TableBuilder

TableBuilder datasets are grouped into themed data series. You can subscribe to one or more data series in TableBuilder. When you subscribe to a data series, you and all members of your organisation can access all of the datasets within that data series. See How to access for more information, or email microdata.access@abs.gov.au to organise access to a data series for your organisation. 

Datasets and reference periods in TableBuilder are listed below. For datasets in other systems see MicrodataDownload and DataLab, or all topics in Available microdata and TableBuilder.

The below data series are available to TableBuilder users for free. These data series are licensed to registered organisations, whose users can then access them as part of their organisations licence. "Businesses in Australia" and "Census TableBuilder Basic" are available to all individual users for free, regardless of any organisation affiliation.  For more information, see How to access. Please email microdata.access@abs.gov.au to organise access to a data series for your organisation. 

The are currently no TableBuilder datasets that require a paid subscription to access.

After registering, navigate to the Log into your accounts page and click on TableBuilder to log in.

Enter your user ID (a number) and your password. Your TableBuilder password is the same as the one you created in the Registration Centre when registering.

When you log in for the first time, you are asked to agree to Conditions of use for TableBuilder. It is important that you read and understand these conditions so that you are using TableBuilder appropriately.

If you forget your credentials, you can use the 'forgotten' links on the log in page to retrieve your user ID or reset your password. You need access to the email address you registered with and your secret question and answer.

Contact microdata.access@abs.gov.au:

• if you can't remember your secret question and answer
• to unlock your account if you attempt to log in with the wrong password too many times
• if you have changed your email address (for example if you have moved to a new organisation or changed your name)

When you open TableBuilder for the first time, a tour of TableBuilder features opens. The tour takes you through the home page features, saved tables, opening a dataset, creating a table, retrieving data and navigation.

To take the tour again, you can open it from the three vertical dots menu in the top right of the screen.

There are a number of useful features on the TableBuilder home page.

1. Datasets panel

This panel shows the catalogue of datasets that you have access to: 

• see How to access to subscribe to additional data series
• click the arrow to expand the folder to display sub-folders (triangle icon) and datasets (cube icon)
• select a dataset with a single click to display any saved or predefined tables for this dataset in the middle panel, and additional information about the dataset in the third panel
• double-click on a dataset to open it and start creating a new table

2. New table button

Select a dataset in the Datasets panel, then click this button to start creating a new table. Alternatively, double-click on the dataset to open it.

3. Saved and predefined tables panel

This panel shows your saved tables and any pre-prepared (predefined) tables that are available for the selected dataset.

• Predefined tables are accessible to all users.
• Saved tables are tables you have saved and are only accessible by you.

When a dataset is selected in the Datasets panel, you can double-click on a table in the Saved and predefined tables panel to open and modify it.

4. Open table button

Select a table in the Saved and predefined tables panel, then click Open table to use and modify the selected table. Alternatively, double-click on the table to open it.

5. Description panel

The panel on the right provides general information about TableBuilder.

When a dataset is selected in the first panel and there is further information available about the dataset or its predefined tables, the information displays in the description panel.

6. Header bar menus

When you first open your TableBuilder session, the Datasets menu (the home page) is the only available menu. When you are on other screens, you can click on this menu to return to the home page.

After you open a dataset an additional menu appears for Table view. You can select this menu to return to your table for the dataset you have most recently opened.

7. Search

Use the Search box in the top right corner to search across all datasets that you have access to. The results show all datasets that include the search term in any field, including:

• dataset names
• your saved table names
• predefined tables
• variables
• categories

8. TableBuilder user guide

Access this user guide at any time by clicking on the question mark icon on the top right corner of the screen. The user guide opens in a new tab so you can click between the user guide and your session.

9. TableBuilder tour

The TableBuilder tour opens when you log into TableBuilder for the first time. You can take the tour again at any time by clicking on the three vertical dots menu in the top right of the screen.

10. Logging out

• Log out is located at the top right of the screen in the three vertical dots menu.
• Before logging out, save any data you want to retain.
• Logging out completely closes your TableBuilder session. If you only close your browser or tab without logging out, your session stays active until it times out.

