Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Department of social statistics, Division for business cycle statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Statistisk sentralbyå, Postboks 2633 St. Hanshaugen, 0131 Oslo
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
7 February 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
7 February 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
7 February 2025
3.1. Data description
The statistics on turnover is part of a system of short-term statistics compiled to monitor the economy. The primary goal of the survey is to monitor the level and development of sales in mining and quarrying, oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply.
3.2. Classification system
From 2008 Statistics Norway uses a revised industrial classification, SIC 2007 (Standard Industrial Classification). The classification corresponds to EU's revised industrial classification, NACE Rev. 2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The activities covered are (SIC2007): Oil and gas extraction (Division 06, Group 09.1), mining and quarrying (Divisions 05, 07-08, Group 09.9), manufacturing (Section C), electricity and gas supply (Division 35); Annex A.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The variables on the questionnaire relevant for the statistics on turnover are total turnover excluding VAT. Total turnover excluding VAT is the sum of turnover with duty and duty-free turnover.
Turnover divided into domestic and export markets are published from March 2006. The turnover data covers the reference calendar month.
Division of total turnover by market: Administrative data from customs declarations are used for classifying results by market. The ratio between estimated total turnover and the sum of exports for a particular industry determines the distribution by home and export market. The product classification in the statistics on External trade in goods is used to aggregate export turnover for each industry. The home market share is defined as the difference between total turnover and export turnover.
3.5. Statistical unit
The reporting unit is Local Kind of Activity Unit (LKAU) or the Enterprise.
The observation unit is mainly Local Kind of Activity Unit (LKAU), and in some cases the Kind of Activity Unit (KAU).
3.6. Statistical population
The population covers all establishments in mining and quarrying (SIC 05, SIC 07-08, SIC 09.9), oil and gas extraction (SIC 06, 09.1), manufacturing (SIC 10-33) and electricity and gas supply (SIC 35).
The population frame is defined by all active LKAUs in The Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises. The total number of LKAUs in 2013 was about 23 000.
3.7. Reference area
The geographical area covered is national level only; Norway.
Norwegian level covers the main land Norway, Svalbard and Norwegian continental shelf.
3.8. Coverage - Time
All data series transmitted to Eurostat starts in January 2000. This applies for both total turnover and turnover divided by market, for all disseminated aggregates.
In the national dissemination of data, total turnover is available from January 1998, while turnover by market is available from January 2000.
3.9. Base period
Reference year in the data transmitted to Eurostat is 2021.
The current reference year for national publishing is 2021.
Data are collected in 1000 NOK. The data are then converted to indices.
Only indices are transmitted to Eurostat.
In the national dissemination unadjusted data for total turnover and turnover divided by market are also published in NOK million. For calendar adjusted and seasonally adjusted data, only indices are published.
The reference period of this report is month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation)
Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistic (General Implementing Act)
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Statistics on turnover is only transmitted to Eurostat
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Confidential micro data: According to § 7 of the Statistics Act, collected data are subject to secrecy and are to be kept or destroyed in a secure manner. Any use of the data must be in accordance with the rules set out by the Data Inspectorate.
Time series that are not to be published: The publication of data is subject to the provisions of § 7 of the Statistics Act. The main rule is that data should not be published if they can be traced back to the respondent, i.e. figures for which less than three respondents make up the foundation for a cell in the table, figures where one respondent represents more than 90 per cent of the total value, or figures where two respondents represent at least 95 per cent of the total value.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
In data transmitted to Eurostat some series are marked as confidential. This applies to the 2-digit NACE Rev. 2 levels: 05, 12 and 19.
In the national dissemination the levels of details are aggregated sufficiently to assure that aggregates are not confidential.
8.1. Release calendar
The publication schedule is pre-released in Statistics Norway's Advance Release Calendar.
The figures are published at the 2-digit NACE Rev. 2 level or higher aggregates and for the main industrial groupings. (National paper publication).
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Index of industrial turnover is available in Statistics Norway’s Statbank (accessible from the statistics home page). For total turnover data is published from January 1998, and for turnover by market from January 2000. Data is available as NOK million and indices. For indices the series are available as unadjusted (gross), calendar adjusted, seasonally adjusted and trend series (smoothed seasonally adjusted).
