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Turnover of service industries: documentation of statistics
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14.4.2023 valid documentation
Basic data of the statistics
Data description
Traficom's traffic affairs register from which data are drawn for Statistics Finland quarterly.
Statistical presentation
Statistics Finland’s statistics on motor vehicles are based on the traffic affairs register of Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom), which contains data on all road transport vehicles liable for registration on Mainland Finland. Ålands Fordonsmyndigheten supplies to Statistics Finland annual statistics on first registrations on the Åland Islands, and these data are added to the long time series on first registrations. Vehicles in the separate register of the defence forces are not included in Statistics Finland’s statistics on motor vehicles.
Statistical population
Vehicles (automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, snowmobiles, agricultural tractors, motor-driven machines and trailers) included in the vehicle register at the end of each quarter and first registrations of new motor vehicles monthly. Only year-end data from the separate register of the Åland Islands.
Statistical unit
Vehicle in road traffic subject to registration.
Unit of measure
Number of vehicles. The measurement units for the technical characteristics data of vehicles are, e.g. kilogramme, centimetre, g/km.
Base period
The relevant part of the statistics is the latest statistical reference period and the comparison with the corresponding period one year previously.
Reference period
Motor vehicle stock data are drawn for Statistics Finland quarterly; 31st of March, 30th of June, 30th of September and 31st of December. First registrations of new motor vehicles from the previous month.
Reference area
The sum data of long time series by vehicle category are available on the level of the whole of Finland. More detailed data on vehicles are published for Mainland Finland and some of the data on the level of municipalities. Special compilations can be made case-specifically by postal code area.
Sector coverage
The data contains all road transport vehicles liable for registration on Mainland Finland.
Time coverage
The longest table-specific time series of the vehicle statistics is vehicles entered in the register from 1922 to 2021. The available more detailed data cover the years 2001 to 2021.
Frequency of dissemination
Statistics on the vehicle stock at the turn of the year are available on Statistics Finland's web pages in February. Statistics on first registrations of motor vehicles are published on Statistics Finland's web pages on the fourth working day of each month. The published statistics contain data on new vehicles registered during the previous month.
Monthly statistics are exclusive of the vehicles on Åland. The data presented in the statistics are final.
Monthly statistics are exclusive of the vehicles on Åland. The data presented in the statistics are final.
Concepts
Adjustment for seasonal variation
Seasonal adjustment means the estimation of seasonal variation and the elimination of its impact from a time series. The obtained result is a seasonally adjusted time series. The trend of a time series is obtained when both seasonal variation and irregular random variation are eliminated from a time series. Trading or working day adjusted series are in turn obtained when the factors caused by the variation in the number of trading days or weekdays is eliminated from the observation of the original time series. The Tramo/Seats method is used for the seasonal adjustment of time series at Statistics Finland. In the Tramo/Seats method, preadjustment is based on a regression model (which allows for outlying observations, public holidays and the weekday structure) and the seasonal adjustment proper on an ARIMA model constructed for the time series.
Annual change
Annual change is the relative change of the index in comparison with the corresponding time period one year ago (e.g. annual change of total index of consumer prices, i.e. inflation).
Base year
Base year refers to the base point in time of a time series. Mainly years divisible by five are used as a base year but other years can exceptionally be used as a base year. In releases base year is noted, for example, as 2015=100 or 2021=100. The mean for the index point figures of the base year is 100. For example, in monthly indices the index point figures of the months of the base year indicate the breakdown of the examined variable between different months.
Growth review
Growth reviews are analyses that provide information in the form of figures, tables and written descriptions about the breakdown of growth in, say, turnover, sum of wages and salaries or number of employees between enterprises. Growth reviews can be used to ascertain how much small enterprises or local enterprises only operating in their own area influence growth in their respective industry or whether the growth originates from just a few strongly expanding enterprises. The share of growing enterprises of all enterprises in the industry can be examined with growth reviews.
Index
An index is a ratio describing the relative change in a variable (e.g. price, volume or value) compared to a certain base period (e.g. one year). The index point figure for each point in time tells what percentage the given examined variable is of its respective value or volume at the base point in time. The mean of the index point figures for the base period is 100.
