Technical Documentation
	
NOTE TO USERS: This section contains critical information on sources and reliability of data, as well as 
definitions of terms and methodological procedures that users should consider before attempting to interpret or 
analyze the statistical data presented in this report.  Failure to do so may affect the results.
	
Overview
	
This report is a continuing series of reports profiling U.S. exporters.  The first report, A Profile of United States 
Exporters: Initial Findings from the Exporter Data Base, was released by the International Trade 
Administration in September 1993.  That report was based on Census Bureau data compiled both from the 
1987 Economic Census and from documents filed for export clearances during 1987 and used a methodology 
not employed in succeeding reports.  Subsequent reports, covering 1992 through present, are based on 
economic census and survey data on file at the Census Bureau, administrative records from other government 
agencies, and documents filed for export clearances.  
	
These exporter profiles are compiled by the Foreign Trade Division of the U. S. Census Bureau.  The 
International Trade Administration (ITA) is a partial sponsor of the work, providing both financial assistance 
and advice on data user needs.  The ITA also sponsors more detailed Exhibits, which will be available on their 
Web site later this year.  Users will be notified on the ITA Web site (www.ita.doc.gov) when this information 
is available.
	
Effective with the 1997/1998 report, companies are classified according to the North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS) instead of the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. There are 
differences in the ways NAICS and SIC classify certain types of companies.  For example, manufacturers of 
prepackaged software and books are classified as manufacturers under SIC and as "Other" types of companies 
under NAICS.  Users are advised to consider these differences when making year-over-year comparisons of 
exporters and exporter characteristics before and after 1997.  This profile, based on new and revised data, uses 
the same methodology as previous years.
	
The exporter profiles are developed to provide both government and private sector users with information 
about the exporting community including employment size, type of company, and major foreign markets.  In 
this report the data are presented in Exhibits 1 through 6, where the export data are designated as part a for 
statistical year, part b for prior year, and part c for the difference between the data for these two years.  The 
previous year's figures in this report are revised from data released in the previous exporter profile.  The 
revisions are based on the ability to match additional records.
	
The exhibits in this report include detailed breakdowns based upon the number of employees of the identified 
exporting companies.  In presenting these results, companies are classified as small (less than 100 employees 
including number of employees unknown), medium (100 to 499 employees), and large (500 or more 
employees).  Exhibit 3 also provides information on exports to related parties, such as parent or subsidiary 
firms.  Two parties are considered related if either party owns, directly or indirectly, 10 percent or more of the 
other party.
	
All percentages stated in this report, unless otherwise specified, were calculated based solely upon the 
statistical and prior years' export values that could be linked to specific exporters--the "known value."  In 
addition, the source of the administrative records, the Business Register, was restructured starting with 2002 
data.  For explanations of the methods used in tabulating the information as well as non-sampling errors and 
other limitations of the export data in this report, see the Methodology section below. Users are advised to 
consider these limitations when analyzing this information as they may affect the results. Users should cite the 
Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce as the source of the information in this report, not as the source 
of their analyses.
	
Sources of Information
	
The exporter profiles were created from export merchandise trade documentation and company characteristics 
contained in the Census Bureau's data base of company information, the Business Register.  Company 
characteristics are gathered through economic censuses and surveys and supplemented with employment and 
payroll information provided by the Internal Revenue Service.   The export trade statistics, with the exception 
of exports to Canada, are compiled from Shipper's Export Declarations, or their electronic equivalent, which 
were filed by U.S. exporters or their agents for merchandise exiting the United States.  The data for exports to 
Canada are derived from Canada's import data via the U.S./Canada data exchange.   
	
Methodology
	
This profile was compiled using company identifiers or company names reported on export documentation to 
electronically link export trade data to company characteristics in the Business Register.   Beginning with data 
year 2002, the Business Register database was completely restructured to include additional information.  Due 
to these changes and problems with our prior methodology, the matching routines used to create the Exporter 
Profile were updated.  Despite the limitations within the Business Register, we are able to maintain consistency 
with our prior Profiles' matching routines.
	
Less than 3 percent of the total export value for each year, including low-value estimates, exports by U.S. and 
foreign governments, timing adjustments, and end-of-year revisions, was excluded from this matching process 
because the export transactions cannot be attributed to specific exporting companies.  Other transactions that 
could not be matched electronically were investigated and linked manually to specific companies using a 
combination of criteria, including company name, location, type, and product.  A comparison of the overall 
match rates, based on export value, are presented in Table 1 under Distribution of Exports by Identified and 
Unidentified Exporters, at the beginning of this report.  
	