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Microdata can be supplied from Statistics Norway’s data collections for research purposes.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data are sent to Eurostat to be released as national data
Best practice is in use in seasonal adjustment of the index of industrial turnover in Norway. Self-assessments and some quality checks are being made in the calculation of the index of industrial turnover in Norway.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Relevance: The statistics is relevant in the way that it is defined as one of the STS indicators. It is also relevant when preforming quality checks with other indicators such as PII an PPI. Media also use the indicator when assessing the business cycle.
Accuracy and reliability: The coefficient of variation (CV) for manufacturing is estimated as 1.1, and the sample covers about 70 per sent of the total turnover in the population. Total non response by the time of release is about 2-3 per cent.
Timeliness and punctuality: The statistics is released about 35 days after the end of reference month (well within the requirements from STS regulations). Statistics Norway’s release system on Internet assures data to be published exactly 08:00 AM, and the date is given in the release calendar not less than 3 months prior to the release.
Comparability: Geographically comparability with other countries is assured by using international standards given in the Eurostat framework (same reference year, same classification ; NACE Rev.2, and same definition of turnover). While there may be some quality issues with comparability over time. This is due to the revision of standard classification NACE Rev. 2, and back-casting of time series prior to the implementation of the new standard.
Coherence: Quality assessment is carried out by comparing with other short-term indicators and with the yearly structural business statistics, nationally.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The index of industrial turnover is used for some industries as a indicator in the quarterly national accounts. It is also in use by Norway's central bank and The Ministry of Trade and Industry when assessing the current economic conditions. The statistics is also used by the media in comments on the current economic situation.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No user satisfaction surveys are carried out for this statistics. No special shortcomings in relation to the use of the statistics are recorded.
12.3. Completeness
The index of industrial turnover in Statistics Norway has full compliance according to the STS-regulation in reporting numbers to Eurostat.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Coverage errors refer to errors in registers that define the population, in this case the central register of establishments and enterprises; Statistics Norway. As a result of such errors, units may be incorrectly included in or excluded from the population. Other problems are related to delays in the update of the registers and units that are incorrectly classified. From experience, a limited share of the population units is incorrectly classified. This is usually due to misleading or insufficient information at a certain time. No calculations on the size and significance of such errors have been carried out. However, such errors are not considered to be greater than for other quantitative short-term statistics.
The coefficient of variation (CV) for manufacturing is estimated as 1.1, and the sample covers about 70 per sent of the total turnover in the population. The gross series may be revised up to 3 months after the first results. This is due to the inclusion of late responses. Seasonally adjusted series may be revised further back in time. This may be caused my improved methods which are applied to the whole time series.
13.2. Sampling error
Accuracy sampling errors refer to uncertainties that occur in sample surveys as opposed to full counts. The Statistics on turnover covers about 70 per cent of the turnover in the population. In order to ensure a high degree of relevance at the lowest cost possible, great effort is put into including all large units in the population in the sample. Uncertainty due to sampling errors is estimated when inflating sample data to population level, and the result is compared with figures from previous months. The coefficient of variation for the aggregate Manufacturing and mining and quarrying is estimated to be 1.4 (January 2025).
13.3. Non-sampling error
The response rate is about 65% three weeks after the end of the reference month. At the moment of the final production of the statistics, five weeks after the end of the reference month, there is a response rate of 99%. The weighted non-respons for 2024 is calculated to 0.87 per cent.
Telephone and e-mail contacts are made for the critical non-respondents approximately 10 days after the deadline for delivery.
Model errors are mainly related to problems with the seasonal adjustment of time series. Such problems are caused by deviation from the conditions that form the basis for the model used. Typical problems are related to public holidays such as christmas and easter. X12-ARIMA generates a number of indicators that are used to evaluate the quality of the seasonal adjustment. These indicators have identified a stable seasonal pattern for the main aggregates.
14.1. Timeliness
The statistics on turnover is published approximately 5 weeks after the end of the reference period (month). Figures may be revised twice after publishing. The publication schedule is fixed and pre-released. The release occurs on the 5th working day each month. All aggregates an variables are released simultaneously.
Questionnaires are made available electronically to the units at the end of the month. Deadline for reply is approximately 14 days later. Late replies are treated continuously until production deadline.
14.2. Punctuality
All releases delivered on time, based on scheduled release dates.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory. There are no major problems in the index of industrial turnover as far as comparability with countries in the EU are concerned.
The index of industrial turnover provides no regional data from Norway.
