FS95 Survey Materials - Importing Data Overview

Federal Support Survey

FSS Data Entry Program Instructions

Overview of Importing Data in the Instructions and Specifications Format

Several agencies have automated systems which produce their Federal support survey data submissions in the format specified in the Instructions and Specifications. With the FSS PC survey disk, you can load (or Import) data that are in the Instructions and Specifications format into the FSS database. The data should be in an ASCII file either on your hard disk or on a floppy disk (any medium which is accessible to your PC). Importing data in this format has the following advantages:

As data are imported, they are completely edited. The edit checks performed include:

Correct check digit — the FSS program checks to see whether the check-digit included in each institution's FICE code is the correct check-digit for each institution's FICE code; if it is not, a warning message similar to the following will appear in the errors log:
```
WARNING: FICE Code: 5258  0 has the wrong check
digit.
```
Valid FICE Code — the FSS program checks to see whether the FICE code is listed in the Code Book. If the FICE code is not in the Code Book, the data for this institution will not be loaded into the database. You can enter the data for these institutions manually. Messages similar to the following will appear in the errors log:
```
ERROR:  80300/888888 FICE Code Not in Code Book.		Skipping card, record NOT added!		ERROR:
80300/888888  Skipping Type 2 card.		ERROR:  80300/888888  Skipping Type 2 card.
```
In our example, the above messages inform you that for agency code 080300, the FICE code of 888888 was not found in the Code Book. The record was skipped and not added to the database. The type two cards for this institution were also skipped and not added to the database. The data for this institution should be added manually.
Valid Field of Science and Engineering Codes — the fields of science and engineering codes on the "type 2" records are checked to ensure that they are valid codes (i.e., listed in the Instructions and Specifications). If they are not, the data for an invalid code will be ignored and the sum of the fields of science and engineering will not equal the total on record type 1. A warning message similar to the following will appear in the error log:
```
WARNING: (NEW)  1995 / 1703  R&D Type 1 total: 60 <>
Type 2 total: 0
```
In our example, the message informs you that a new record was being added into the database for FY 1995 for FICE code 001703; the R&D total reported on the type 1 record was $60 thousand dollars but the total R&D reported by field of science and engineering on the type 2 records was $0 thousand dollars. The sum of the fields of science and engineering are assumed to be accurate and the institution was added to the database with $0 thousand in R&D! You should check each of these to make sure the correct total was loaded. If it was not, you can correct it manually through the FSS PC survey disk program.
Sum of the Fields of Science and Engineering Agree with Total — the sum of the obligations reported by fields of science and engineering ("type 2" records) matches the total R&D and FTTG reported on the "type 1" record. If the sum of the "type 2" records does not match the total shown on the "type 1" record, a warning message similar to the following will appear in the error log:
```
WARNING: (NEW)  1995 / 109 R&D Type 1 total: 207 <> Type 2 total: 141
```
In our example, the above message informs you that a new record was being added into the database for FY 1995 for FICE code 000109; the R&D total reported on the type 1 record was $207 thousand dollars but the total R&D reported by field of science and engineering on the type 2 records was $141 thousand dollars. The sum of the fields of science and engineering are assumed to be accurate and the institution was added to the database with $141 thousand in R&D! You should check each of these to make sure the correct total was loaded. If it was not, you can correct it manually through the FSS PC survey disk program.
Correct Type of Institution — the "institution code" (record type code) agrees with the type of institution. For example, all academic institutions must have a type 1 record; all academically administered FFRDCs must have a type 3 record; all nonprofit institutions must have a type 4 record; and all nonprofit administered FFRDCs must have a type 5 record. If the record type does not agree with the type of institution, a warning message similar to the following will appear in the error log:
```
WARNING:  FICE Code:  400885 has the wrong card type; being added as type 4.
```
In our example, the above message informs you that for FICE code 400885, the record type was incorrect. This institution should have been listed on a record type 4 (nonprofit institution). The data were loaded into the database and the institution was treated as a nonprofit organization.

After data have been imported, the FSS PC survey disk program can be used to produce three types of reports:

Summary report - produces a formatted report which displays the total obligations for each type of institution (academic, academically administered FFRDC, nonprofit, and nonprofit administered FFRDC) to which obligations can be reported. If any field of science and engineering obligations are reported, the total for each field will also be displayed on the report. FY 1995 data will be displayed; you will be able to choose whether FY 1994 data will be included on the report or not.
Detailed report - produces a formatted report which displays the obligations to each individual institution in the FSS database which has nonzero obligations. FY 1995 data will be displayed; you will be able to choose whether FY 1994 data will be included on the report or not.
Trend report - produces a formatted listing of all institutions which have a large increase/decrease in obligations from FY 1994 to FY 1995. You will then be able to either correct the obligations being reported or provide the reason for the large increase/decrease; the Comments option can be used for this.