How to send files to the microdata service in Statistics Norway

1. Please send the file(s) only when Statistics Norway requests it

2. Files sent to Statistics Norway must be encrypted as 7z files

• The password for the encrypted file is sent by SMS to the agreed number in Statistics Norway.
• You can read about www.7-Zip.org.

3. The transmission takes place via Statistics Norway's secure line

• Always send the data via Statistics Norway's encrypted transmission server.
• Never send data by e-mail or in the mail on CD, memory stick or similar.

4. Note these technical details:

4.1 Format

• Preferably: SAS
• Also possible: Flat files in ASCII format, either semicolon (sdv) or comma separated (csv), STATA (.dat has to be ver. 12) or SPSS files (.sav).

4.2 Names of files and variables

• Permitted characters: A-z, 0-9 and _ (underscore). The name cannot start with numbers
• Do not use: æøå, spaces or (special) characters
• All variables on the same file must have unique names of a maximum of 32 characters each.
• If you send several files, it is an advantage that the same variable has the same name in all the places where it occurs.

4.3 Social security number

• Always 11 positions (include leading zeros)
• Always string format, never numeric

5. Documentation

• description of the population (unit, selection criteria)
• number of records on file (s) (persons, companies, observations) and whether there are duplicates
• complete variable list (name, label, position, length)
• relevant definitions and code lists

• social security number
• organization number
• name in plain text
• date of births
• address (in plain text or as a code)
• municipality, district or basic district number / name