), I (Accommodation and Food Service), J (Information and Communications), L (Real Estate Activities), M (Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities) and N (Administrative and Support Service Activities) of the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-09).

  • 3.7Reference area

    All statistical units located in the Spanish territory, excluding Ceuta and Melilla, are the object of research. Information from these two Autonomous Cities is only included in division 47 of CNAE-09 (retail trade).

  • 3.8Time coverage

    The historical series began in January 2000 except for those corresponding to the activities:

    58 of CNAE-09 (Publishing activities), which began in January 2002;

    59 (Motion picture, television programme production and music publishing activities), 60 of CNAE-09 (Programming and broadcasting) and the overall turnover and employment indices for the Autonomous Communities, which began in January 2005.

    and 453, 454, 68, 702 77 and  Real Estate Activities, which began in January 2021.

  • 3.9Base period

    In 2024, the indices begin to be published using the new base 2021, in order to comply with the requirements established in Eurostat's Regulation on short-term statistics.

    SSAI uses chain-linked indices so that:

    • Base period is the one in which the mean of the year's indices is equal to 100. The base period is 2021.
    • Reference period of the variable is the period whose values are compared with the variables (turnover and employed persons) of the reference month. The reference period for 2024 is December 2023.

    Reference period of the weightings is the period to which the weightings that serve as the system's structure refer. The reference period of the weightings for 2024 is December 2023.
• 4Unit of measure
  • 4.1Unit of measure

    Value indices and variation rates (monthly, annual and average of the year so far).

• 5Reference period
  • 5.1Reference period

    The turnover reference period is the calendar month .

    The employment reference period is the employment average for the calendar month

    Data referred to the period: Mensual A: 2024 MES: 01

• 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).

    
    

    REGLAMENTO (UE) 2019/2152 DEL PARLAMENTO EUROPEO Y DEL CONSEJO de 27 de noviembre de 2019 relativo a las estadísticas empresariales europeas, denominado Reglamento EBS (European Business Statistics Regulation, EBS-R)

    REGLAMENTO DE EJECUCIÓN (UE) 2020/1197 DE LA COMISIÓN de 30 de julio de 2020 por el que se establecen especificaciones técnicas.

    The Spanish version of the European Union standards that affect this statistical operation is available on the INE website, in the section on regulations.

    .

  • 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.
    

    Through the collaboration agreements signed with the regional Statistics Institutes, a monthly exchange of information takes place, complying with the established requirements to preserve statistical confidentiality.

• 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.
    

    In the Services Sector Activity Indicators questionnaire sent to the respondent units, it is expressly indicated that the data provided to the statistical services will be subject to protection and safeguarded by statistical confidentiality.

    
    All statistical personnel will have the obligation to preserve statistical confidentiality (article 17.1 of the Law on the Public Statistics Function - LFEP).

• 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

    Monthly.

• 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

    All information related to this index is published on the INE website. The following publications can be found on the website:

    • Press release, which highlights the components that most influence the indicator's evolution in the reference month, both in terms of turnover and employment.
    • Tables annex, containing the tables attached to the press release.
    • Methodology, where you can consult the standardised methodological report, the statistical operations inventory sheet and the Services Sector Activity Indicator (SSAI) methodology.
    • Related links where you can consult the results and methodologies of previous bases (2000, 2005, 2010 y 2015)

    All these publications can be consulted at the following link:link.

  • 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.

    
    

    Within INE's website : INEbase - Services - Global surveys on the service sector - Services sector activity indicators (SSAI), the indices and the different rates of variation in turnover and employment can be found at various levels of disaggregation by sector, branch and Autonomous Community. A distinction is made between index series of original turnover, adjusted for calendar effects and adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, as well as the employment series. Both the series and the weightings used in the aggregate indices calculation can be consulted at the following link.

    During 2023, a total of AC1=1591 accesses to the INE website were recorded to consult the tables containing information related to the Services Sector Activity Indicators statistical operation.

