Business Help Site

General

1.  Is this survey mandatory?

Yes, your response is required by law. Title 13 of the U.S. Code requires businesses and other organizations that receive the questionnaire(s) to answer the questions and return the report(s) to the Census Bureau. Under the same law, information that you report cannot be used for taxation, regulation, or investigation and are exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act. Further, copies of your response retained in your files are immune from legal process.

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2.  Why should my company fill out this form?

The survey produces revenue statistics for your segment of the economy. In other words, you can receive important economic information regarding your industry quicker than ever before.

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3.  Who uses the data?

• The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses these data for the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates and in developing the national accounts' input-output tables.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses these data as input to its Producer Price Indices and in developing productivity measurements.
• Trade and professional organizations use these data to analyze industry trends and benchmark their own statistical programs, develop forecasts, and evaluate regulatory requirements.
• The media use these data for news reports and background information.
• Private businesses use these data to measure market share, analyze business potential, and plan investments.

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4.  My firm is no longer in business. What should I do?

• The name, address and telephone number of the company that purchased it
• The purchaser's kind of business
• The date of sale

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5.  Why don't you get the information you need from the IRS?

The Census Bureau uses IRS administrative data whenever possible. However, the IRS data does not provide the level of detail needed in most Census Bureau surveys. Also, some items are just not available from IRS data, e.g., merchandise/receipts lines, E-commerce, etc.

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6.  I report data in the monthly survey. Why can't you just sum that data?

The annual survey collects additional data not included on the monthly form, such as purchases and accounts receivables. Often companies have final adjustments to their monthly levels that we wouldn't know about without the annual survey.
Likewise, many companies that are unable to provide a final inventory number on a monthly basis can do so on an annual basis, and many firms reporting on a LIFO basis only calculate their LIFO reserve data annually. This information would not be available to us without the annual surveys.

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7.  How do I know that no one else can access the data from your computer?

Data maintained in the Census Bureau's computer system is not accessible to personnel outside the Census Bureau. Our computers cannot be accessed through telephone lines; there is no direct dial-up. In addition, the Bureau's computer area is closed to all personnel except for people with special passes. To access data, individuals must have a Census user identification and a password.

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8.  How did you get my Employer Identification Number (EIN)?

We obtain a list of EINs regularly from other government agencies that have this information (e.g., the Social Security Administration). We are authorized by law to do this (Section 6103 of Internal Revenue Code).

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9.  Are my responses confidential?

Your responses are completely confidential under Title 13, United States Code, and are seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information. Data provided will be used only to publish summary statistics that do not identify individual firms. Title 13 also provides that copies of reports retained in your files are immune from legal process. Under the same law, information that you report cannot be used for taxation, regulation, or investigation and are exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act. Further, copies of your response retained in your files are immune from legal process.

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10.  What is NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)?

NAICS is used to classify a business location's primary activity. NAICS replaced the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. You may access the following web site to learn more about NAICS

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