Monthly business indicators
Monthly business indicators are index-format indicators describing turnover, exports, sum of wages and salaries and number of employees that are produced monthly and by industry, and are intended to help in the monitoring of business trends. The production of the indices is regulated by the Regulation on European business statistics.
Original series
An index series from which the effects of factors not related to production have not been removed. Non-productional factors include variations in the number of working days per month and fluctuations in production caused by seasonal variation.
Panel calculation
Panel calculation refers to a calculation method that is used to produce certain statistics on economic trends. If there is not enough source data for the latest examined time periods, as a rule the statistical units with comparative data for both the examined month and the corresponding month of the previous year are taken into account in the calculation. Data on this population, or panel, are used to calculate the change with which an index can be calculated for the examined point in time from the index of the corresponding point in time in the year before.
Revision
Revision means added accuracy of data. The accuracy of data can increase due to changes in the data that are used in calculations or to the availability of new data.
Sales inquiry
The sales inquiry covers around 2,000 most important enterprises in their respective industries from which data on turnover are collected monthly. In addition, data on the sum of wages and salaries are inquired from around 45 enterprises divided into kind-of-activity units, because these are not available from other sources.
The inquiry does not extend to enterprises operating in financing, the public sector, education or health and social care, because turnover data are not produced for them. The inclusion criterion is the size of the enterprise's turnover relative to the turnover of the respective industry.
The inquiry does not extend to enterprises operating in financing, the public sector, education or health and social care, because turnover data are not produced for them. The inclusion criterion is the size of the enterprise's turnover relative to the turnover of the respective industry.
Seasonal variation
Seasonal variation is variation in a time series within one year that is repeated more or less regularly. Seasonal variation may be caused by the temperature, rainfall, public holidays, cycles of seasons or holidays.
Seasonally adjusted series
A seasonally adjusted series is obtained when the effect of seasonal variation is eliminated from the original time series. The figures of a seasonally adjusted series are mutually comparable and thus it is meaningful to compare two successive observations. A seasonally adjusted series can be used for detecting short-term developments and significant turns of economic cycles.
Tailored trend indicator service
Tailored trend indicators is a charged information service providing fast data by area on e.g. turnover, exports, wages and salaries or numbers of employees. Additional growth reviews can be produced to elaborate on the factors behind development trends. The data on development in business trends can be supplied to the customers monthly, quarterly or annually as agreed.
Tax Administration's self-assessed tax data
The Tax Administration's data on self-assessed taxes contain monthly, quarterly and annual value added tax data. The observation unit is an enterprise. The data on self-assessed taxes cover all enterprises liable to pay value added tax included in the tax account procedure, that is, nearly all entrepreneurial activity in Finland.
Trading day adjustment
Adjustments for trading days take into account different distributions of weekdays and public holidays in the compared months. Trading days could put the sales of an industry above normal in a certain month if the month concerned contains a higher than usual number of Fridays. In other words, the aim in making adjustments for trading days is to remove calendar effects in order to make the index figures for the corresponding months of different years as comparable as possible. However, adjustments for trading days do not remove the effects of monthly seasonal variation.
Trend
Trend describes the long-term development in a time series. A trend series has been adjusted for seasonal and random variations, so that the effects of e.g. weather conditions or short-term labour disputes do not show in it. By contrast, permanent changes, such as growth in demand due to changed taxation, will show in a trend. The direction indicated by the end of a trend should be interpreted with caution. The latter part of a trend indicator may change once it has been updated with data for subsequent months.
Turnover
Turnover refers to the information concerning sales obtained from the Tax Administration's self-assessed tax data (total data) and from Statistics Finland's sales inquiry conducted among the 2,000 largest enterprises within their respective industries. In the self-assessed tax data, turnover may also include profit and loss statement items external to turnover, such as sales of fixed assets, other income, extraordinary items, purchases inversely liable to tax, own use of products and agency sales. The largest items deviating in profit and loss account from turnover are adjusted in the calculation. The concept of turnover in Statistics Finland's sales inquiry is fairly close to the concept of turnover in the profit and loss statement. Turnover comprises both domestic and export turnover. Turnover is exclusive of value-added tax.