    .

  • 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
    

    The microdata of the Services Sector Activity Indicators are not accessible to the general public.
    An anonymous microdata file is not published. It is only provided to the Central Statistics Offices of the Autonomous Communities (OCECAS) with which a collaboration agreement has been signed for the transmission of said information, by virtue of the Collaboration Framework Agreement between the INE and the OCECAS.

  • 10.5Other

    It is possible to tailored request information from the INE Information area. Limitations on confidentiality or accuracy are taken into account when processing such requests.

  • 10.6Documentation on methodology

    The methodological manual is available at the following link on the INE website and at thelink to the Eurostat website.

    The metadata completeness rate, AC3, is the ratio of the amount of metadata elements supplied to the total number of elements in the standardised methodological report.

    Metadata completeness rate, AC3=100%, as all the fields in the methodological file are filled in.

  • 10.7Quality documentation

    Sections 10.6 to 17.2 of this document are the user-oriented quality report for this operation.

• 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 Services Sector Activity Indicators statistical operation is carried out in accordance with EU guidelines, complying with the Code of Practice implemented by Eurostat and taking the necessary measures to ensure that the published indicators meet all the quality requirements.

    One of the measures carried out to guarantee the quality of this statistical operation consists of comparing the results with other statistical sources, notably the following: Sales in Large Companies obtained by the Tax Agency (AEAT) from VAT returns, the Hotel Occupancy Survey by INE, Vehicle Registration by the General Directorate for Traffic, Registration Tax of the AEAT, the Labour Force Survey of the INE, etc... Therefore, when discrepancies are detected with any of the sources mentioned above, the available information is analysed in detail to explain the causes of these discrepancies.

  • 11.2Quality assessment

    The Services Sector Activity Indicators statistical operation is a high quality product. Its sample size offers information up to the Autonomous level within reasonable sampling errors, the harmonised methodology used allows comparisons to be offered at the international level with a high level of solvency and gives an extremely valuable measure on the services sector, which no other statistical source provides with the same level of detail.

    As far as the limitations of the survey are concerned, it is necessary to point out those inherent to statistical operations by sampling, such as non-response and the aforementioned sampling errors or coefficients of variation of the estimates. In both cases, they are kept within reasonable limits.

    Regulation 1158/2005 of the European Parliament and Council of 6 July 2005 establishes that the quality of the variables shall be checked periodically by comparing them to other statistical information. This comparison will be carried out by each of the Member States and by the Commission (Eurostat). Furthermore, internal consistency will be checked.

    The quality criteria listed in Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and Council, namely relevance, accuracy, timeliness, punctuality, accessibility, clarity, comparability and coherence, shall also be met.

• 12Relevance
  • 12.1User needs

    The Services Sector Activity Indicators statistical operation satisfies the statistical information needs of different user groups:

    The INE itself, which uses this basic statistic to compile the national accounts.

    Ministries and other public agencies that use the results of this statistical operation to carry out economic analysis, forecasts, prepare summary indicators of activity, etc.
    Territorial administrations such as the Autonomous Communities . All the Statistics Institutes of the Autonomous Communities, pursuant to the agreements established between INE and these institutions, are sent the information on a monthly basis (microdata or regional indices already compiled) corresponding to companies in the survey sample based in that Autonomous Community and based outside that Autonomous Community but has premises there. With this information they can publish the Services Sector Activity Indicators at a higher level of detail for their Autonomous Community, useful for the measurement of the economic cycle and as a tool for regional economic analysis.

    Researchers and academia, eCompanies and non-profit institutions (research services for companies, foundations, associations, etc.), Unions and employers' organisations, press and specialised media. As well as foreign users, both institutional and individuals. The former include Eurostat, European Central Bank and OECD.

  • 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 addition to the satisfaction surveys carried out by the INE, meetings are held with associations from certain sectors, where their needs have been identified and suggestions have been taken on board.

