From the “Step 1 – Report” screen, in the “Print / Preview Survey Questions” column, click the link for “Preview Survey,” which will open a new tab in your browser with a PDF of the survey.

If you have more than one survey on the “Step 1 – Report” screen, click the “Print Surveys to PDF” button, which opens a pop-up and you can select multiple surveys or choose the top check mark to select all the surveys. Click the “Continue” button and follow the steps to open a Zip file with the survey previews.

You may also view the PDF associated with your Survey as well as Instructions PDFs here outside the system: https://bhs.econ.census.gov/ombpdfs2022/

You may search/filter by Survey, Survey Title, and Trade.

A good estimate is acceptable if book figures are not available for specific items. We do not expect businesses to incur additional expenses to develop information not available from their records.

Allocate the data for each establishment for which you received a collection instrument using a ratio of the establishment/company level or use similar sized establishments doing similar business activity for which you know information and allocate the rest in the best manner you see fit. Reasonable estimates are acceptable. For example, if 20% of the employees and payroll are at one establishment and 80% are at the other, allocate the company data in a 20% to 80% split. Or if 75% of the Sales, Shipments, Receipts, or Revenue come from one establishment and 25% from another, allocate the company level information to the establishment in a 75% to 25% split.

Report the data for the months operated during the survey year and submit the survey with information about its condition in Item 3, Operational Status.

We are collecting economic activity by location. Fill in the appropriate data as applicable and Item 3 - "Operational status."  If the operation continued as it had during the 12-month period, but just under new ownership, please complete the survey and fill in Item 3 as well. If you owned the company for only part of the year and only have records for a partial year, please complete the survey for the period under your ownership and report the number of months in operation (also update Item 3).

Select the best response to Item 4/4A: Primary business or activity. Fill out the rest of the survey to the best of your ability and submit. 

We are collecting economic activity by location. If the business is still in operation at the location listed in the address label, we will need the data. Make corrections to the name of your business. Make any necessary corrections to the address or physical location directly within the survey. The EIN can be corrected in Item 1. You may help us to update our records by also filling out Item 3 - "Operational status."

This screen is instructional/informational only. You do not/cannot enter data on this screen. The “General Reporting Guidelines” screen provides information on Reporting Period and several examples for how to report dollar figures and percentages. These fields do not allow data input, click the “Continue” button to move to the next screen, which will allow data entry.

Include Full- and part-time employees working at this establishment (including employees working from home) whose payroll was reported on Internal Revenue Service Form 941. Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, and filed under the Employer Identification Number (EIN).

If your company sold services to foreign business, those located outside the United States (exported services), respond with “Yes.”  Respond with “No” if your company did not purchase services from foreign businesses.

Here is a listing that might help you identify Exported Services used by the establishment:

• Direct disaster aid abroad.
• Foreign aid grants.
• Food aid abroad.
• Telehealth therapy.
• Doctors going abroad to provide services overseas (eye, plastic surgery, dental, etc.).
• Clinical trials.
• Online courses.
• Visiting lecturers/presenters.

If your company purchased services from foreign business, those located outside the United States (imported services), respond with “Yes.”  Respond with “No” if your company did not purchase services from foreign businesses.

Here is a listing that might help you identify Imported Services used by the establishment:

• Medical services from abroad.
• Clinical trials.
• Language cultural training.
• Study abroad programs.

If data entered causes an Error or Warning to appear at the top of the screen, you can choose not to correct the data at this moment, and you can move to the next screen by clicking the “Save and Continue” button again. You will have an opportunity to correct Errors and Warnings from the “Step 2 - View Errors/Warnings” screen. 

The exception is Item 4/4A, Primary Business or Activity, where you must make a selection on the screen to move to the next screen. 

This drop-down feature populates previously visited screens as you navigate forward in the collection instrument (or uploaded via a spreadsheet); allowing you to quickly jump back to a previous screen/item # question directly without having to click the “Back” button multiple times. You may also use it to jump forward to your previous screen, or other screens you have visited.

File an extension on the Respondent Portal.

Please see FAQ #14 in How Do I Get Started?.

You will need your user ID and password. If you did not receive, or are missing surveys for some of your establishments, you may add locations on the “Step 1 - Report” screen by clicking the “Add Location” button.

Request additional surveys on the Respondent Portal.

In the online reporting instrument, verify data were submitted by clicking the “Messages” button on the top right, and then click “Open” on the “Submission Report” to see a summary of the number of surveys, how many were successfully submitted, and how many still need to be submitted.

Or, go to the “Step 3 - Submit” screen and check if there is a date and time listed for your survey(s) under the “Last Submission” column.

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