Some datasets have tables that have already been created and are available to all users. These are known as predefined tables. If there are predefined tables available for a dataset, they are displayed in the middle panel of the TableBuilder home page when the dataset is selected in the first panel. They can also be accessed by opening a dataset and clicking on the 'Saved and predefined tables' tab at the top of the left panel.

Predefined tables can be used as a starting point and be further modified as required. Predefined tables can be saved or downloaded like any other table. 

1. For example, the Census TableBuilder Basic dataset 2016 Census - Employment, Income and Education has six predefined tables.

2. Double click on the 2016 Census Total Personal Income (weekly) by Sex predefined table to open a table showing State by Sex by Total Personal Income (weekly) variables.

3. Queue the table to retrieve and download the data.

If there has been no activity in TableBuilder for 30 minutes, the session times out. The following message displays and you need to log in again to continue working. Any unsaved data is lost. 

When a dataset is open, there are a number of ways to find out more information about the dataset and variables.

Information is available via the i link next to the dataset title in the Table view. 

• For Census datasets, the i link opens Census Dictionary information.
• For all other datasets, the i link opens the dataset's associated microdata publication. This includes the full data item list in the Data downloads section (or in the Downloads tab in older publications).

i links open in a new tab or window so you can switch between your table and the help information.

Census variables also have variable specific information in the Census Dictionary. Click on the i link next to the variable name in the table to open the Census Dictionary description. Data quality information for Census variables can be found using the Data Quality Statements linked to corresponding entries in the Census Dictionary. These statements include information about non-response rates and any known data quality issues for each Census variable.

• 2021 Census Dictionary
• 2021 TableBuilder variables
• 2016 TableBuilder variables 
• 2011 and 2006 TableBuilder variables and geography
• Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS)
• ABS Maps, an online mapping tool to view and compare ASGS regions

To maintain the confidentiality of respondents and to ensure the output of quality data, some system restrictions have been implemented. These restrictions include:

• not allowing you to download individual records
• perturbing the output in your tables
• preventing the cross-tabulation of certain variables

See Confidentiality and How the data is processed.

You need to agree to Conditions of use when using TableBuilder. The ABS may impose a limit on the maximum number of tables per user.

The type of record you are counting is displayed at the top of the table.

Census datasets provide information about persons, families and dwellings. Select the appropriate dataset based on what you want to count. 

Examples of records that may be counted in Census or other TableBuilder datasets include:

• households
• families
• people
• motor vehicles
• businesses

Place of usual residence - counting persons and families

This is the place where a person usually lives. It may or may not be the place where the person was counted on Census Night. Usual residence data is less likely to be influenced by seasonal factors such as school holidays and snow seasons, and provide information about the usual residents of an area. It is often used by government agencies when allocating funds to regions.

Place of enumeration (location on Census night) - counting persons, families and dwellings

Census place of enumeration is a count of every person in Australia on Census Night, based on where they were located on that night. This may or may not be the place at which they usually live. It includes people who are on long-distance trains, buses or aircraft, or on board vessels in or between Australian ports. It includes overseas visitors.

This type of count provides a snapshot of an area on Census night. Although the Census is timed to attempt to capture the typical situation, holiday resort areas such as the Gold Coast and snow fields may show a large enumeration count compared with the usual residence count.

Persons, 15 years and over

The Census also provides information about the working population. This consists of persons aged 15 years and over who were employed in the week prior to Census night. The data collected relate to all workers, regardless of the hours worked. The Journey to Work data on which this is based are used by transport authorities, associated bodies, organisations and other interested people to plan public transport systems, and for the development and release of residential and commercial land.

On the TableBuilder home page, click the triangle to expand the folder to display the datasets that you have access to. Either double-click the dataset or select the dataset and use the New table button at the bottom of the panel to start creating a new table. 

This opens the Table view where you can build and modify tables. There are two panels:

• the left panel shows the variables and categories that can be added to your table
• the right panel is where you build your table

When a dataset is opened in Table view, the left panel shows a list of variables and categories included in that dataset that can be added to your table.