Value index
A value index is a measure (ratio) that describes change in a nominal value relative to its value in the base year. The index point figure for each point in time tells what percentage a given value is at that point in time of its respective value at the base point in time. Thus, in monthly statistics the value index point figure for an examined month describes the percentage share of the value of that month of the average monthly value for the base year.
Volume index
The volume index is a ratio describing the relative change in volume relative to the base period. It describes changes in output at fixed prices. The volume index can be formed by deflating from the turnover indices or the value data of output, directly from the quantity data of output or by means of input data, such as hours worked. The volume index takes into account the qualitative development of products and inflation. Volume indices are produced on industry and services, while quantity indices are produced on trade and construction.
Working day adjusted series
In a working day adjusted series, the factors caused by the variation in the number of weekdays are taken into account. This means taking into consideration the lengths of months, different weekdays and holidays. Working day adjusted figures are published on industries where the variation in the number of working days has a significant effect on the time series. In comparison to trading day adjustment, working day adjustments do not pay attention to the effect of different weekdays (i.e. the effect of Fridays is not estimated separately).
Classifications
Accuracy, reliability and timeliness
Overall accuracy
The quality of the statistics is dependent on the quality of the data in the transport register. The quality of the data is at a good level at the level of main classifications. At a more detailed level, register data may contain missing and insufficient data.
Timeliness
Statistics on the motor vehicle stock at the turn of the year are available on Statistics Finland's web pages in February.
Statistics on first registrations of motor vehicles are published on Statistics Finland's web pages on the fourth working day of each month. The published statistics contain data on new vehicles registered during the previous month.
Statistics on first registrations of motor vehicles are published on Statistics Finland's web pages on the fourth working day of each month. The published statistics contain data on new vehicles registered during the previous month.
Punctuality
The data is submitted on the target day and there is no delay.
Comparability
Comparability - geographical
These are comprehensive register data, so in terms of the most important classifying data, the data of the vehicle statistics are comparable for Mainland Finland and also at the level of regions and municipalities. When comparing regional and municipality-specific data, consolidations of municipalities that have taken place should be taken into account, because municipality statistics are always compiled according to the classification of municipalities valid during the statistical reference year. In 2000 to 2006, the municipality of the vehicle was derived from the postal code of the holder. At other times, the municipality code used for the vehicle has been the municipality code according to the municipality of residence of the vehicle holder.
Comparability - over time
The total numbers of vehicles by vehicle category are comparable with earlier years. The vehicle stock contains vehicles temporarily decommissioned from traffic starting from 2007. When comparing regional and municipality-specific data, consolidations of municipalities that have taken place should be taken into account, because municipality statistics are always compiled according to the classification of municipalities valid during the statistical reference year. In 2000 to 2006, the municipality of the vehicle was derived from the postal code of the holder. At other times the municipality code used for the vehicle has been the municipality code according to the municipality of residence of the vehicle holder.
Coherence - cross domain
Statistics Finland's vehicle statistics are quite coherent on the total level when compared with statistics from other statistical areas.
Source data and data collections
Source data
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) releases the data on vehicles in the transport register quarterly to Statistics Finland. Åland's vehicle register is maintained by Ålands Fordonsmyndighet, from which Statistics Finland receives annual summary data on vehicles in the register. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) releases data on new vehicles to Statistics Finland monthly for the compilation of statistics. Åland's vehicle register is maintained by Ålands Fordonsmyndighet, from which Statistics Finland receives annual summary data on first registrations.
Data collection
The data derive from the controller.
Frequency of data collection
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) releases the data on vehicles in the transport register quarterly to Statistics Finland. Åland's vehicle register is maintained by Ålands Fordonsmyndighet, from which Statistics Finland receives annual summary data on vehicles in the register. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) releases data on new vehicles to Statistics Finland monthly for the compilation of statistics. Åland's vehicle register is maintained by Ålands Fordonsmyndighet, from which Statistics Finland receives annual summary data on first registrations.
Methods
Data compilation
In the production process the source data are edited according to the processing rules and new data variables are derived.
Data validation
The source data are checked in the production process with respect to the most important data variables and the results are compared with earlier data. If differences are detected, the reasons for them are determined with the help of the data or by contacting the controller of the register.
