Data-based reporting
Statistics Estonia uses about 100 questionnaires to collect data for indicators about Estonian economy and society. The goal of data-based reporting is to provide enterprises and other organisations with the option of automatic data submission – directly from accounting software. This way, the burden for respondents is minimised!
What is data-based reporting?
Standardised data required for reporting can be submitted automatically using machine-to-machine communication. It means that enterprises continue to use their information systems as before, but the data required for reporting are captured from the information system and transmitted directly to Statistics Estonia. This reduces the administrative burden for respondents while also leading to improved data services.
How to set up automatic data exchange?
- Find out whether your accounting or business software offers machine-to-machine data transmission, or whether developers are considering adding this option.
- N.B. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications will soon offer grants for software developers to support the addition of automatic data exchange functionality to accounting software. Developers can apply for the support through the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (read more at www.eis.ee). The Agency will soon hold a seminar (in Estonian) about the grants; for more details see https://taltech.ee/eis-toetused-reaalajamajandus-kui-ettevotte-arenguvoimalus.
- Data on wages and salaries and labour force can be submitted automatically using software from these providers: Skriining OÜ, Account Studio OÜ , Arveldaja OÜ and BCS Itera AS.
- Accommodation data can soon be submitted using Bidrento property management software.
- The use of software for data submission requires some initial set-up, and users may need to provide more detailed descriptions of transactions, but this will result in a considerable decrease in the time spent on data preparation and submission.
- Enterprises will still be able to submit data via Statistics Estonia’s self-service portal, if preferred.
At the moment, automatic submission is available for the following questionnaires:
- Wages and salaries and labour force
- Gross hourly earnings of male and female employees in October
- Accommodation activity
How does machine-to-machine data exchange work?
- The software is connected to Statistics Estonia’s e-service.
- For automatic data submission, there is no need to log into eStat or Statistics Estonia’s new self-service environment.
- The respondent selects the required dataset in the software, authorises the software to generate the file with the data for the reference period and submits the file to Statistics Estonia.
- Once the data have been sent, you will receive a confirmation of successful delivery. If there are no problems, you do not have to do anything else. If there are errors in the file, you will receive a report with further instructions. Correct the errors and re-send the file. N.B. The processing of your files may take some time.
- The self-service environment is in active development. This means that it may take a while until the questionnaire status is set to “submitted” in the self-service portal.
- Data submitted this way cannot be viewed as a questionnaire.
- Statistics Estonia will be responsible for compiling and checking the data.
- Statistics Estonia will not retrieve data from your accounting software without authorisation. We will only receive the data once the enterprise approves the transmission.
Data-based reporting is one of the areas of real-time economy being developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. For more information about the different projects and priorities, visit the real-time economy website.