Establishments were requested to provide information on the cost of expenses for communication services; legal services; accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services; advertising and promotional services; and all other expenses. Each of these items reflects the costs paid directly by the establishment and excludes salaries paid to employees of the establishment for these services. These expenses are normally considered as non-production related costs purchased from other companies.

Included in the cost of other expenses for communication services are the actual expenses incurred or payable during the year for any type of communication. Types of communication services include telephone, data transmission, telegraph, Internet connectivity, fax, telex, photo transmission, paging, cellular telephone, on-line access and related services, etc.

Included in the cost of other expenses for legal services are payments made to other companies for these services which were paid directly by the establishment. Excluded are the salaries paid to employees of the establishment for these services.

Included in the cost of other expenses for accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services are payments made to other companies for these services which were paid directly by the establishment. Excluded are the salaries paid to employees of the establishment for these services.

Included in the cost of other expenses for advertising and promotional services are payments made to other companies for these services which were paid directly by the establishment. These include payments for printing, media coverage, and other services and materials. Excluded are the salaries paid to employees of the establishment for these services.

Response coverage ratio

A response coverage ratio is a measure of the extent to which respondents report for an item. The estimate is made by calculating the ratio value of the weighted total employment data for all the establishments that report the item to the weighted total employment data for all establishments classified in an industry (reporters and non-reporters).