The Economic Census, conducted every 5 years, is the most comprehensive business survey conducted by the federal government.  The current Economic Census is underway. Companies report their 2017 year-end numbers. Online response is required by law and all responses are kept confidential. The due date was June 12^th, but there is still time for companies to respond. The participation and cooperation of all sampled businesses is vital in ensuring that census results are reliable, comprehensive, and representative of our rapidly changing economy.

The Economic Census collects information for individual business establishments, including physical location, type of business activity (industry), employment, payroll, revenue by type of service or product, and industry-specific questions, such as materials consumed and franchising.

All businesses owning and operating multiple locations are included in the 2017 Economic Census.  The owning entity will be asked to file an online form for each individual business location.  This differs from income and tax filings where they may include more than a single business location.

In some sectors and industries, like finance, insurance, real estate, some firms will be asked to consolidate their economic activity on a state-wide basis.

• Why do small businesses have to complete the Economic Census?
  Relatively few small businesses are sampled for inclusion in the 2017 Economic Census. But those small businesses represent other similar size businesses. Obtaining timely, complete responses from sampled small businesses ensures results are representative and reflect the diversity and dynamic nature of small businesses.
• Why would a business not receive a survey?
  To reduce the burden on American businesses, the Census Bureau does not send Economic Census surveys to most very small firms. At companies with more than one location, surveys are sent to the company headquarters or other company appointed contact(s) so most staff never receives a census survey.
  A few industries are not covered by the Economic Census—see Codes Not Covered.

Businesses use Census data to make decisions about where to locate, how much to produce, and to compare their performance to other businesses in their industry or community.  Local communities use Economic Census results to attract new businesses, assess the economic health of their localities, understand the characteristics of their business base, and compare their community to other geographical areas.  Individuals can use census results to identify emerging job markets and growing industries.

Click here to see the various data tools, including the Census Business Builder (CBB). The CBB is a suite of services that provide selected demographic and economic data from the Census Bureau tailored to specific types of users in a simple to access and use format.

Detailed requirements and procedures for completing and filling your client’s Economic Census is available on the mailing they received. Additional guidance can be found on our Information for Respondents page. There are also a series of “How Do I…” answers, as well as short “How-To Videos”.

For assistance completing this survey, please log-in to your Census Bureau account at https://portal.census.gov and send us a secure message or call the customer help line at 1-800-233-6136, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Visit our FAQs page for more answers about the Economic Census.

We have a large library of Economic Census assets available on our Promotional Materials that includes videos, print and online advertising, talking points, and a digital brochure.  Print and online materials are available in various sizes and treatments.

In addition to promotional materials here are some additional resources that can assist and inform you.

For real-life business data use cases, click here

For Economic Census data tools, click here

For the Economic Census of Island Areas, click here

For surveys and instructions, click here

For 2017 planned data product release schedule, click here