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It’s easy for first-time and novice users to become overwhelmed by USA Trade Online’s massive databases of merchandise trade data, not to mention the variety of options available to help analyze the data. This QuickStart Guide lays out the basics and carries you through five easy steps to self-sufficiency.


So, What Exactly is in this Database?

USA Trade Online contains merchandise export and import data between the United States and all its trading partners. Commodities are classified by Harmonized System (HS) codes, which are defined on the two-, four-, six-, and ten-digit levels. State Export data is available by HS and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes at the 3- and 4-digit levels. Additionally, unit of measure and customs district detail are available. You’ll also find annual data going back to 1992 and monthly data since 2002. State export data is available back to 2002, while Port-level detail is available back to 2003.

The software which powers USA Trade Online - Beyond 20/20's Perspective 4.0 - presents data in spreadsheet format. Here’s the exciting part: YOU determine what type of data (called “dimensions”) populates the rows and columns using the Selection Criteria! A simple table might look like this:

Figure A. Sample table
Sample table of monthly Tea imports



In the upper-left, you’ll see header labels in boxes adjacent to the data. In the above example, “Commodity,” “Time,” and “Measures” (value) are in the columns, while the “Country” dimension is your row variable. You can manipulate these tables by set dimension order or by dragging and dropping the different dimensions.

Now, Where Do I Start?

Step 1 – Data Source Selection
This is your first stop after choosing “Click here to access the trade data” from USA Trade Online’s homepage. This is where you select an initial table format. Although there are a number of formats listed, you aren’t bound to the default settings of a particular table. Using your Selection Criteria and other Reporting Features you can manipulate the rows and columns to create your desired table format. A word of caution though: You won’t be able to switch to exports (merchandise going out of the United States to foreign countries) if you initially select one of the import tables (arrivals of merchandise to the United States from foreign countries). First, figure out whether you want to look at imports or exports and then take a guess at the table format you want. (The formats offering port-level detail are offered after the non-port options.) We recommend beginners select one of the Standard Report (Monthly, Annual, or Cumulative Year-to-Date or "YTD") options, and test the additional formats (which have pre-selected data dimensions) when you’re more acclimated with the site. Tell me more...


Step 2 – Commodity Selection
USA Trade Online provides a full-text searchable database, therefore quotes go around phrases and Boolean operators should not be used. Don’t be alarmed if you can’t find what you’re looking for with a simple search! In addition to typing in a word or phrase describing your desired commodity, you can enter a product’s Harmonized System (HS) or North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code directly into the search engine. Please note that the commodity nomenclature used to classify both imports and exports can be unexpected at times, typically a result of a product’s unique history. Fortunately, Census Bureau Commodity Specialists are available at 301-763-3041 to help you find the classification you need to perform your research

To get started, you can use the search function, by drilling down through the expandable list of Codes until you find what you want, or by using the various options for selecting multiple commodities. The Clickable icon that expands a category icons to the left of the two-digit HS or 3-digit NAICS listing on your Commodity Selection screen are your key to more data detail. If you selected anything other than a Standard Report (either imports or exports) in Step 1, you’ll need to click the Clear All icon icon under the header "ALL" to clear the pre-selected options, before making your commodity selection. Tell me more...


Step 3 – View Your Report
Simply click the View Table button link in the upper left-hand corner of your screen – and voila! – a table similar (in layout) to the example displayed above will appear! Yes, it’s that easy.

USA Trade Online is extremely user-friendly, but it can’t read your mind...yet! Chances are you won’t see exactly what you’re looking for right away. You will need to determine the data dimensions you want (Step 4) and play around with different charting and graphing options (Step 5) to complete your analysis.


Step 4 – Selection Criteria
Now you can play around with the different dimensions – commodity, country, measure, time, and (depending on which tables you selected) state exports, district or port – to satisfy your research needs. Information on each dimension is detailed in our online manual, simply click on any of the hyperlinks above to learn more.


Step 5 – Reporting Options and Other Fun Features
There are a wealth of reporting features and options available to better organize your data and make it visually appealing. For example, you can sort your results in ascending and descending order, employ various charting options, calculate percent changes, and much more! These features are explained in the Report Features and Report Options sections of our online manual.


There You Have It – Five Easy Steps and a lot of Possibility!

Take some time to experiment with all the different features until you feel satisfied with the results. If the tables start getting too confusing, click on the Return to Data Selection Icon Reports icon to and start over. Don’t forget about the pull-down menus available in the help section to guide you along the way.

And, most importantly, have fun!