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.
Swiss Federal Statistical Office Short-Term Inquiries Espace de l'Europe 10 CH-2010 Neuchâtel
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
18 June 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
18 June 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
18 June 2025
3.1. Data description
The Turnover Statistics in the Services Sector (DLU) is an economic statistic measuring the evolution of monthly turnover in the services sector.
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activities covered: sections H, I, J, L, M and N of NACE (H-Transportation and Storage, I-Accommodation and food service activities, J-Information and communication, L-Real estate activities, M-Professional, scientific and technical activities [excluding activities of head offices, scientific research and development and veterinary activities], N-Administrative and support service activities)
Size classes covered: enterprises with more than 2 employees
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Monthly net turnover by NACE Rev. 2.
The indices of domestic and non-domestic net turnover require turnover to be split according to the first destination of the product based on the change of ownership. The destination is determined by the residency of the third party that purchased the goods and services.
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting unit: enterprise
Observation unit: economic activity
3.6. Statistical population
All active enterprises with more than 2 employees in sections G, H, I, J, L, M (excluding M701, M72, M75), N of NACE Rev. 2.
3.7. Reference area
Switzerland.
3.8. Coverage - Time
From January 2021.
3.9. Base period
2021=100.
Indices, percentage changes.
Month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Eurostat, Swiss National Bank (SNB), State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The compilation and publication of the data are governed by the Federal Law on Statistics (10/9/92), the Ordinance on the Execution of Statistical Surveys (06/30/93) and the Federal Law on Data Protection (06/19/92). The Federal Law on Data Protection specifies that the Swiss Federal Statistical Office cannot publish, or otherwise make available to any individual or organisation, statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
All individual data are treated as confidential and rendered anonymous. Tabular data should not permit the disclosure of individual enterprises. Data are only published down to an activity level at which it is not confidential.
The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties.
Internal government access to the data prior (5 days) to their release to the public is limited to the Ministry of Economy and the Swiss National Bank.
Data are transmitted to Eurostat under embargo.
Monthly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Standardised quarterly news release by the FSO.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No publication available.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Monthly and quarterly turnover and indices at the 2-digit NACE level and above; gross and calendar adjusted data.
The data is used by the Swiss National Bank, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Eurostat and many other users.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Data only available from January 2021.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The sampling and non-sampling errors in the data are small, the first estimates are not biased. Revisions from the first to the final estimate are less than 1 percentage point, results are considered final after 5 months. The most significant sources of error are coverage errors, classification changes and data processing errors.
13.2. Sampling error
The sample method is stratified random sampling. The coefficient of variance is less than 5%.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The services turnover survey includes enterprises that have their main activity in Divisions 45-47 (NACE Rev. 2). But the frame is constructed using a "frozen" version of the business register, so enterprises entering into the business register after this freezing moment or enterprises wrongly classified outside of retail trade represent undercoverage. Enterprises exiting the frame (closures, wrongly classified) after this moment are excluded from the survey, so overcoverage should be minimal.
Unit nonresponse (September 2024): 25%.
Item nonresponse: 0%
14.1. Timeliness
Timeliness: First estimate at t+2 months, final results at t+5 months.
Timetable of data collection: The questionnaires are sent out during the last week of the reference quarter. The deadline for replies is 2 weeks after the end of the reference period. A reminder is sent after the deadline. Selective phone reminders are used by necessity.
14.2. Punctuality
Data sent to Eurostat since May 2025.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
In line with ESS/international concepts and definitions.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Comparable monthly time series since January 2021.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
SBS and STS data are coherent to a limited extent only. The reason is, among others, different methods of compiling the respective statistics due to different purposes of SBS and STS statistics. However, these limitations have no impact on the validity of the statistics themselves. Basically, the monthly statistics present the economic development in trade whereas the annual survey delivers information on the structure of the enterprises, their economic situation and their earnings.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The internal coherence is assured.
Global cost estimation for the FSO is about 3.5 full-time equivalent. Burden estimates for respondents is on average 30 minutes per form.
