Data Processing

Following the collection of the comodities data in the questionnaire print outs, the data are processed by entering them under a new label in the computer, which is designed and programmed for this study. All the details obtained about the commodity have been coded and a manual of such digital codes has been prepared for identifying the goods and classifying the different items or their sources, in addition to codes for distinguishing the country of origin and measurement units.

The questionnaire has been designed by Microsoft Access to complete the data entry manually from the questionnaire printouts to the electronic forms on the computer. The electronic questionnaire contains all the surveyed comodities with their different sources. The person who enters the data has to key in the price and date of making the computer entry.

The electronic questionnaire file is saved each time by a label containing the month and year in which the questionnaire data are obtain. Thus, reference to the electronic questionnaire and its data becomes easy through an access to the file that carries the label of the required month and year.

Following the manual copying and saving the data manually, such data is analyzed by comparison and computing the required differences and indicators; the most important of which is the Consumer Price Alert. The calculation takes place with the use of the same software Microsoft Access which is used from the beginning for the processing of this survey. Microsoft Access contains the database and it is designed in such a way to enable the analyst to use the data in his analysis. For observing the results, the program Microsoft Access has the ability to achieve this target by programming it internally.

Revising the data and ensuring that they are correct take place by printing several reports designed in the program to be easily prepared and by a press of a button. Such reports give a summary of the date for each survey in terms of number, type and date and according to the item and source. In addition, there is a special report that gives a detailed description of the commodities whose prices have increased or fell with alert colors (4) being shown in case of increase or reduction through which comparison can be made and the elements of error can be identified, especially if the change is illogical. At this point, reference will be made to the data compiler to ensure the correctness of the data in the questionnaire and to reduce the rate of error as far as possible. On the other hand, there is another report that can be prepared to show the missing data which through it one can find the reason why such data is missing from the data compiler.

(4) Red means increase in prices and green means a decrease in prices, blue means no change and yellow means slight increase.

Last Update: 20-03-2024.