Electronic Data Collection at the U.S.
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Louise Ku-Graf
Third International Conference on Establishment Surveys
June 19, 2007
Outline
 Background
 Automated Survey Transmission and
Retrieval (ASTAR) System
 eFile: BEA’s Second Generation of
Electronic Filing
 Future Plans
 Questions
www.bea.gov
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Background
• U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
• Produces national and international
economic accounts
• Most source data from outside sources
(Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Collects primary source data in two areas:
• Direct investment
• Trade in Services
• 16 surveys
• Mandatory
• Confidential
www.bea.gov
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Automated Survey Transmission and Retrieval System
(ASTAR)
• Developmental efforts began in
late 1990s
• Initial implementation in 2000
(2nd quarter)
• Gradually expanded to cover
almost all surveys
www.bea.gov
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ASTAR Usage
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Total documents
filed via ASTAR
Total documents
filed via paper
20
01
20 Q2
01
20 Q3
01
20 Q4
02
20 Q1
02
20 Q2
02
20 Q3
02
20 Q4
03
20 Q1
03
20 Q2
03
20 Q3
03
20 Q4
04
20 Q1
04
20 Q2
04
20 Q3
04
20 Q4
05
20 Q1
05
20 Q2
05
20 Q3
05
20 Q4
06
20 Q1
06
20 Q2
06
20 Q3
06
Q4
Document count
Chart 1: Total documents filed via ASTAR and paper for Form BE-605
www.bea.gov
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ASTAR Usage - continued
 ASTAR users account for an ever increasing proportion
of key metrics
Chart 2: Documents Filed via ASTAR as a Percentage of Total Assets and Total Sales*
25%
20%
15%
Total Assets
10%
Total Sales
5%
0%
2002
2003
2004
2005
*Data obtained from the benchmark and annual surveys of foreign direct investment
in the United States, BE-12/15.
www.bea.gov
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System Description of ASTAR
 JAVA applet runs in the respondent’s browser
 Respondents can work on-line or off-line
 Data are encrypted in transit
 Assigned unique passwords are used to
retrieve/decrypt/encrypt data
 Generates printable forms in PDF format
www.bea.gov
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System Description of ASTAR - continued
 Encrypted data are stored on BEA’s web
server
 SQL server accesses encrypted data, and
decrypts the data
 Decrypted data are loaded into internal
database
 Automated e-mail notification is generated
 ASTAR system includes import and export
features (CSV file format)
www.bea.gov
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ASTAR Usage – continued
 Import feature tends to be most widely used for the quarterly
survey of U.S. direct investment abroad, Form BE-577
Table 1: Minutes Per Document for Form-577 ASTAR Users
2006 Q1
2006 Q2
2006 Q3
2006 Q4
Average
6.27
6.49
6.19
7.87
Minimum
0.05
0.12
0.01
0.01
Maximum
42.00
205.00
50.50
181.00
Total Documents
4973
5013
5609
5528
Reflects only time spent online
www.bea.gov
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ASTAR Success
Chart 3: Method of filing used by respondents for Form BE-605
35%
30%
25%
Total documents
filed via ASTAR as
a percentage of
total mailouts
20%
15%
10%
Total documents
filed via ASTAR as
a percentage of
total documents
received
5%
20
01
20 Q
01 2
20 Q
01 3
20 Q
02 4
20 Q
02 1
20 Q
02 2
20 Q
02 3
20 Q
03 4
20 Q
03 1
20 Q
03 2
20 Q
03 3
20 Q
04 4
20 Q
04 1
20 Q
04 2
20 Q
04 3
20 Q
05 4
20 Q
05 1
20 Q
05 2
20 Q
05 3
20 Q
06 4
20 Q
06 1
20 Q
06 2
20 Q
06 3
Q
4
0%
www.bea.gov
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ASTAR Successes - continued
 Improved timeliness
 Reduces BEA’s costs
 Reduces timeframe for accessing
reported data
 Eliminates keypunch errors
 Increases data integrity
 Data pass through a series of checks prior
to submission
www.bea.gov
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ASTAR Challenges
 High maintenance costs
 Must be supported by outside contractor
 Significant maintenance effort
 Changes in technology
 Changes in forms
 Burden of password maintenance
 Unique period-specific password
 Limited flexibility in applying checks
www.bea.gov
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eFILE
BEA’S 2nd GENERATION OF ELECTRONIC FILING
 BEA began researching and developing
electronic filing alternatives in 2005
 Adobe E-forms were selected: eFile
 eFile prototype went into production in
2005 for Form BE-10, Benchmark Survey
of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad
www.bea.gov
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eFILE - continued
 Initially supported by outside contractor
 BEA subsequently began constructing
PDF markup, encryption, and hosting of
data collection in-house
 Currently used for 9 surveys
 Over the next 18 - 24 months, eFile will
be extended to all BEA surveys
www.bea.gov
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System Description of eFile
 Compatible with any computer that has
Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader
 Users can change and update passwords
at eFile password “portal” site
 The password portal meets the Eauthentication requirements
 Passwords are never transmitted via email
www.bea.gov
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System Description of eFile - continued
 Password “portal” site




Users complete an online form and submit a password
Portal verifies and validates password to UserID
E-mail confirmation is sent to respondent
Respondent confirms password by following link given
in email
 Respondents save and submit data through BEA website
 Data transmitted via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and
encrypted on BEA web server
www.bea.gov
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User Acceptance of eFile
 3 surveys converted to eFile in
late 2006
 6 additional surveys recently
converted to eFile
 Encouraging usage rates
 30 percent of all BE-45 respondents
 26 percent of all BE-120 respondents
www.bea.gov
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Benefits and Features of eFile
 Lower maintenance cost
 Improved password administration
 Respondents manage their own
passwords
 Reduces BEA and respondent burden
 Meets E-authentication requirements
www.bea.gov
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Benefits and Features of eFile – continued
 More flexibility in validity
and form-specific logic checks
 Data security
 Rapid confirmation of
submissions
www.bea.gov
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Future Plans
 Over the next 18 to 24 months, BEA
will phase out ASTAR and convert to
eFile for all surveys
 Develop an XML-based import and
export feature
 Continue to improve and enhance the
system
www.bea.gov
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Contact Information
Louise Ku-Graf
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Email: Louise.Ku-Graf@bea.gov
Phone: (202)606-9894
www.bea.gov
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