• Variables (or data items) are characteristics about the records in the dataset. For example, Age or Indigenous status (variables) are characteristics about people (records). There may be multiple similar variables in a dataset, such as Age in single years and Age in 5 year groupings.
• Categories are the responses to the questions that have been provided by the respondent. Each variable has multiple categories. For example, the categories of the variable Age in single years may be 0, 1, 2, 3 etc. Categories must be complete (include options for all possible responses) and mutually exclusive (not overlap).

Related variables are grouped together in folders. Click on the folders to view the available variables and categories.

In most cases, when you are in the Table view the left panel is already open. To hide the left panel select the < arrow at the top of the menu. To show it again select the > arrow.

Hide left panel

Show left panel

To create a table, select a variable from the list in left panel and add it to the table in the rows, columns, wafers, or filters.

• Rows are horizontal displays of data, with the row headings appearing down the left side of the table.
• Columns are vertical displays of data, with the column headings appearing across the top of the table.
• Wafers are where data is displayed in multiple layers of a table. This can be a useful option for including a time or geography variable for example. When tables using wafers are exported or downloaded to a spreadsheet, each wafer appears on a different tab (if you download in xlsx format). Wafers may also be called layers or sheets.
• Filters are used to limit the data in a table to only display data for specific variable categories. For example, by including New South Wales in a filter, the table results displays counts for New South Wales only, rather than the whole of Australia. See Add and remove a filter.

There are three ways to select variables or categories to be added to a table:

1. Open the variable folder in the left panel and click in the tick boxes for the categories. Use the Add to Row, Column, Filter or Wafer buttons at the top of the left panel. This option is useful for selecting a few categories of a variable. You can also use Shift-click to select multiple categories at once.
2. Drag the variable or category name to the right. A pop-up menu appears with options for adding to Column, Row or Wafer. Dropping the variable onto one of these options selects all categories of the variable at once. Dropping a category adds that category only.
3. Click the arrow at the end of the variable name to show the Select a level drop-down list. Click on the variable in the drop-down list to select all categories of the variable at once. Hierarchical variables may have multiple options for selection, e.g. Age in 10 year ranges, Age in 5 year ranges and Age in single years. Then use the Add to Row, Column, Filter or Wafer buttons at the top of the panel.

Using the 2016 Census - Cultural Diversity dataset we create a table with Age in Ten Year Groups in the rows and Registered Marital Status in the columns.

1. In the left panel, click the Selected Person Characteristics folder to expand the list of available variables.

2. Expand the Age in Ten Year Groups folder to see the list of categories.

3. Select the tick boxes next to the categories to be added to the table, in this example 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59.

4. Click the add to Row button.

5. TableBuilder adds the selected categories to the table. Categories that are in your table are shown in bold in the left panel.

6. When the first variable is added to the table, TableBuilder also adds a default summation (what the table is counting). For 2016 Census - Cultural Diversity dataset, the default summation is counting the number of persons at their place of usual residence. See Understanding what is being counted in a table and Summation options for continuous variables sections for more detail on summation.

7. Next, add the Registered Marital Status variable to the column headings. Using the drag and drop shortcut, all the available categories in a particular variable can be added to the table. The Column, Row and Wafer pop-up menu appears. Drop onto Column.

8. TableBuilder adds all the available categories from Marital Status to the column headings.

1. Once you have finished building your table structure, you need to submit the table to the queue and then download it to see the data. Select a download format at the top right of the window. Tables can be downloaded in the following formats:

• Excel 2007 (.xlsx) (max 16,384 columns x 65,000 rows and < 100,000 cells)
• Comma Separated Value (.csv)
• CSV string value (.csv)
• SDMX Structure Definition (.xml)
• SDMX Archive (.zip)

2. After selecting your preferred format, click one of the Queue table buttons.

3. Enter a unique name for the table and click Queue table.

Do not use these characters in your table name as the table will not generate:

• ? * < > / \ |

4. TableBuilder displays a message that the request has been successfully added to the table queue. Your table data will be available for download once it has completed.

• Small tables normally complete within a few seconds or a minute.
• Larger tables may take several minutes.
• Very large tables may take several hours.

5. Your table has been queued but your table structure has not yet been saved. If you also want to save your table structure so that you can modify or queue it again it in the future, you also need to use the Save table button.

