1. What is the source of CBP data?
CBP data are extracted from the Business Register, the Census Bureau's file
of all known single and multiestablishment companies. The Annual Company Organization
Survey and quinquennial Economic Censuses provide individual establishment data
for multi-location firms. Data for single-location firms are obtained from various
programs conducted by the Census Bureau, such as the Economic Censuses, the
Annual Survey of Manufactures, and Current Business Surveys, as well as from
administrative records of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security
Administration (SSA), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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2. Why are there differences in industry definitions between
1997 and 1998 CBP data?
The North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) replaces the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) system. NAICS was developed in a joint effort between Canada, Mexico,
and the United States; it is an industry classification system that groups establishments
into industries based on the activities in which they are primarily engaged.
The County Business Patterns program has tabulated on a NAICS basis since 1998.
The NAICS codes were updated in 2002; starting with the 2003 County Business
Patterns series, the data are tabulated using the 2002 NAICS system.
In the 1998 - 2002 CBP reports, corporate, subsidiary, and regional managing offices were tabulated in NAICS Sector 55. All other auxiliaries were tabulated in NAICS 95. Starting with 2003, corporate, subsidiary, and regional managing offices are still published in NAICS Sector 55, but the other auxiliaries are tabulated in the industry of the service performed. The other auxiliaries are coded into these separate classifications:
3. Why do the numbers in CBP differ from those I see in
other publications?
CBP obtains data from census collections and administrative records for the
entire universe. Other surveys and time series covering the same industries
may be based on samples drawn from the universe. Sample data could differ somewhat
from data produced at the entire universe level. Additionally, industry classifications
among programs may differ. Also, employment and establishment counts may have
definitional differences and may represent different time intervals. For employment
figures, CBP includes full- and part-time employees who are on the payroll in
the pay period including March 12.
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4. What is excluded from CBP coverage?
Data are excluded for self-employed persons, employees of private households,
railroad employees, agricultural production workers, and for most government
employees (except for those working in wholesale liquor establishments, retail
liquor stores, Federally-chartered savings institutions, Federally-chartered
credit unions, and hospitals).
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5. Are sales and receipts data provided in CBP?
No. Sales and receipts data are available from other Census Bureau programs.
For more information, check out the Census Bureau's economic
data.
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6. Does CBP provide occupational data?
No. CBP presents the number of employees working in the primary industry of
the establishment, regardless of the individual's job within that establishment.
Occupational data are collected by the Housing
and Household Economic Statistics Division at the Census Bureau.
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7. CBP excludes government employment and payroll. Where
can I get this information?
This information is collected by the Governments
Division at the Census Bureau.
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8. For which years has CBP been published?
CBP has been published every year since 1964, and at irregular intervals since
1946.
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9. Why does adding the CBP detail exceed the aggregate
total?
You could be counting the same record two or three times since it appears at
different summarization levels within the NAICS grouping. For example, an establishment
in NAICS 316110 is also a part of NAICS 31611 and 3161, as well as in the manufacturing
total. Therefore, summing the data at each NAICS level within this NAICS grouping
would make the detail exceed the aggregate total.
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10. Why do letters instead of numbers often appear in
the columns?
Letters are shown to prevent disclosure of an individual employer. The letters
correspond to employment size ranges to provide some measure of cell size.
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11. What are statewide establishments?
Establishments without a fixed location or having an unknown county location
within a state are included under a "statewide" geography classification.
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12. Why do the CBP printed publications have so many
more pages in 2004?
Due to a new processing system used to create the publications, employment size
groupings appear as rows rather than columns.
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13. How can I get very old CBP data or help with a large project?
For large projects spanning multiple years, etc., contact the Census
State Data Center in your state. For data prior to 1986, contact the National
Archives at (301) 837-0470. Resources permitting, the Census Bureau's Company
Statistics Division is available to run special tabulations on County Business
Patterns and other economic data collected by the Census Bureau.
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