Methodological description

Data collection methods and data sources

The basic data for Statistics Finland's Business Register derive from administrative data sources (the most important being the Tax Administration).

Statistics Finland also conducts constantly direct inquiries to enterprises. The inquiries request information about the enterprise's industry, personnel number, turnover and establishment structure. Inquiries are sent yearly to most multi-establishment enterprises and single-establishment enterprises with over 20 employees. Other enterprises receive inquiries less often on rotation basis. New enterprises are inquired fairly soon after they start operation.

In addition to this, Statistics Finland uses several other sources for finding out information about changes in industry, telephone numbers and location addresses, for example.

Timeliness of the data

Data on enterprise openings with a delay of around one month from an enterprise's first payment of wages and salaries and/or value added tax.
Data on enterprise closures with a delay of around one to five months.
Data on personnel, turnover, industry, etc. with a delay of around one to ten months.

Last updated 29.8.2007

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Transition to TOL 2008

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