  • 12.3Completeness

    In general, the published statistical information responds to the needs of the different types of users who access it. Firstly, to those established by European Regulation on short-term statistics and secondly, to the regional needs discussed in the periodic meetings held by INE with the regional statistics institutes.

    Rate of available obligatory statistical results, R1=100%.

    Unanswered requests provide information that is studied for possible future modifications.

• 13Accuracy and reliability
  • 13.1Overall accuracy

    The sample 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 (monitoring the response rate and controlling the filtering of errors) and in subsequent imputing of non-response and calculation of aggregate indices, which allows a high degree of reliability of the statistical operation to be obtained.

  • 13.2Sampling error

    This statistical operation involves a sampling error that can be defined as the part of the difference between a population value and its estimate, obtained from a random sample, due to the fact that only a subset of the population is observed.

    In order to estimate the accuracy achieved in the population parameter estimates with the sampling method used, the variation coefficient is used.

    The mean variation coefficient for the national general Index 2023 with respect to 2022 is:

    Average of sampling errors, A1, for 2023 (January - December) of the general turnover index: A1=1.85

    Mean sampling errors, A1, for 2023 (January - December) of the general employment index: A1 = 0.48

  • 13.3Non-sampling error

    In this survey, a continuous quantitative evaluation is carried out of non-sampling errors and the risks of bias associated with:

    - Lack of coverage, excess coverage and duplicates in the framework

    - Collection tools

    - Total non-response, including causes for non-response and measures to reduce non-response

    - Partial non-response in the main variables of the Statistical Operation

    - Editing, coding and imputing of data

    - Model used in the estimation

    and the results of this measurement are analysed in order to carry out the appropriate actions to reduce the different error types.

    An objective measurement is carried out, based on a quantitative indicator:

    A4: Non-response rate

    calculated as the percentage represented by the number of units without information with respect to the total of initially selected sampling units (i.e., discounting framework errors).

    A4=4.76% (corresponding to the monthly mean for 2023).

    To reduce the non-response rate in the annual rotation (when 25% of the non-exhaustive sample is substituted to avoid respondent fatigue), a reserve sample is available that leaves the field a few months earlier.

    A2: Tasa de sobrecobertura

    La tasa de sobrecobertura mide la proporción de unidades elegibles a través del marco que no pertenecen a la población objetivo (están fuera del ámbito).

    Para el año 2023 la tasa de sobrecobertura es A2 = 13.52%

    A5 Tasa de no respuesta por ítem

    Esta tasa se calcula como el cociente entre las unidades de la población objetivo encuestadas que no han respondido a la pregunta de cifra de negocios o empleo, sobre las unidades que han cumplimentado el cuestionario total o parcialmente.

    La tasa media de no respuesta en el año 2023 es:

    - Para cifra de negocios: A5 = 0.08%

    - Para empleo: A5 = 0.01%

    A7 Tasa de imputación

    La tasa de imputación mide el porcentaje de valores asignados a las empresas en las que faltan estos datos, son inválidos o inconsistentes.

    La tasa media de imputación para el año 2023 es:

    A7 = 5.57%

• 14Timeliness and punctuality
  • 14.1Timeliness

    The SSAI is usually published in the second month following the reference month, thereby meeting the deadlines established by Eurostat.

    The Opportunity, TP1, is the number of days between the last day of the data reference period and the day of the first publication.

    Mean of TP1 Indicator. Year 2023: TP1=51 days

    The Opportunity, TP2, is the number of days between the last day of the data reference period and the day of the five publication.

    Mean of TP2 Indicator. Year 2023: TP2=172 days

  • 14.2Punctuality

    The results are published promptly according to the availability calendar of short-term statistical publications prepared and published by the INE.

    This calendar is fully complied with.

