Introduction

 First: Scope

Second: Design

Third: Organization

Fourth: Data collection

Fifth: Disaggregation

Sixth: Review

Seventh: Publication

Eighth: Assessment

Ninth: Management

The General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) applies in all its statistical work a unified methodology that conforms with the nature of each statistical product. It depends on the Handbook of Statistical Work Procedures, which is compatible with internationally approved procedures. Statistical products go through eight major stages, in addition to a ninth stage represented in the comprehensive “management” stage which is illustrated in the following figure and the subsequent explanations: 

The first three stages (scope, design and organization) are collaborative stages between GaStat and its clients who are data users from development entities. The fourth stage (data collection) is a collaborative stage between GaStat and the statistical population, whether they are households or establishments, to complete data and information. The remaining stages (disaggregation, reviewing and publication) are statistical and are undertaken by GaStat. Afterwards, the eighth stage (assessment) is again done in collaboration with GaStat’s clients. The (management) stage is administrative and organizational and spans all other stages. Those stages have been applied to the preparation of the foreign trade indices as follows:

Adopted Statistical Classifications:

Classification is defined as being an arranged set of related categories used for data collection according to similarity. It is the basis for collecting and publishing data in all statistical fields, such as economic activity, products, expenditures, jobs or health,  etc). The classification of data and information by assigning them to meaningful categories allows for the production of useful statistics. Data collection requires accurate and systematic arrangement on the basis of similar features so that statistics can be reliable and comparable. The foreign trade indices are subject to international standards with regard to the collection and classification of their data. The basic foreign trade data are classified based on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (H.S.2017) developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO), which is a multipurpose international product nomenclature that classifies commodities into sub-items, numeric codes, sections and chapters in accordance with the Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System signed in Brussels  .

Coverage: 

Foreign trade indices cover all imported and exported goods to and from Saudi Arabia during a calendar year.

It is the final preparation stage and precedes data collection. In this stage, the required workflow procedures are established for preparing the foreign trade indices bulletin, starting with the collection stage and ending with the assessment stage and the organization and grouping of those procedures. The optimal sequence of those procedures is chosen to arrive at a methodology that achieves the goals of the statistical product. A review was made in this stage of the procedures that were taken upon the preparation of the previous version of the foreign trade indices bulletin to develop the work procedures in the current version. Those procedures were also described and documented to facilitate any updates in future rounds. The statistical workflow procedures were tested and examined to ensure their compliance with the requirements of preparing the foreign trade indices bulletin, approve the procedures of the statistical workflow, and develop a roadmap for implementation.

GaStat coordinated with the Saudi Customs and the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources to obtain the data of the foreign trade indices including data of petroleum exports, non-petroleum commodity exports and imports. The data is stored on GaStat’s database. The process of checking and reviewing this data is done according to scientific statistical methodology and recognized quality standards in coordination with the issuer of data.

The disaggregation of raw data for the foreign trade indices relied on the classification and coding inputs of the data collection stage, as the disaggregation was based on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (H.S.2017) developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO), which is a multipurpose international product nomenclature that classifies commodities into sub-items, numeric codes, sections and chapters   in accordance with the Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System signed in Brussels.

The bulletin's data have been displayed in suitable tables to facilitate the process of summarizing, understanding and comprehending them and also drawing conclusions from them, in addition to comparing them to other data. Data arranged in the form of clear tables are easier to refer to.

Data is processed at this stage through taking a number of steps, mainly:

First: Verifying Data Comprehensiveness and Coherence:

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy. Data are compared with base year prices to measure price change and ensure their integrity and consistency in preparation for processing data and extracting and reviewing results in the stages that follow the disaggregation stage.

Second: Data anonymization:

GaStat ensures that data are confidentially preserved and are only used for statistical purposes. Materials prepared for publication are aggregated statistical tables of a number of variables related to the foreign trade indices.

First: Verifying data outputs: 

After reviewing and verifying the data collected from administrative records at the fourth stage, GaStat calculates and extracts the results and uploads its outputs to its database where they are stored. Final reviews are then conducted by foreign trade indices specialists using modern technologies and software designed for reviewing and auditing data.

Second: Handling of confidential data:

Pursuant to Royal Decree No.23 dated 07/12/1397, GaStat is committed to the absolute confidentiality of all completed data and not using them except for statistical purposes. Therefore, data are safely stored on GaStat’s servers.

First: Preparing and setting results for publication:

In this stage, GaStat coordinated, organized and reviewed the data contained in the bulletin. Afterwards, publication tables and graphs for data and indicators were set and prepared, had descriptive and methodological data added to them and were prepared in Arabic and English.

Second: Preparing media material and announcing the bulletin’s release date:

After GaStat announced the Bulletin’s release date on its official website at the beginning of the calendar year, the Authority prepares the required media materials to announce the Bulletin’s release on all media outlets, as well as its various social media platforms. The announcement will be made on the date set for publication. The bulletin will be published on the official website in various templates of open data in Excel format.

to guarantee its circulation and accessibility to all clients and parties interested in foreign trade indices. The bulletin will be included in the website’s statistics library. 

Third: Communicating with the clients and providing them with the bulletin: 

GaStat pays great importance to communicating with the clients who use the data. Therefore, GaStat communicates with the clients upon the publication of the foreign trade indices bulletin to provide them with it. GaStat also receives the clients’ questions, enquiries and requests with regard to the bulletin and its results through various communication channels: 

• GaStat official website: www.stats.gov.sa  
• GaStat email: info@stats.gov.sa
• Client Support:  cs@stats.gov.sa
• Visiting GaStat’s headquarters in Riyadh or one of its branches in the regions of the Kingdom.
• Official Letters.
• By Statistical Phone (920020081)

Fourth: Preserving the published content:

GaStat’s Documents and Archives Center stored and archived the data of this bulletin to refer to it at any time on request. GaStat took that step out of its awareness of the importance of electronically preserving those data to easily refer to them when needed.

After the bulletin is released and received by all GaStat’s clients, the clients are contacted again in this stage which allows for assessing the whole statistical process that was carried out, with the aim of constant improvement to obtain high-quality data. The improvements may include  methodologies, processes, systems, statistical researchers’ skill and statistical frameworks. This stage is done in collaboration with data users and GaStat’s clients through a number of steps:

First: Collecting measurable assessment inputs:

Main comments and remarks are collected and documented from their sources at all stages, such as the remarks deduced by specialists concerned with reviewing, checking and analyzing data collected from administrative records. Comments and remarks presented by data users are collected and documented after publication, in addition to what is being monitored via media outlets or the clients’ remarks which GaStat receives through its main channels.

Second: Making the assessment:

Collected assessment inputs are analyzed, and the results of such analysis are compared with pre-anticipated results. On that basis, a number of improvements and possible solutions are defined and discussed with specialists and experts. The parties concerned with foreign trade indices are also engaged in the matter. This step also involves performance measurement of the clients’ use of the results of the foreign trade indices and their satisfaction with it. An agreement will be made on the basis of those procedures on the suggested recommendations to obtain high-quality data in the results of the next foreign trade indices bulletin.

This stage is comprehensive and spans all other stages of producing the Foreign Trade Indices Bulletin. The Management stage involves drawing up the general production plan, which includes feasibility study, risk management, means of funding, and disbursement mechanisms, as well as developing performance indicators, quality parameters, and human resources map that is necessary for production. The stage also involves following up on the execution of tasks assigned to all departments in every stage, and making reports to ensure that the authority fulfills its commitments towards its clients.

Allah is the Arbiter of Success.