6. While a job is queued and processing, you can continue to work on other tables, or add more tables to the queue. You can also log out of TableBuilder and come back later. Your table continues running in the background. 

7. To check the status of your queued table, click on the Saved and queued tables link in the confirmation message at the top of the screen. Alternatively, go to the three dots menu in the top right of the screen, and select Saved and queued tables. Click refresh on your browser to update the queue status. Tables may have a status of:

• Queued - table is waiting to be submitted
• Running - table is being populated
• Completed, click here to download - table is ready for you to download to see the data
• Error - try resubmitting your table or contact microdata.access@abs.gov.au if you continue to have issues

8. From the Saved and queued tables view, you can also click on View to open a table structure again and make further changes.

9. When the table has the status of Completed, click here to download, the table has finished processing and can be downloaded. Tables can be downloaded any number of times until they expire after 28 days.

When you click the download link, your browser commences the download process. Large tables may take some time to download. Browsers may have different download functions, such as:

• Chrome - downloads appear in the bottom left corner of the browser when the file starts downloading.
• Edge - downloads appear in a dropdown menu in the top right corner of the browser when the file finishes downloading. If you are downloading a large table, you may not see any indication your browser is progressing your request until it has completed.
• Firefox - downloads appear in a popup in the top right corner of the browser when the file starts downloading.
• Safari - a popup appears confirming your download, then the downloaded file is available in the top right corner of the browser.

10. Your table downloads in a zip file. You can open the table from the zip file or save it to your computer.

Excel example

Another way to add a variable to a table is to use the 'Select a level below' in the drop-down list to quickly select all categories. This is useful when there are a large number of categories or for hierarchical variables.

1. Click the arrow to the right of the variable. A drop-down list displays. Main Statistical Area Structure (Main ASGS) is a hierarchical variable so there are multiple options (levels) that you can choose. These are always displayed in descending order, with the smallest categories last.

2. Selecting State from the drop-down list includes all the available categories at this level in the hierarchy. When the Main Statistical Area Structure variable is expanded you can see that TableBuilder has selected all the available categories at this level in the hierarchy. At the top of the hierarchy TableBuilder indicates the number of categories are currently selected (in this case, 9 categories).

3. Click the Add to Row button. TableBuilder adds all the selected categories to the row headings.

4. Queue and download to view completed table.

Another way to quickly select multiple categories is to use Shift-click. This selects all categories between your first and last selection. This example adds all categories of the Age variable from 0 to 18.

1. In the left panel, expand the Age variable and select the first category in your range (in this case, 0).

2. Hold down the Shift key and click the last category in the range (in this case, 18).

3. TableBuilder automatically selects all the categories in between.

4. Click Add to Row or Add to Column to add the categories to the table, or click and drag the selected categories to the right into the Column, row, wafer pop-up menu.

To swap the columns, rows and wafers, drag and drop the variable names within the table.

1. Starting with a table with Sex in the rows and state in the columns, drag and drop the Sex variable name onto the column headings. Drop the variable once the column header area turns blue.

2. This adds Sex to the column headings. As there are now two variables in the columns, Sex and State are displayed as nested variables. For more information about nesting, see Add multiple variables to rows, columns or wafers.

3. Now drag the State variable name onto the row. Drop the variable once the row header area turns blue.

4. The table updates to show State in the rows.

5. Variables can also be dragged and dropped to the Wafer area.

6. The table shows Sex in the Wafer and State in the rows. For more information on wafers see Add a variable to wafers.

7. Click on Queue table to populate your table and download your data.

You can remove an entire variable from the table by dragging and dropping the variable name onto the Remove icon above the table. You can drag and drop variables to Remove from rows, columns or wafers.

1. Drag and drop the Marital Status variable name onto Remove.

2. TableBuilder removes the entire variable from the table.

Instead of removing an entire variable, you can use the Remove button at the top of the left panel to remove one or more categories. If categories that have been removed are subsequently re-added, they appear in the order that they were added, not their original order.

For example to remove all the categories of the Marital Status variable from the table:

1. Click the folder icon to expand Marital Status. The categories that are currently in the table appear in bold (in this case, all the categories are in the table).

