Financial statement statistics on trade: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Financial statement statistics on trade
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. Financial statement statistics on trade describe the formation of profit, profitability and balance sheet structure in different branches of trade. The examined variables are profit and loss account and balance sheet data, and parameters calculated from them.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Calculatory pay adjustment
Pay adjustments are used to estimate the effect of an entrepreneur's unpaid work input on the enterprise's profitability. The purpose of the pay adjustment is to provide a more accurate picture than before of profitability in the industries where the significance of unpaid work input by entrepreneurs themselves is considerable. The pay adjustment is made by first specifying in detail the annual unpaid work input performed by the entrepreneur. Then the total amount of wages and salaries for the unpaid work input is estimated. It should be noted that the pay adjustment is only a calculatory item hampering profitability. It differs from other profit and loss account items in that it is not an expense item or payment actually incurred. The pay adjustment is based on the idea that the business activity should produce for the entrepreneur at least reasonable earnings for the annual work input.
Investments in fixed assets
Investments in fixed assets comprise the acquisition and capital improvement of tangible fixed assets, of which the sales and transfers of fixed assets are deducted. Tangible fixed assets include land and water areas, land and water constructions, buildings and constructions, machinery and equipment as well as other tangible fixed assets. Buildings and structures as well as land and water constructions are recorded as an investment during the statistical period when they are paid for. Other fixed assets are recorded as investments during the accounting period when they are transferred to the buyer's or recipient's use. The concept of gross total increase of tangible fixed assets was in use until 1994. This concept and the current one are defined the same way.
Reference period
The reference period is the period for which data is collected. In structural statistics the reference period is the accounting period.
Statistical unit
A statistical unit is the basic statistical unit in statistics compilation, i.e. the unit from whom the data is collected. In structural business statistics a statistical unit is either an independent enterprise or an establishment of an enterprise.
Turnover
Turnover is deemed to comprise sales profits from the actual activity of a party with a legal obligation to keep books, after deduction of granted subsidies, value added tax and other taxes based directly on sales volume. In addition to the sales adjustment items, income transfer and passage through items are deducted from sales. These are items belonging to another party with a legal obligation to keep books, which only technically go through the books of this other party obliged to keep books. Paid sales freight, commissions and credit losses are not deducted from turnover. The items included in turnover vary by industry. Turnover does, however, always include profits from current assets. A construction developer's turnover is partially recorded twice, as turnover is deemed to include both the selling of buildings to housing companies and the selling of housing company shares to final buyers.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information:
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data.
Further information: The terms of use for statistical data
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (eur-lex.europa.eu) and the Finnish Data Protection Act (Finlex.fi) are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (Finlex.fi).
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection