Guide to Downloading Data from the OECD Main Economic Indicators Original Release Data and Revisions Database

This document explains how to download data in form required to perform revisions analysis as described in the automated programs to perform revisions analysis. Gross Domestic Product for Germany in constant prices for the last 5 years will be taken as an example. Users wishing to use this database for real time analysis of econometric models can download data in the same way, although it is recommended to use the bulk download procedure for this purpose if large files are involved (e.g. time series back to 1960).

1. Click on the name of the variable to be analyzed to access the database.

2. On accessing the database, the default selection of data will be displayed as shown below.

3. Use the drop down box to select your country.

4. Use the menu item Edition to select editions of the OECD monthly Main Economic Indicators (MEI) publication to be included in the analysis. Click on the check boxes at the left to select the editions.

5. Click on the menu Time and Frequency to choose the data range and the frequency required for the analysis. Check on the check box next to Monthly or Quarterly to select the frequency of data. Use the drop down box at the side to select the starting and end point of the data. It is recommended not to select the periods prior to 18 months before the first edition in performing revisions analysis (i.e. if your revisions analysis starts from data published in the January 2000 edition of the MEI, for a meaningful revisions analysis the starting point for the time series selected should be around 3rd quarter / 9th month of 1998 ). If you are using the database for real time analysis of econometric models, then you should choose the full length of time series available for the variable (although it is recommended to do this using the bulk download option from the menu on the left).

6. In order to check the data selection, click on the button View Data on the lower left hand corner to view the data on the internet explorer (this is not possible if using the bulk download procedure). However, data shown on the window cannot be used for the analysis. In order to use the data for the analysis, they need to be exported to excel and saved in the PC.

7. Click on the button Export to Excel below the View Data button, or use the button above the data to export the data to an excel spreadsheet. When the window for download pops up, click on the button Save and define a proper folder in which the data should be saved.

8. The downloaded data looks as shown below.

The data are now ready to be used in the analysis. For a guide on how to perform the revision analysis with the data downloaded, see automated programs to perform revisions analysis . In some cases it may be that an extra (empty) column is included next to each edition with the downloaded data (if this has occurred it will be obvious from the column numbering at the top of the file). If this occurs, all such empty columns must be deleted before proceeding.