REVISION OF STATISTICAL DATA

METHODOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS – REVISION OF STATISTICAL DATA FROM 1 MAY 2010 ON

 

 

Purpose of revising statistical data

Definitions and explanations

Statistical surveys in which data are revised

Prepared by

Last Updated

 

Purpose of revising statistical data

 

The purpose of data revision is to provide users with quality statistical data.

Definitions and explanations

 

Statistical data are numerical values presenting the size of the observed phenomenon. For the sake of simplification, further on the term “data” is used.

Statistical information is statistical signs, comments, tables, charts, figures, definitions, methodological explanations and other text explaining the content of statistical data.

Published data: Data are published when they are disseminated to the public via the Internet or in printed form.

The status of data determines whether the published data are final or provisional and thus subject to revision.

Provisional data are data that will be subject to planned revision due to the inclusion of a more complete/additional data source or due to seasonal adjustment and/or elimination of calendar effects.

Final data are data that will not be subject to any planned revision.

Data revision is a statistical process that changes the value of published data.

 

This methodological explanation does not describe unplanned data revisions due to errors (irregularities in published statistical data and information). Errors are described in the methodological explanation “Correction of errors in published statistical data and information”.

 

The Office classifies data revision in relation to planning, time of implementation and purpose.

 

(1) Types of data revisions in relation to planning

 

a)    Planned data revision 

 

Planned data revision is subject to the following reasons:


I.  Due to the needs of users for timely information, data are published that meet the criteria of the quality of official statistical data, but do not meet the quality that can be met with additional statistical procedures. Final data are based on more complete answers about the phenomenon and/or analyses and are published later on;


II. Seasonal adjustment and/or elimination of calendar effects;


III. Change in methodology and classifications.

 

b)   Unplanned data revision 

 

Unplanned data revision is not part of the regular statistical process. It appears due to unpredictable changes in the methodology, unpredictable emergence of new and better data, unpredictable changes regarding reporting units that transmit their data to the Office, unpredictable obstacles in data processing and publishing, and errors in data processing and publishing (e.g. a key unit corrects its data for the past few months, an unpredictable change in the administrative data source).

 

(2) Types of data revisions in relation to time of implementation

 

The reasons for revising data in relation to time of implementation are:

 

a)     Regular revisions: inclusion of a more complete/additional data source or a change in the data source, seasonal adjustment and/or elimination of calendar effects;

 

b)     Occasional revisions are a consequence of including a new/more complete/additional data source that becomes the standard in later data releases or a consequence of an unpredictable obstacle in data processing and publishing, and change in methodology.

 

(3) Types of data revisions in relation to the purpose

 

The reasons for revising data in relation to the purpose are:


a) Inclusion of a more complete/additional data source or a change in the data source;

b) Seasonal adjustment and/or elimination of calendar effects;


c) Transition to a new base period;


d) Improvement of methodology due to a change in the statistical method or a change in classifications, concepts and definitions
;

e) Elimination or errors (not errors in the sense of irregularities in publishing statistical data and information, the correction of which is regulated by the Guideline for correction of errors in published statistical data and information at the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia).

 

(4) The frequency of planned data revisions is balanced with the need to provide quality data and their simple use. Data are revised when newer/more quality data can significantly contribute to the quality of data-based decision-making and when due to publication deadlines determined by the European or national legislation or due to unpredictable obstacles in data processing and publication less accurate data are published on the basis of incomplete coverage.

 

(5) Monitoring of long-term effect of data revision

To improve the quality, we monitor the long-term effect of data revision and regularly report about it in Chapter 6 “Coherence” of the Quality Reports.

 

(6) Informing users about planned revisions

The planned data revisions due to the change in methodology or classifications are announced to data users in the methodological note of the First Release; in case of planned major revisions, users are informed in a different way.

 

(7) Data releases

Any publication of statistical data in collections First Release, Electronic Release and Rapid Reports contains in the title information about the status of published data – i.e. whether the data are provisional or final. In case of final data the last part of the publication title is written with lowercase letters »- final data« and in the case of provisional data also with lowercase letters »- provisional data«.

Examples:

Average monthly earnings, detailed data, Slovenia, August 2009 – final data

Turnover and new orders in industry, detailed data, Slovenia, August 2009 – provisional data

 

Due to the specific character of national and regional accounts, the statuses of published data are not marked.

Example:

Gross domestic product, main aggregates of national accounts and employment, Slovenia, 2005-2008

 

After the publication of provisional data (may be repeated), final data are also always published.

 

Final data are published in the following ways:

  • With a First Release, when first published data are already final (data are not published as provisional);
  • With an Electronic Release, when data in the First Release were published as provisional;
  • In the SI-STAT database, with a note under the table containing information about the status of the data (how long the data are provisional; after this period the data become final);
  • With a Rapid Reports.

 

When publishing provisional data a First Release, we write in the space intended for methodological notes when the next provisional data or the final data will be published.

 

In the Statistical Yearbook, in Some Important Statistics on Slovenia and in promotional publications we mark the status of data only if they are provisional. The status of data is marked with a note under the table or chart.

 

In the SI­-STAT database newer versions of data always replace older ones.

Methodological explanations for individual statistical surveys contain in the chapter on publishing and data revision notes about the policy of publishing provisional data with the following elements: type of data revision in relation to planning, purpose and frequency (time of implementation).