It was not possible to investigate every unmatched transaction, so priority was given to those with the highest 
export values.  The percentage of unidentified value tends to decrease each year as more companies are 
identified and value thresholds triggering investigation are lowered.  Therefore, users should make year-to-year 
comparisons with caution and be aware that the number of small exporting companies and their associated 
known value are most likely understated.  Similarly, the known value may not reflect all shipments by 
identified companies.
	
Data Quality
	
Quality assurance procedures were applied to all phases of collection, processing and tabulation of the 
information in this report to minimize errors.  The data continues to be subject to non-sampling errors in data 
reporting (of the basic export trade statistics and the administrative record source data), coding, keying, and in 
coverage (due to failure to identify all exporting companies).  For an explanation of non-sampling errors 
affecting the trade statistics, see the Information on Goods and Services section of the FT 900 U.S. 
International Trade in Goods and Services, or call (301)763-2227 to request a copy of the release.  One can 
also obtain this information from the web at the following address:
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/press.html#prior
	
	
The characteristics of exporting companies in this report reflect companies that could be matched to the 
Business Register.  When analyzing these data, users should consider the possible impact of unmatched 
transactions and unidentified exporters on their results.  Unidentified exporters may not reflect the same 
distribution of company types and sizes as identified exporting companies.  Similarly, comparisons between 
the number of companies exporting in given categories may be misleading due to differences in the percentage 
of value matched to companies of various types and sizes.
	
Year-over-year comparisons should also be made with caution.  Changes in the number of exporters and the 
value of their export transactions, the known value, may be due to differences in match rates or exporters 
entering/dropping out of the export market. Table 1, under Distribution of Exports by Identified and 
Unidentified Exporters, at the beginning of this report shows a comparison of the match rates, based on export 
value, as well as the value attributable to exporters that exported in both years.
	
Data by State
	
The data contained in Exhibits 6a and 6b are based on the Origin of Movement (OM) State - Based on Origin 
State.  The U.S. state of origin is the 2-character postal code for the state in which the goods begin their 
journey to the port of export.  This field allowed the compilation of the Origin of Movement - Based on Origin 
State Series. The OM series based on origin state has been available since 1987 and is intended to reflect the 
transportation origin of exports.  For more complete information on the state data series, refer to the notice at:  
http/www/census.gov/foreign-trade/aip/elom.html.
	
	
Definitions of Terms
	
Business Register.  Data base of companies included in economic census and surveys conducted by the 
Census Bureau.

Company.  A company is a business consisting of one domestic location (single location company) or more 
than one domestic location (multiple location company) under its ownership or control.
	
	Identified Companies: Identified companies are those companies to which one or more export 
	transactions were matched.  The export value associated with these companies is termed "known 
	value." 
	
	Unclassified Companies: These are identified companies for which no NAICS classification 
	(manufacturers, wholesalers or other companies) could be assigned.
	
Company Size.  Company sizes are based on employment:  small (less than 100 employees including number 
of employees unknown), medium (100 - 499 employees), and large (500 or more employees).
	
Company Type.  Company types are based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 
and are broken out into manufacturers, wholesalers, and all other companies.  Those companies for which a 
valid NAICS code is not available are placed in the unclassified grouping.
	
Employment.  Employment includes all employees, full-time or part-time, reported on a firm's payroll during 
specific payroll periods.
	
Low-value Estimates.  Export transactions valued under $2,501 are not required to be reported.  Instead, the 
Census Bureau estimates the value of such shipments to each country using factors based on the ratios of low-
valued shipments to individual country totals for past periods.
	
Related Party.  A related party transaction is one between a U.S. exporter and a foreign consignee, where 
either party owns (directly or indirectly) 10 percent or more of the other party. 
	
State of the Origin of Movement (OM).  The OM series data provides export statistics based on the state from 
which the merchandise starts its journey to the port of export; i.e., the transportation origin.  This information 
is reported by the exporter.  See the Data Quality section above for limitations of this data series.
	
Value.  The values in this report are f.a.s. ("free alongside ship") and include both domestic exports and re-
exports of foreign merchandise.  Several different values are given:
	
	Total export value:  The total value includes all transactions whether or not linked to specific 
	companies.
	
	Known value: The value of transactions linked to specific companies.  All percentages given for 
	company size and types are based on known value.
	
	Unidentified Value: The valued transactions that were not linked to a specific company. Note that 
	these shipments might have been exported either by identified companies or by other companies not 
	identified in the linking process.