The series is useful for studying the economic activity of small businesses at various geographic levels. Businesses use the data for analyzing market potential, measuring the effectiveness of sales and advertising programs, and developing budgets.
Government agencies use the data for administration and planning.
Most types of businesses covered by the Census Bureau economic statistics programs are included in the nonemployer statistics. Tax-exempt businesses are excluded. Nonemployer businesses are generally small, such as real estate agents and independent contractors. Although nonemployers constitute a large part of the business universe in terms of number of establishments, they contribute a relatively small portion of the overall sales and receipts data. Comparability of data over time may be affected by definitional changes for establishments, activity status, industrial classifications, and processing methodology.