15.2. Comparability - over time
As from January 2009, has the Standard Industrial Classification 2002 (SIC2002) been replaced by the Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC 2007). The historical series based on this new version of SIC have been recalculated back to 1998. For the years 1998 to 2005, a macro-approach is used for back-casting the time series, and for the years 2006-2008 the survey is recalculated by a detailed re-working of individual data (micro-approaches). Users of the data must ensure they use results based on the same version of SIC when making comparisons over time. When looking at changes from January 1998 to December 2008 either the series based on SIC2002 or the series based on SIC2007 must be used.
Historical series based on SIC2002 remain available in the Statbank database under Completed time series. However, as from January 2009, only series based on SIC2007 will be continued.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The Statistics on turnover is an indicator of turnover of oil and gas extraction, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply, and is one of several indicators that monitor the performance of the economy. The correlation with the following statistics is utilized for control purposes:
Index of production
Statistics on new orders (discontinued)
Manufacturing Quarterly investment statistics Manufacturing, Mining and quarrying and Electricity supply
Economic trends for Norway and abroad
Manufacturing statistics. Structural data
Quarterly national accounts
External trade in goods
The Statistics on turnover. Oil and gas extraction, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply and the Index of production have joint data collection.
15.4. Coherence - internal
All gross aggregates (unadjusted series) are always consistent with their main sub-aggregates. This is assured by calculating all aggregates based on values (NOK million), and then preforming the indexation.
For seasonally adjusted data a direct approach where the raw data are aggregated and the aggregates and components are then directly seasonally adjusted using the same approach and software. Any discrepancies across the aggregation structure are not removed. An exception is the overall index which is a formula of extraction and related services, manufacturing, mining and quarrying and electricity, gas and steam supply, which ensures consistency.
There is no updated information about the costs of production of the statistical data in the index of industrial turnover. The burden of the respondents is measured to be 10 minutes per period per establishment.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Released numbers from the index of industrial of turnover may be revised up to 2 months prior of a new release (inclusion of late responses). For seasonally adjusted data revisions may occur further back. The same revision policy is applied to data released nationally and in transmission to Eurostat
17.2. Data revision - practice
Information about revision and advance notice of major changes in methodology is provided. There is also included information in the press release at the time of releasing revised figures.
18.1. Source data
The survey uses turnover data collected by questionnaire from the units included in the sample, in addition to information from the Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises. Annual Manufacturing statistics, monthly statistics on External trade in goods and annual Electricity statistics are used to estimate the total turnover. Monthly statistics on External trade in goods are used for classifying results by market.
The sample constitutes 1,650 LKAUs within Divisions 05 to 33 and close to 350 LKAUs within Division 35, covering 16 % of the total population. The sample is based on the Statistics Norway's central register of establishments and enterprises.
All the units with a minimum 10% of the total turnover within an activity stratum are surveyed. Selection of other units is made by a stratified random sample, using the number of employees. The selection unit is the LKAU. The sampling fractions are:
Strata
Proportion %
100 or more persons employed
100
50-99 persons employed
50
29-49 persons employed
33
10-19 persons employed
17
Less than 10 persons employed
None
The sample is updated annually.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
The sample survey is carried out on a monthly basis.
18.3. Data collection
There is a joint questionnaire with the production index.
The survey is based on data collected by questionnaires. The questionnaires are returned electronically via Altinn. Consistency checks are embedded in the questionnaire generating feed back in real time to the respondent. Over 99 per cent of the establishments used Altinn in 2020. The questionnaire is sent at the end of the month. The deadline for returning the questionnaire is normally the 15th of the following month. User in esstablishments that are registered receive a sms when the questionnaire is available on the internet.
The establishment's local office normally fills in the questionnaire, but in some cases the head office reports data for several units. Establishments that fail to return the questionnaire receive a reminder and a compulsory fine if they do not return the questionnaire within five days.
18.4. Data validation
The questionnaires are downloaded from the Internet, and the data are automatically checked for duplicates and errors in totals. The figures are revised on the basis of a revision program (for example errors regarding reporting in NOK million or major deviations from previous reported figures). Where there are considerable deviations, the establishment is contacted. In cases of extreme deviations, further revisions are carried out. HB method or the quartile method is in used to control the extreme values for the LKAUs. Comparisons with the annual industrial statistics are also carried out
The structure of the file and the format of the data transmitted to Eurostat is checked (validation level 0).
Intra-dataset and inter-dataset checks are done in the index of industrial turnover as well as time series checks (validation level 1, 2 ).
