2012 Economic Census

Frequently Asked Questions

In December, 2012, most employer businesses across the nation will receive 2012 Economic Census forms. The forms will be due February 12, 2013.

Why does the government take the Economic Census?

Good public policy depends on accurate information. The Economic Census provides official measures of output for industries and geographic areas, and serves as the cornerstone of the nation’s economic statistics, providing key source data for the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other indicators of economic performance.

How many businesses will receive 2012 Economic Census forms?

Nearly 5 million businesses will receive census forms, most in the middle of December 2012.

How do businesses get picked for the Census?

Economic Census forms are sent to all but the smallest businesses in every industry and geographic area of the U.S. Although the precise cutoff varies from industry to industry, most businesses with four or more paid employees, and a sample of smaller ones, will receive a census form.

Can businesses report electronically?

Yes! Businesses with only one location will be able to report directly through an online questionnaire. Businesses with more than one location can download special software with an spreadsheet-style look and feel, and return their data by uploading a file to a secure Census Bureau web site.

Are business responses to the Economic Census kept confidential?

Yes! Business answers are protected by federal law — Title 13, United States Code — under penalty of fines or imprisonment. Individual responses are seen only by persons sworn to uphold the confidentiality of Census Bureau information and may be used only for statistical purposes. Confidential information on census forms is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. No business competitor can obtain the responses of another company, and even copies retained in respondents’ files are immune from legal process.

What is the penalty for not responding?

The census law (Title 13, United States Code, Section 224), coupled with the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (Title 18, Sections 3551, 3559, and 3571), provides for penalties of up to $5,000 for failure to report, and $10,000 for intentionally providing false information.

Why do we need an Economic Census when surveys provide more timely figures?

The Economic Census provides comprehensive details about the United States economy, from the National to the local level. Surveys — like Monthly Retail Sales — provide timely information, but only for particular industries or sectors. Since surveys are based on samples that include only a small fraction of all businesses, they can't supply the geographic and other details that are unique to the census.

Economic Census data about industries, their inputs and outputs, and how they relate to each other, are available nowhere else. Census totals also serve as benchmarks to keep our surveys accurate.

What’s new about the 2012 Economic Census?

• For respondents, it will be easier than ever to report, with a new on-line reporting option to complement the software downloading option.
• More industries will report sales and revenue sources according to the new North American Product Classification System, which will provide product data that will be comparable across government agencies.
• New statistics will be introduced to profile key characteristics of U.S. enterprises, such as innovation and globalization. Enterprises are the business organizations that own or control the establishments summarized in most census reports.

When will people see the results of the 2012 Economic Census?

The first census results will be available in early 2014 when the “Advance Report" provides totals for all economic sectors right at the start. All census results will be issued on the Internet over a 2 1/2-year period.

Can businesses use Economic Census results?

Economic Census data help businesses...

• compare industries and locations
• develop business plans
• locate facilities, define markets, gauge the competition, attract investment, manage sales and assess efficiency

There are many examples of how people use the data.