• 15Coherence and Comparability
  • 15.1Comparability - geographical

    The availability of a methodology, a design with a sample size for which each of the Autonomous Communities are representative at the general and sector index level (Trade, Transport and storage, Accommodation and Food Service, Information and communications, Professional, scientific and technical activities and Administrative activities and support services) and a common 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 EU regulation makes it possible to compare with the other European Union countries that release this same information referring to their respective national economies.

  • 15.2Comparability - over time

    All historical series published of the Services Sector Activity Index are homogenous and, therefore, comparable over time.

    Since the implementation of the survey, there have been changes in the index base and classification of the economic activities, however, in order to guarantee the comparability of the information over time, the INE has always published the retrospective series of the Services Sector Activity Indicators with the new base and the new classification.

    The number of comparable elements (CC2), as of December 2023 was:

    CC2=288 for turnover (corresponding to the series from January 2000 to December 2023).

    CC2=264 for employment (corresponding to the series from January 2002 to December 2023).

  • 15.3Coherence - cross domain

    The use of the same national classification of economic activities allows the comparison of survey information with other economic statistics such as the Sales of Large Companies by the Tax Agency, among others, with which there are no significant differences for the large aggregates.

  • 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 and no inconsistencies are found.

• 16Cost and burden
  • 16.1Cost and burden

    To significantly reduce the response burden on respondents, the questionnaire has been designed to include all the necessary information and at the same time to be as straightforward as possible in order to facilitate its completion by the companies making up the sample. This will help reduce, as far as possible, excessive use of certain respondent units arising from the completion of multiple surveys in the same year.

    To prevent respondent fatigue and sample ageing an annual rotation of 25% is carried out, allowing the selection of newly created companies.

    In terms of the cost associated with the collection and production of statistical products, in the case of the Services Sector Activity Indicators, the budgetary forecasts set out in the 2024 Annual Programme amount to 3,390.40 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-.

    
    

    At the date of each publication, the data for the last four months in the historical series is provisional, the data for the preceding months then becoming definitive. As an exception, when changing the base year, all the series remain provisional for a certain period of time.

    The series adjusted for calendar effects and those corrected for seasonal and calendar effects are reviewed in their entirety every month.

  • 17.2Data revision - practice

    The first time the index of a given month is published, it is deemed provisional, and does not become definitive until four months later. In this time frame, this index is revised by applying any changes in the data that may have occurred since the first publication date, generally due to the arrival of more information and therefore the substitution of the estimated data (due to non-response or poor quality) with the real data filled in by the company.

    The MAR indicator measures the mean absolute revision. The calculation of the MAR for a given month considerrs the revisions of the 36 months preceding that month and the difference between the first and the most recent publication is taken into account (if there are not yet five publications for that month).

    RMAR is the percentage assumed by the relative mean size of the revisions in relation to the values of the revised estimates.

    The MAR and RMAR values of the year-on-year rates from the original series of the SSAI General Index obtained with information from the last 36 months (December 2023 being the last month considered) are:

    A6_MAR turnover (December 2023): A6_MAR=0.0729088754

    A6_RMAR turnover (December 2023): A6_RMAR=0.4749118%

    A6_MAR Employment (December 2023): A6_MAR=0.0378817943

    A6_RMAR Employment (December 2023): A6_RMAR = 1.24712203%

    The MAR and RMAR values of the year-on-year rates from the series adjusted for calendar effects of the SSAI General Index obtained with information from the last 36 months (December 2023 being the last month considered) are:

    A6_MAR turnover (December 2023): A6_MAR=0.1229880686

    A6_RMAR turnover (December 2023): A6_RMAR=0.80550184%

• 18Statistical processing
  • 18.1Source data

    The data obtained for the statistical operation is based on a direct sampling survey.

    The company population has been stratified according to three variables: Autonomous Community, branch of activity and size. The first two variables are mandatory in order to guarantee results by branches at national level, and by sectors (Trade, Transport and storage, Accommodation and Food Service, Information and communications, Professional, scientific and technical activities and Administrative activities and support services) at the Autonomous Community level. Size, measured by number of workers, has been taken into account for reasons of homogeneity, considering six intervals.
    

