REFERENCE

Series

• ALFRED: observation dates versus vintage dates

  An observation date and a vintage date answer different questions. The observation date identifies the period being measured. The vintage date selects the information available at a particular …

• BLS national versus state-and-area employment series IDs

  BLS series identifiers are program-specific. Do not use the national employment series layout to split a state-and-area identifier. In the published national employment example CEU0800000003, positions 1–2 identify …

• CPI: revisions, corrections and index families

  A CPI observation needs more than a month and a number. Record the index family, population coverage, area, item definition and seasonal-adjustment status alongside the value. These choices …