 

Quality Reports for individual statistical surveys contain, in addition to information from the previous paragraph, in Chapter 6 “Coherence” also coherence between provisional and final data and the reasons for eventual major differences between provisional and final data.

 

In the SI-STAT database notes under the table contain information until when data will be provisional and a link to Methodological explanations about data revision at SORS.

The note reads: »Data for XX are provisional. With each release the data for all months of the current year can be corrected and supplemented with new data.« or »Data for the last XX months are provisional. With each release the data for the last XX months can be corrected and supplemented with new data.«

 

Statistical surveys in which data are revised

 

From 1 January 2012 on statistical surveys:

  1  Notification of Birth (DEM-ROJ)

  2  Registration of Death (DEM-UMR)

  3  Acknowledgement of Paternity and Adoption of Child (DEM-PRIZ)

  4  Registration of Marriage (DEM-POR)

  5  Registration of Divorce (DEM-RAZ)

  6  Registration of Permanent Residence and Departure Notice; Registration of Change of Address (SEL)

  7  Statistical Survey on Hours Worked (ZAP-DELURE/ČL)

  8  Monthly Report on Earnings and Persons in Paid Employment in Enterprises, Companies and Organisations (ZAP/M)

  9  Labour Cost Survey (ZAP-SD/4L)

10  Labour Costs – annual estimates (ZAP-SD/L)

11  Labour Cost Index (ISD/ČL)

12 Structure of Earnings Survey (LPSR 2011)  

13  Structure of Earnings Statistics (ZAP-SP/L)

14  Persons in Paid Employment by Amount of Gross and Net Earnings (ZAP-BNP/L)

      15 Monthly Report on Earnings Paid by Registered Natural Persons (ZAP-RFO-D/M)

16  Statistical Survey Enrolment of Students in Higher Education Institutions and Vocational Colleges (ŠOL-ŠTUD-PP)

17   Expenditure for Education

      18 Statistical Survey on Continuing Vocational Training of Employees in Enterprises (ŠOL-ZAP)

19 Adult Education Survey (AIO)

20  Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC/L,A)

21  European  System of Integrated Social Protection Statistics

22  Trading of Goods between EU Member States INTRASTAT

23  Export and Import of Goods (Non-Member Countries) EXTRASTAT (ZT-IUB/M)

24  Unit Value Indices of Exports and Imports (ZT-IPVIU/ČL)

25  Annual Statistics on Performance of Enterprises (SSP/L)

26  Annual Statistical Survey on Industrial Production (IND/L)

27  Monthly Statistical Survey on Turnover, New Orders and Value of Stocks in Industry (IND-PN/M)

28  Monthly Statistical Survey on Construction (GRAD/M)

29  Monthly Questionnaire on Building Permits (GRAD_GD/M)

30  Monthly Report on Business and Other Service Activities (STOR/M)

31  Monthly Statistical Survey on Enterprises Registered in Wholesale and Commission Trade (TRG-D/M)

32  Monthly Statistical Survey on Retail Trade, Motor Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles (TRG/Ma, TRG/Mb)

33  Monthly Statistical Survey on Electricity and Heat Production (E1-EE/M)

34  Monthly Statistical Survey of Autoproducers of Electricity and Heat (E2-SP/M)

35  Monthly Statistical Survey on Heat Supply (E3-TOP/M)

36  Monthly Statistical Survey on Electricity Transmission (E4-EEP/M)

37  Monthly Statistical Survey on Production and Supply with Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Feedstocks, Additives and Other Hydrocarbons (E6-NAF/M)

38  Monthly Statistical Survey on Petroleum Products Production (E7-NP/M)

39 Monthly Statistical Survey on Petroleum Products Trade (E8-NPT/M)

40  Monthly Statistical Survey on Gas Supply (E9-PL/M)

41  Monthly Statistical Survey on Solid Fuels Trade (E10-TGT/M)

42  Monthly Statistical Survey on Coal Mining (E11-TG/M)

43  Monthly Statistical Survey on Electricity Distribution (E5-EED/M)

44  Road Infrastructure (TR-CES-I/L)

45  Monthly Statistical Survey on Tourist Arrivals and Overnight Stays (TU/M)

46  Business Demography (SPR-DEM/L)

47  Employer Business Demography and High-Growth Enterprises (SPR-DEM(EBD)/L)

48  Agricultural Census in the Republic of Slovenia (POPIS-KME/10L)

49  Sample Survey of Areas Sown – as of 1 June (KME - JUN)

50  Census of Horticulture (POPIS-VRT/3L)

51  Animal Production (KME-ŽIV/L)

52  Monitoring Data on Environmental Protection for Non-Industrial Activities

53  Statistical Survey on Research and Development Activity in Enterprises and Companies (R-RD-PS)

54  Statistical Survey on Research and Development Activity of Private Researchers (R-RD-ZR)

55  Statistical Survey on Research and Development Activity of Institutions (R-RD-JRZ)

56  Statistical Survey on Research and Development Activity of Higher Education Institutions (R-RD-VŠZ)

57  Statistical Survey on Innovation Activity in Manufacturing and Selected Service Activities (INOV-P-S)

58  Crop Supply Balance Sheets (KME-BIL-RAST/L)

59  Animal Supply Balance Sheets (KME-BIL-ŽIV/L)

60 Real Estate Register

 

Prepared by

Tomaž Smrekar

Last Updated

12. 1. 2012