17.1. Data revision - policy
First estimate at t+2 month, revisions at t+2, t+4 and t+5 months.
Change of base year and weights every 5 years, in the years X0 and X5.
Major methodological changes and revisions are announced in advance.
The same revision policy is applied to STS data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
According to Eurostat guidlines on Quality Indicators MAR (Mean Absolute Revision) and MR (Mean Revision) are calculated for the last 36 months (Jan 2022 - Dec 2024):
Growth rates for calendar adjusted data (YoY): MR: -0.21 MAR: 0.70
18.1. Source data
Type of source: statistical survey.
Frame on which the source is based: Swiss Business register of enterprises and establishments (REE).
Sample or census: stratified sample.
Criteria for stratification: turnover and activity.
Threshold values and percentages: small: 10%; medium: 100%; large: 100%.
Frequency of updating the sample: 5 years.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Small and medium enterprises: quarterly collection of monthly data.
Big enterprises: monthly collection.
18.3. Data collection
Monthly questionnaire for big, quarterly questionnaire for small and medium enterprises, postal and online survey.
18.4. Data validation
Data are checked across months and against the samling frame.
18.5. Data compilation
Data compilation process:
Treatment of non-response: non-response is treated by weighting.
Method for grossing-up: turnover is grossed-up to the 2-digit level of the Nace to calculate a rate of change compared to the same period of the previous year.
Type of index: Laspeyres. The existing index is extended one period at a time by calculating the rate of change in the latest period compared to the same period of the previous year.
Method of weighting and chaining: The index is weighted by the monthly values of the underlying strata.
18.6. Adjustment
For seasonal and calendar adjustment X13-ARIMA is used. NACE aggregates are calculated by using the direct method. The calendar adjustment is based on a country-specific calendar and is performed within the RegARIMA part of the program, including regressors for easter effects and leap year. Models/Filters are selected automatically, if the automatic choice is not considered adequate it is corrected manually; models are fixed for at least one year, parameters are estimated every time a new value becomes available; the whole series is revised every time a new value becomes available.
No comment.
The Turnover Statistics in the Services Sector (DLU) is an economic statistic measuring the evolution of monthly turnover in the services sector.
18 June 2025
Monthly net turnover by NACE Rev. 2.
The indices of domestic and non-domestic net turnover require turnover to be split according to the first destination of the product based on the change of ownership. The destination is determined by the residency of the third party that purchased the goods and services.
Reporting unit: enterprise
Observation unit: economic activity
All active enterprises with more than 2 employees in sections G, H, I, J, L, M (excluding M701, M72, M75), N of NACE Rev. 2.
Switzerland.
Month.
The sampling and non-sampling errors in the data are small, the first estimates are not biased. Revisions from the first to the final estimate are less than 1 percentage point, results are considered final after 5 months. The most significant sources of error are coverage errors, classification changes and data processing errors.
Indices, percentage changes.
Data compilation process:
Treatment of non-response: non-response is treated by weighting.
Method for grossing-up: turnover is grossed-up to the 2-digit level of the Nace to calculate a rate of change compared to the same period of the previous year.
Type of index: Laspeyres. The existing index is extended one period at a time by calculating the rate of change in the latest period compared to the same period of the previous year.
Method of weighting and chaining: The index is weighted by the monthly values of the underlying strata.
Type of source: statistical survey.
Frame on which the source is based: Swiss Business register of enterprises and establishments (REE).
Sample or census: stratified sample.
Criteria for stratification: turnover and activity.
Threshold values and percentages: small: 10%; medium: 100%; large: 100%.
Frequency of updating the sample: 5 years.
Monthly.
Timeliness: First estimate at t+2 months, final results at t+5 months.
Timetable of data collection: The questionnaires are sent out during the last week of the reference quarter. The deadline for replies is 2 weeks after the end of the reference period. A reminder is sent after the deadline. Selective phone reminders are used by necessity.
In line with ESS/international concepts and definitions.
Comparable monthly time series since January 2021.
