All data also will appear on CD-ROMs, and highlights will be published in several printed reports. Economic Census results provide vital information for strategic planning, and many of the official statistics that investors expect in a business plan. That will make our small businesses much more effective in serving consumers and growing and creating jobs. State and local governments, chambers of commerce, and others concerned with economic development also rely on Economic Census data. Information collected in the Economic Census includes the number of employees, payroll, and the types and value of goods and services provided during 1997.
Most businesses can complete their form in about an hour.
In fact, many very small businesses will not even get a form. To simplify reporting, each Economic Census form is tailored to a business's primary activities. There are over 500 versions of the basic form. The census is absolutely confidential. By law, only sworn Census Bureau employees may see individual responses.