    For the calculation of sample sizes, information from the Annual Services Survey has been used, taking into account the weight of the branches in the different sectors, and the variation coefficients of the employed personnel and turnover variables. Neyman allocation is performed in order to distribute the sample throughout the different strata, prefixing sampling errors at 4%, by branch at national level, and by sector in each Autonomous Community. The strata with 200 or more workers are exhaustive in all branches. In certain branches and Autonomous Communities, the smaller strata are also comprehensive due to their small population. All companies with several premises with 50 plus employees and companies with an annual turnover of 6 million euros or more are also selected.
    

    The resulting sample is approximately 28,000 companies.
    

    To prevent respondent fatigue and sample ageing an annual rotation of 25% is carried out, allowing the selection of newly created companies.

  • 18.2Frequency of data collection

    The data is collected monthly.

  • 18.3Data collection

    Survey data is obtained from the questionnaires completed by the companies making up the sample. The methods used are: postal mail, fax, telephone, e-mail or via the Internet, which is the most commonly used method, exceeding 60% of the total collection.

  • 18.4Data validation

    Validation rules are fundamentally established between related variables and in the same variable by comparison over time and are established in different stages of the statistical process from the internet questionnaire to the last stage of macro tabulation.

    To validate the data, influence and impact measures of the turnover or employment of a company over the variation (monthly, annual) of the indices at different levels of aggregation are used.

  • 18.5Data compilation

    Prior to starting the process for obtaining the indices that will be published regarding this statistical operation, the non-response is imputed to those units that have not provided the information corresponding to the reference month.

    Subsequently, with the information received at the INE collection centres, the data filtering process begins. The process consists of two phases: in the first, a microdata filtering system is carried out, while the second consists of an analysis for different levels of aggregation, or macro-filtering.

    The macro-filtering consists of checking data validity from each company, taking into account the historical series provided by the company itself. The analysis establishes month-on-month and year-on-year comparisons, so that the data is validated without re-contact when its evolution is repeated periodically.

    The second part of the filtering is performed once the data is processed together. A centralised or macro-filtering process is carried out with the aggregated information. Unlike micro-filtering, in this phase the weightings of each activity form part of the calculation, taking into account the variation rates for different levels of aggregation, etc. In cases where information is available from other sources, a consistency process is carried out between these and the results of the survey.

    As a result of the change of base to the new base 2015, the weightings have been updated, the data from the 2015 Structural Business Survey was used, specifically the 2015 average, and these values have been carried forward to December 2015 and December 2016 for the calculation of the new weightings. Once obtained, the aggregate indices for the years 2016 and 2017 were recalculated.

  • 18.6Adjustment

    From the reference month January 2013 onwards, data adjusted for calendar effects (this was already being done) and adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects using a method based on models employing the most updated version of the Tramo-Seats programme are published.

    Calendar effect: the impact produced in the time series of a variable due to the different structure of the months in the different years (both in length and composition), if the rest of the factors influencing said variable remain constant. The SSAI indicator is very sensitive to the calendar effect, since one more holiday in a particular month can lead to a proportional decrease in turnover for that month.

    To correct this problem and obtain a series that compares production over time in a homogeneous way, the series is adjusted to take into account the following calendar factors: working days, Easter and leap year.

    Once the calendar effects are eliminated, seasonal effects are eliminated accordingly. Seasonal fluctuations are movements that occur with similar intensity in each month and are expected to continue.

    The seasonally adjusted series, i.e., corrected for seasonal and calendar effects, provides an estimate of what is "new" in a series (changes in the trend, cycle, and irregular component).

    The method is based on regression models with intervention variables of the three mentioned effects.

    The adjusted series is published together with the non-corrected series for the sake of a complete analysis of the situation.

    metadatos_IASS-2023_base2015_mesref_01_2023.xls
• 19Comment
  • 19.1Comment