Plausibility or consistency checks between domains available in Statistics Norway and the index of industrial turnover are carried out (validation level 4).
Plausibility or consistency checks between the index of industrial production and information available outside Statistics Norway are made to some degree (validation level 5).
18.5. Data compilation
The critical units are contacted to reduce the unit non-response. The non-responses (both partial and unit) are imputed by values based on the observed/imputed values for the previous months for the same unit and the month on month changes and year on year changes within the activity.
Annual Manufacturing statistics, monthly statistics on External trade in goods and annual Electricity statistics are used to estimate the total turnover.
Mining and quarrying and Manufacturing: About 70 per cent of the total turnover is covered by the sample. In addition, data from the annual Manufacturing statistics is used to estimate the turnover for the establishments not covered by the sample. This is done by a stratified ratio estimator.
Extraction of oil and natural gas: Total turnover for the industry Extraction and related services is estimated by using export figures from monthly statistics on External trade in goods. Total export turnover is inflated to total turnover by using a factor giving the home market share. Data from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) are used to update the home market share on an annual basis (January).
Electricity and gas supply: Total turnover is estimated as the sum of sample figures for the industry, multiplied with a fixed factor. The factor is calculated as the sample coverage of turnover in the annual Electricity statistics. This factor is updated in January each year.
Dividing total turnover by market: Administrative data from customs declarations are used for classifying results by market. The ratio between estimated total turnover and the sum of exports for a particular industry determines the distribution by home and export market. The product classification in the statistics on External trade in goods is used to aggregate export turnover for each industry. The home market share is defined as the difference between total turnover and export turnover.
18.6. Adjustment
Calendar and seasonal adjustments are made on overall index, divisions and groups according to SIC 2007 as well as indices classifies according to EUROSTAT's end-use categories (Main Industrial groupings MIG’s). The X12 ARIMA model is used for calandar and seasonal adjustments. The Norwegian calendar is in use. Smoothed seasonal adjusted index is also calculated as well as three-month moving averages for seasonal adjusted indices.
Improved method from 2013: The new method takes into account the Norwegian calendar and thereby improving the quality of the seasonally adjusted results. The change has been applied from the July 2013 publishing, and concerns the pre-treatment method (calendar adjustment). The new method adjusts for different effects of working-days in each industry and distinctively Norwegian effects in relation to moving holidays (Easter, Pentecost, and Ascension Day). The new method also adjusts for fixed Norwegian public holidays (1 January, 1 and 17 May) and for the Christmas holiday (24-26 December).
For more details on seasonal adjustment and quality indicators, please refer to the following webpage, sub-section About seasonal adjustment.
Metadata update is updated with 2025-dates in 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3
3.9 Base period is updated to 2021.
13. 3 Non-response error; Updated with weighted non-response for 2024; 0.87 per cent.
The statistics on turnover is part of a system of short-term statistics compiled to monitor the economy. The primary goal of the survey is to monitor the level and development of sales in mining and quarrying, oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply.
7 February 2025
The variables on the questionnaire relevant for the statistics on turnover are total turnover excluding VAT. Total turnover excluding VAT is the sum of turnover with duty and duty-free turnover.
Turnover divided into domestic and export markets are published from March 2006. The turnover data covers the reference calendar month.
Division of total turnover by market: Administrative data from customs declarations are used for classifying results by market. The ratio between estimated total turnover and the sum of exports for a particular industry determines the distribution by home and export market. The product classification in the statistics on External trade in goods is used to aggregate export turnover for each industry. The home market share is defined as the difference between total turnover and export turnover.
The reporting unit is Local Kind of Activity Unit (LKAU) or the Enterprise.
The observation unit is mainly Local Kind of Activity Unit (LKAU), and in some cases the Kind of Activity Unit (KAU).
The population covers all establishments in mining and quarrying (SIC 05, SIC 07-08, SIC 09.9), oil and gas extraction (SIC 06, 09.1), manufacturing (SIC 10-33) and electricity and gas supply (SIC 35).
The population frame is defined by all active LKAUs in The Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises. The total number of LKAUs in 2013 was about 23 000.
The geographical area covered is national level only; Norway.
Norwegian level covers the main land Norway, Svalbard and Norwegian continental shelf.
The reference period of this report is month.
