1. Data Collection File Standards Gerrit de Bolster, 11 May 2005

2. Topics –E-Priorities –Interchange formats –Developments at Statistics Netherlands –Envelops –Management of Standards

3. Priorities at CBS –Secondary data collection –Primary data collection Exports using standard files Interactive questionnaires  Webforms  HTML/upload  Off-line tools

4. Interchange formats (1) –Transportable Pass through firewalls Not open to viruses Not inviting providers to modify the message –Recognizable Process meta Content meta –Platform independent

5. Interchange formats (2) –Open Free to use Vendor independant Stable Managed Available –Easy to process

6. Examples used at CBS –ASCII Fixed CSV –EDIFACT –XML –XBRL Other file formats in use: –Excel –Blaise bdb –Access –…–…

7. ASCII –International Trade –International Services –Consumers Price-Index Scanner data –Traffic & Transport –Most EDR messages –etc.  Limited content meta  No process meta  No meta tags  Easy to process (difficult to detect)

8. EDIFACT –International Trade CUSDEC / INSTAT CUSDEC / COSTAR –Traffic & Transport IFTDGN / PROTE5  Content meta  Process meta  Limited meta tags  Difficult to process (CBS convertor build in Blaise)

9. XML –International Trade Instat62 (Baan) –Traffic & Transport Roadtransport –Producers Price-Index EDR message  Content meta  Process meta  Meta tags  Easy to process with modern software (CBS convertor build in Blaise to support legacy systems)

10. XBRL –EMU reports Waterboards Municipalities Provinces –International Services (SAP, Adobe) –Short term indicators (turnover) –National Taxonomy Project In co-operation with Tax, Justice, Ch. of Com. Financial Economic data  XML++  Difficult to process because of its richness

11. Dutch taxonomy architecture

12. Envelop –Contains process meta –Content independant –Transport medium independant –Provides consistency control –Should be (an open) standard Now:  CBS XML envelop (EDR and CBSsend)  EDIFACT Future:  SOAP  ebMS (SOAP+)

13. Envelop: manage data flows Tool1Tool2 Post Office Tool3Tool4 SMTP FTP Distribution/conversion MesDesk 2004: 275.000 messages surveys

14. Management of Standards –Technical standards UN/CEFACT OASIS XBRL.org ISO etc. –Content (Taxonomy, MIG) Suggestions ? I do !

15. Content Standards –Are there any for statistical purposes? –If so, what is the scope (local, national, european)? –Are they necessary? –And on what scope? –Can they be created? –How and by whom should they be managed? –What role should the NSI’s play in this? –And what about Eurostat?