Data Capture Technologies and Financial Software for Collecting Consumer Expenditure Data March 11, 2011 Prepared for: Prepared by: Bureau of Labor Statistics Westat 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE 1600 Research Boulevard Washington, DC 20212 Rockville, Maryland 20850-3129 (301) 251-1500 Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. i History and Purpose of the Consumer Expenditure Survey ........................................................ 1 Current data collection methodology ......................................................................... 1 Diary Survey ...................................................................................................... 1 Quarterly Interview Survey ............................................................................ 2 Potential measurement error ........................................................................................ 3 Purpose of this project ................................................................................................... 4 Method for this project ........................................................................................................................ 5 Method .............................................................................................................................. 5 Identifying the technologies ........................................................................... 5 Listing products in each technology category ............................................ 5 Researching the capabilities of the products ............................................... 5 Creating matrices .............................................................................................. 6 Proposing solutions .......................................................................................... 6 Final report ....................................................................................................................... 6 Reviewed technologies........................................................................................................................ 7 Financial software packages ........................................................................................ 7 Approach ............................................................................................................ 7 Credit card, debit card, and checking account data ................................... 7 Register of expenditures .................................................................................. 8 Categorization .................................................................................................... 9 Manual entry of expenses................................................................................ 9 Transaction reconciliation ............................................................................... 9 Expense splitting ............................................................................................... 9 Notations ........................................................................................................... 10 Returns and exchanges .................................................................................. 10 Calendars .......................................................................................................... 10 Data export ....................................................................................................... 11 SDK ............................................................................................................ 11 Platforms ........................................................................................................... 12 Multiple users .................................................................................................. 12 Unusual features .............................................................................................. 12 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 13 Mobile carriers .............................................................................................................. 14 Capabilities and speed ................................................................................... 14 Price ............................................................................................................ 15 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 15 Mobile operating systems ........................................................................................... 15 Apple iOS ......................................................................................................... 16 Blackberry OS ................................................................................................. 16 Android ............................................................................................................ 16 webOS ............................................................................................................ 17 Microsoft Windows Mobile .......................................................................... 17 Target markets ................................................................................................. 17 Multitasking ..................................................................................................... 18 Applications available .................................................................................... 18 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 18 Smart phones ................................................................................................................. 18 Keyboard .......................................................................................................... 18 Image Capture ................................................................................................. 19 Audio Capture ................................................................................................. 19 Texting and Email........................................................................................... 19 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................. 19 Built in GPS ..................................................................................................... 19 Carrier Availability ......................................................................................... 20 Battery life ........................................................................................................ 20 Cost ............................................................................................................ 20 Westat’s experience ........................................................................................ 20 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 20 Financial applications for smart phones .................................................................. 22 Devices supported ........................................................................................... 23 Options for entry of expense information .................................................. 23 Data captured ................................................................................................... 23 Expense categorization .................................................................................. 23 Data export and integration with other tools ............................................. 23 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 24 Barcode reader software for smart phones .............................................................. 24 Availability ....................................................................................................... 25 Operation .......................................................................................................... 25 Scan History ..................................................................................................... 25 Capture of Additional information .............................................................. 25 Email capabilities ............................................................................................ 26 SDK Availability ............................................................................................ 26 Cost ............................................................................................................ 26 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 26 Receipt scanners ........................................................................................................... 26 Capabilities and accuracy .............................................................................. 27 Price ............................................................................................................ 28 Scanning versus photographing ................................................................... 28 Relevance to the Consumer Expenditure Survey ..................................... 28 Laptop computers ......................................................................................................... 28 Screen image quality ...................................................................................... 29 Physical Dimensions .....................................................................................