Principles and outlines
Contact organisation
Statistics Finland
Contact organisation unit
Social Statistics
Legal acts and other agreements
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 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
Confidentiality - policy
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment
The main purpose of data protection is to avoid publishing statistical data in a form from which an individual person or enterprise can be identified. The statistical unit of motor vehicle statistics is a vehicle and in the tables to be published it should be assessed case-specifically that data on an individual vehicle are not presented on an excessively accurate level in the tables.
The statistics on motor vehicles do not contain unit-level data decreed public by law, so the disclosure risk must be considered when creating tables. The most sensitive data in the statistics are related to the vehicle holder and/or owner.
Whereas the basic data of the statistics on motor vehicles contain a lot of sensitive data relating to persons and enterprises, the actual data published in the statistics relate to vehicles and their technical characteristics. Technical data on vehicles can be published according to the municipality of residence of the holder and/or the owner of the vehicle. Enterprises have their own postal code areas according to their name, so the statistics cannot always be classified according to all postal code areas.
Mere technical data on vehicles can be published at unit level also. In relation to several data variables concerning the holder and/or owner of the vehicle the threshold value cannot be used, because even if the threshold value is exceeded, the observations relate to the same enterprise, for example, when it comes to enterprises' own postal code areas. Then the data are not published at all at that level of accuracy. Otherwise, the threshold value used is three statistical units. The threshold value rule is used in primary and secondary protection. In primary protection, data are suppressed if the cell in the table is based only on one or two observations. In secondary suppression, either the data of the upper group or those of the sub-group should be suppressed if the sub-group or the difference between the upper group and the sub-group consists of one or two observations.
In customer-specific assignments concerning motor vehicle statistics the previously described protection principles are applied at the defining and planning stages of the assignment. Statistics Finland is obliged to provide information on the impact of the data protection regulations on the compiled statistics at the determination stage of the assignment. At the determination stage, Statistics Finland plans together with the customer such statistics that aim to meet the customer's data needs within the framework of the conditions set by data protection. The release of unit-level motor vehicle data for research use is decided on by the Social Statistics Department case-specifically after the application for licence to use statistical data.
The statistics on motor vehicles do not contain unit-level data decreed public by law, so the disclosure risk must be considered when creating tables. The most sensitive data in the statistics are related to the vehicle holder and/or owner.
Whereas the basic data of the statistics on motor vehicles contain a lot of sensitive data relating to persons and enterprises, the actual data published in the statistics relate to vehicles and their technical characteristics. Technical data on vehicles can be published according to the municipality of residence of the holder and/or the owner of the vehicle. Enterprises have their own postal code areas according to their name, so the statistics cannot always be classified according to all postal code areas.
Mere technical data on vehicles can be published at unit level also. In relation to several data variables concerning the holder and/or owner of the vehicle the threshold value cannot be used, because even if the threshold value is exceeded, the observations relate to the same enterprise, for example, when it comes to enterprises' own postal code areas. Then the data are not published at all at that level of accuracy. Otherwise, the threshold value used is three statistical units. The threshold value rule is used in primary and secondary protection. In primary protection, data are suppressed if the cell in the table is based only on one or two observations. In secondary suppression, either the data of the upper group or those of the sub-group should be suppressed if the sub-group or the difference between the upper group and the sub-group consists of one or two observations.
In customer-specific assignments concerning motor vehicle statistics the previously described protection principles are applied at the defining and planning stages of the assignment. Statistics Finland is obliged to provide information on the impact of the data protection regulations on the compiled statistics at the determination stage of the assignment. At the determination stage, Statistics Finland plans together with the customer such statistics that aim to meet the customer's data needs within the framework of the conditions set by data protection. The release of unit-level motor vehicle data for research use is decided on by the Social Statistics Department case-specifically after the application for licence to use statistical data.
Release policy
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 are public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Data sharing
The data of the statistics on vehicles are available in Statistics Finland's StatFin database and on the home page of the statistics from the date of their release.
Accessibility and clarity
Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.
In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases.
Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.
Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service.
Data revision - policy
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
Quality assessment
The quality of the statistics is dependent on the quality of the data in the transport register and the quality of the data is examined regularly together with the controller.
Quality assurance
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are also compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: Quality management | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
User access
Data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may only be handled 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 separately stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer of the data and the owner of the copyright. The terms of use for statistical data.