Coverage errors refer to errors in registers that define the population, in this case the central register of establishments and enterprises; Statistics Norway. As a result of such errors, units may be incorrectly included in or excluded from the population. Other problems are related to delays in the update of the registers and units that are incorrectly classified. From experience, a limited share of the population units is incorrectly classified. This is usually due to misleading or insufficient information at a certain time. No calculations on the size and significance of such errors have been carried out. However, such errors are not considered to be greater than for other quantitative short-term statistics.
The coefficient of variation (CV) for manufacturing is estimated as 1.1, and the sample covers about 70 per sent of the total turnover in the population. The gross series may be revised up to 3 months after the first results. This is due to the inclusion of late responses. Seasonally adjusted series may be revised further back in time. This may be caused my improved methods which are applied to the whole time series.
Data are collected in 1000 NOK. The data are then converted to indices.
Only indices are transmitted to Eurostat.
In the national dissemination unadjusted data for total turnover and turnover divided by market are also published in NOK million. For calendar adjusted and seasonally adjusted data, only indices are published.
The critical units are contacted to reduce the unit non-response. The non-responses (both partial and unit) are imputed by values based on the observed/imputed values for the previous months for the same unit and the month on month changes and year on year changes within the activity.
Annual Manufacturing statistics, monthly statistics on External trade in goods and annual Electricity statistics are used to estimate the total turnover.
Mining and quarrying and Manufacturing: About 70 per cent of the total turnover is covered by the sample. In addition, data from the annual Manufacturing statistics is used to estimate the turnover for the establishments not covered by the sample. This is done by a stratified ratio estimator.
Extraction of oil and natural gas: Total turnover for the industry Extraction and related services is estimated by using export figures from monthly statistics on External trade in goods. Total export turnover is inflated to total turnover by using a factor giving the home market share. Data from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) are used to update the home market share on an annual basis (January).
Electricity and gas supply: Total turnover is estimated as the sum of sample figures for the industry, multiplied with a fixed factor. The factor is calculated as the sample coverage of turnover in the annual Electricity statistics. This factor is updated in January each year.
Dividing total turnover by market: Administrative data from customs declarations are used for classifying results by market. The ratio between estimated total turnover and the sum of exports for a particular industry determines the distribution by home and export market. The product classification in the statistics on External trade in goods is used to aggregate export turnover for each industry. The home market share is defined as the difference between total turnover and export turnover.
The survey uses turnover data collected by questionnaire from the units included in the sample, in addition to information from the Central Register of Establishments and Enterprises. Annual Manufacturing statistics, monthly statistics on External trade in goods and annual Electricity statistics are used to estimate the total turnover. Monthly statistics on External trade in goods are used for classifying results by market.
The sample constitutes 1,650 LKAUs within Divisions 05 to 33 and close to 350 LKAUs within Division 35, covering 16 % of the total population. The sample is based on the Statistics Norway's central register of establishments and enterprises.
All the units with a minimum 10% of the total turnover within an activity stratum are surveyed. Selection of other units is made by a stratified random sample, using the number of employees. The selection unit is the LKAU. The sampling fractions are:
Strata
Proportion %
100 or more persons employed
100
50-99 persons employed
50
29-49 persons employed
33
10-19 persons employed
17
Less than 10 persons employed
None
The sample is updated annually.
The frequency of national dissemination is monthly.
The frequency of transmission to Eurostat is monthly.
The statistics on turnover is published approximately 5 weeks after the end of the reference period (month). Figures may be revised twice after publishing. The publication schedule is fixed and pre-released. The release occurs on the 5th working day each month. All aggregates an variables are released simultaneously.
Questionnaires are made available electronically to the units at the end of the month. Deadline for reply is approximately 14 days later. Late replies are treated continuously until production deadline.
The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire national territory. There are no major problems in the index of industrial turnover as far as comparability with countries in the EU are concerned.
The index of industrial turnover provides no regional data from Norway.
As from January 2009, has the Standard Industrial Classification 2002 (SIC2002) been replaced by the Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC 2007). The historical series based on this new version of SIC have been recalculated back to 1998. For the years 1998 to 2005, a macro-approach is used for back-casting the time series, and for the years 2006-2008 the survey is recalculated by a detailed re-working of individual data (micro-approaches). Users of the data must ensure they use results based on the same version of SIC when making comparisons over time. When looking at changes from January 1998 to December 2008 either the series based on SIC2002 or the series based on SIC2007 must be used.
Historical series based on SIC2002 remain available in the Statbank database under Completed time series. However, as from January 2009, only series based on SIC2007 will be continued.
