Comparison between Census software packages in the context of data dissemination Prepared by DevInfo Support Group (DSG) and UN Statistics Division (DESA/UNSD) For more information or comments please contact: [email protected] CsPro (Census and Survey Redatam (REtrieval of DATa for CensusInfo DevInfo* SPSS SAS Application Characteristics Processing System) small Areas by Microcomputer) License Owned by UN, distributed royalty-free to Owned by UN, distributed royalty-free to CSPro is in the public domain. It is Version free of charge for Download Properitery license Properitery license all end-users all end-users available at no cost and may be freely distributed. It is available for download at www.census.gov/ipc/www/cspro DATABASE MANAGEMENT Type of data Aggregated data. Aggregated data. Individual data. Individual data. Individual and aggregated data. Individual and aggregated data. Data processing Easily handles data disaggregated by Easily handles data disaggregated by CSPro lets you create, modify, and run Using Process module allows processing It allows entering primary data, define It lets you interact with your data using geographical area and subgroups. geographical area and subgroups. data entry, batch editing, and tabulation data with programs written in Redatam variables and perform statistical data integrated tools for data entry, applications command language or limited Assisstants processing computation, editing, and retrieval. Data consistency checks Yes, Database administration application Yes, Database administration application CSPro contains a common procedure Create module allows creating/editing Provides various data editing options Using integrated tools for editing and allows editing of indicator values. Does allows editing of indicator values. Does language to implement data entry control proprietary format R+SP databases from from within the system and also validation not facilitate consistency edits for not facilitate consistency edits for and edit rules ASCII or xBase format files externally microdata microdata On-line data entry Yes, through database administration Yes, through database administration No. It creates a stand-alone data entry No Yes, SPSS Data Entry builder makes data No application application environment entry easy. The data entry forms can be deployed online System user defined data/indicator Yes, based on database template Yes, based on database template Data is defined as cases (questionnaires), Microdata defined in proprietary format One or more variables can be used to Yes methodology methodology variables are defined to represents the can be used to generate data/indicator define indicators cases, variables are selected to tabulate Metadata storage Yes with admin-defined tags. In Yes with admin-defined tags. In DevInfo All data is recorded as text defined by All data is recorded as text defined by Metadata is stored seperately as primary Additional module required: SAS Metadata CensusInfo Admin application Admin application variables. Metadata can also be recorded variables. Metadata can also be recorded data Server as text as text Common database elements across Yes, supports SDMX-compliant registry to Yes, supports SDMX-compliant registry to Data defined as variables and cases are Data is organized through entities/levels The structure of the database including Via additional module SAS Enterprise Data databases normalize database dimensions. normalize database dimensions. DevInfo database specific and entity elements. its elements are defined by user. Hence Integration Server CensusInfo Registry allows for importable Registry allows for importable global the database elements across databases global database elements database elements may vary. DATA PRESENATION Tables Yes, user-defined content for rows and Yes, user-defined content for rows and Yes, using table viewer view the results of Yes Various tables can be generated based on Yes columns. Instant table preview as well as columns. Instant table preview as well as tabulations. Tables can be saved as primary data including frequency, cross- customizable table editing customizable table editing HTML, RTF, TAB delimited formats tab, general, custom, multiple response features,Includes frequency tables, cross- features,Includes frequency tables, cross- etc. tabs and histograms tabs and histograms Graphs Yes, editing features available for Yes, editing features available for No Yes Various graphs can be generated based Yes customization. Includes pyramid charts customization. Includes pyramid charts on primary data including Bar, Line, Pie, as well as standard bar, column, line and as well as standard bar, column, line and Area, Scatter etc. pie charts pie charts Maps Yes, basic map editing features allow Yes, basic map editing features allow Yes, Using map viewer generate a Yes No, presenting data on Geo-spatial maps No, presenting data on Geo-spatial maps is users to change labelling, colours, legend users to change labelling, colours, legend thematic map of selected variable. Allows is not available. not available. Only provides a bridge for and display multiple themes. Contains and display multiple themes. Contains editing colors, titles and legends. Save the ESRI features including drill-down, time series features including drill-down, time series map as .GIF format maps, raster maps, etc. maps, raster maps, etc. Custom report builder Yes with user-defined content. Formatted both User defined and Advance Reports Tabulation is used to tabulate selected Using block programming or assisstants Using interactive table preview builder to Yes, programming using SAS Enterprise tables can be saved as report layouts options are available variables with values and weights. formatted tabulations can be created create customized reports guide Tabulations can be formatted for viewing and printing Allows creation of interactive web- Yes, including searching gallery, profiles Yes, including searching gallery, profiles No, needs programming or application No, needs programming or application No, needs programming or application No, needs programming or application enabled animated presentation using and data visualizers. di Book, di Video and data visualizers. di Book, di Video development development development development database and di Visualizer all allow for animated and di Visualizer all allow for animated data display and visualization data display and visualization Page 1 CsPro (Census and Survey Redatam (REtrieval of DATa for CensusInfo DevInfo* SPSS SAS Application Characteristics Processing System) small Areas by Microcomputer) Interactive representation of data on Yes. Tables can easily be saved to a Yes. Tables can easily be saved to a No No No, needs programming or application No CD-ROM Gallery Gallery development Interactive representation of data on Yes (cross-browser-compatibility). Tables Yes (cross-browser-compatibility). Tables No Using WebServer based on Redatam No, needs programming or application No the web can easily be saved to an online Gallery, can easily be saved to an online Gallery, statistical engine is used to request development database can be uploaded online database can be uploaded online information on intranet, extranet or the Internet DATA IMPORT CAPABILITY SPSS Yes, from SPO, CSV, XLS. Via specialized Yes, from SPO, CSV, XLS. Via specialized No Files should be converted into .DBF or - yes, .sav file data exchange utility data exchange utility ASCII to use for database creation SAS Yes, using standardized data format. Via Yes, using standardized data format. Via No Files should be converted into .DBF or Yes - specialized data exchange utility specialized data exchange utility ASCII to use for database creation CsPro Yes, from HTML. Via specialized data Yes, from HTML. Via specialized data - Files should be converted into .DBF or .CSV files only No exchange utility exchange utility ASCII to use for database creation Microsoft Excel Yes, using standardized data format. New Yes, using standardized data format. No Files should be converted into .DBF or Yes Yes utility allows for seamless import of CSV ASCII to use for database creation data into CensusInfo Redatam Yes Yes No - .CSV files only No DATA EXPORT CAPABILITY SPSS Yes, using standardized data format Yes, using standardized data format Yes No - Yes, to .sav file SAS Yes, using standardized data format Yes, using standardized data format Yes No Yes - PDF Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Microsoft Excel Yes, using standardized data format Yes, using standardized data format Yes, .CSV files No Yes Yes PUBLISHING UTILITIES Standard Profiles Yes, using di profiles No Multi-Media di Books, di Video, side bar, PPT output di Books, di Video, side bar, PPT output No Print posters, brochures posters, brochures No KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT Help desk availability Yes 24x7 in English, French and Spanish Yes 24x7 in English, French and Spanish Q&A center is available on US Census Not available Yes, only for registered users (clients with Yes, online knowledgebase available Bureau web site licenses) Expertise required to develop Basic desktop computer literacy (non-IT Basic desktop computer literacy (non-IT Database management, programming Database management, programming Database management and statistical Database management and statistical database specialist) with e-learning courses specialist) with e-learning courses expertise are required expertise are required expertise required expertise required available and extensive technical available and extensive