Searching CANSIM from CHASS (University of Toronto)
How to access CANSIM from CHASS
Click here and select CHASS version of CANSIM.
CANSIM structure
Before demonstrating CANSIM searches, it would help to explain the structure of the database. Data are clustered by subject into tables. These are assigned a number comprising 7 digits, for e.g. 183-0006, that covers sales of alcoholic beverages. At the CANSIM homepage, click on Continue in English, CANSIM - table directory and on View all sections at the bottom of the screen. Scroll down the list of table numbers to183-0006 and note other adjacent table numbers also relating to alcoholic beverages. The table directory is a handy subject compendium to the entire CANSIM database.
Backtrack to the CANSIM search page, click CANSIM Multidimensional@CHASS Main Menu and Locate table by table numbers or ranges. Key in 1830006 (with or without the hyphen) and Submit. Click on by series.
As we can see, a table is comprised of constituent vectors (also known as labels or series). For instance, V130411 covers total sales for Canada, V130412 for Newfoundland, V130413 also for Newfoundland, but of Canadian products only, etc. Hence, the vector, identified by its "V" prefix, is the most basic unit in CANSIM, providing a unique combination of information that distinguishes it from other vectors. Note as well the link on top of the page Definitions, data sources and methods pointing to information about the survey from which CANSIM data are derived.
Click on V130412 that covers total sales for all alcoholic products for Newfoundland & Labrador. Stay with the default settings on this screen except for option 4 (output format) where we will select HTML since it produces a better display than plain text. (Note other display options such as line and bar graphs.) Click on the retrieve button at the bottom to view the table. There is no scaling factor (i.e. figures in thousands or millions); thus, total sales for 1950 totaled 4,453,000.00 dollars as indicated in the table.
Keyword Searching
Backtrack 5 pages to the CANSIM Main Menu page. Click Text Search, More search options and key in beer sales in the search bar. As indicated below under Search the following fields, note that the system will search for these words in both the table and series/vector titles. This search retrieves 35 tables. Taking table 1830006 again as our example, clicking on info indicates the various dimensions encompassed within table 1830006, i.e. the breakdown by geography, type of beverage, type of sales, etc. as well as the data's date of release. (Olap view is not covered in this brief guide, but for help with the OLAP feature, please contact Aspi Balsara at 864-7427.) By series lists the 406 constituent vectors/series within the table. While in some instances it is convenient to browse the vectors, a list of 406 entries doesn't make this a viable option. Hence, clicking on by dimensions allows one to zero in quickly on the relevant vector(s). The page that appears presents dropdown menus for each of the various dimensions within table 183006, such as geography, type of beverage, type of sales, etc. For this example, let us compare the dollar value of per capita sales of beer and wine for Newfoundland & Labrador. Accordingly, we will choose:
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- Newfoundland and Labrador (under the Geography dimension)
- Total per capita sales (under Type of sales)
- Wines and Beer (under Type of beverage)
- Value in dollars (under Value and volume)
- Total products (under Type of product)
Click on Submit and note that the system retrieves two vectors (V130594 and V130607) for wine and beer sales respectively. Tag both series, click on the series cart button, tag both series again and select HTML (under output format); note that it is on this page where you can specify the time dimension (section 2). Click the retrieve button. The data is then presented for both vectors. Clearly, the dollar value of per capita beer sales totally outstrips wine sales in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Subject browsing
Backtrack to the CANSIM Main Menu and click on Browse tables by subjects. Click on Retail and wholesale and Retail sales by type of product; scroll down to table 1830006, click on by dimensions and proceed with your selection as explained above.
Another means of subject browsing is to search the numerical/sequential list of tables. In the section covering CANSIM database structure, we saw how data are clustered by subject, assigned table numbers and listed in the Table Directory. In addition to the Table Directory, subject browsing can be attempted from another sequential list. To check tables numerically adjacent to 1830006, return to the CANSIM Main Menu, select Browse tables by titles/numbers and click on by table number tucked away at the end of the horizontal alphabetical list at the top of the page. Click on 1800001..2000000 and note other table numbers adjacent to 1830006 that also cover sales of alcoholic beverages.