2. Select the tick boxes for the categories to be removed from the table (for example Not applicable)

3. Click Remove. TableBuilder removes these categories from the table.

You can remove all variables from your table by using the Clear table button.

1. Click the Clear table icon.

2. TableBuilder confirms the deletion of the table. Click OK. TableBuilder clears the table.

To choose a different dataset, click the Datasets tab in the header menu. This returns you to the TableBuilder home page.

If you can't see the dataset you are interested in, your organisation may not have subscribed to that data series:

• Check which datasets your organisation has access to in Registration Centre, using the same user ID and password that you use for TableBuilder.
• To subscribe to additional data series, see How to access.
• For a list of all data series and datasets, see Topics. 

Opening another dataset clears the current table. If you want to use the current table again, save the table before switching datasets.

When a table has more than 10,000 cells including totals, TableBuilder automatically enters Large table mode and displays a warning message.

When in large table mode, TableBuilder displays a summary version of the full table, with only two categories displaying for each variable. A message indicating that you are working in large table mode and the cell count of the large table displays above the table. This shows the number of rows, columns, wafers and the total cell count. The largest table that can be built in TableBuilder is 40 million cells, including row and column totals and wafers.

Although you can only see part of the table, you can continue using table functions, such as adding and removing variables or categories from the rows, columns and wafers. In large table mode, dragging variables with a large number of categories from one axis to another (such as large geographical classifications) may take some time.

After you have queued your table, very large tables of several million cells may take some time to run, from 30 min to several hours. This depends on how complex your table is, the size of the dataset and the number of other users submitting small and large tables. If you submit a lot of very large tables, your tables are likely to complete more slowly. 

Datasets may include variables that are represented as hierarchies. This is where there are different levels of a variable that can be displayed. Geographic variables are often available as hierarchical variables. Examples:

• Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSA) contains a hierarchy of several levels, with STATE at the top level, GCCSA at the next level, and Statistical Area 4 (SA4) at the lowest level.
• Age variable may contain 10 year groupings at the top level, with 5 year groupings at the next level, and individual ages at the lowest level.

The highest level of the hierarchical variable is always displayed first in the list, the next level is displayed second, and the most detailed level is last.

Beside each variable in the left panel of the Table view you can select the > button to see how many levels a variable includes. Selecting one of items in the Select a level below list selects all categories at that level. All categories for single level variables can also be selected this way.

Click on the > next to the variable name. Selecting SA4 here selects all SA4s in all States.

Click on the > next to one of the State level categories. Selecting SA4 here selects all SA4s in that State only.

Click on the > next to one of the Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA) level categories. Selecting SA4 here selects all SA4s in that GCCSA only.

For hierarchical variables, drill down within the table. By clicking on the underlined category name, the next level down of the variable displays. For example, clicking on New South Wales displays the next level down: Greater Sydney, Rest of NSW, etc.

Display of next level down for New South Wales.

Collapse back up to the State level by clicking on the double arrow. This displays all categories for the higher level.

You can also add variables to the third dimension of a table - wafers.

1. Using our earlier example table, add the Country of Birth of Person variable to the wafer. Click and drag Country of Birth towards the table. Drop the variable onto Wafer. Alternatively, after selecting the categories using the > you can use the Add to wafer button at the top. A separate wafer (layer) for each country is added to the table.

2. The wafer displays above the table. The wafer for all people born in Oceania is displayed. View the list of all categories in wafers using the Wafers drop-down menu.

3. Wafers are displayed differently in the downloaded table depending on format.

Excel 2007 displays wafers as individual sheets of the workbook.

CSV displays wafers consecutively on the first sheet.

4. To remove a variable from the wafer, click on the X next to the wafer variable or drag the wafer variable to the Remove icon.

You can add multiple variables to a table so that the variables are nested within rows, columns or wafers. Nesting is where multiple variables are on the same axis, such as Age and Marital status in the Row axis. The maximum number of variables that can be nested on an axis is 10 variables. This is also the maximum number of variables that can be included in a table. For performance reasons it is better to have less than 10 variables in your table, particularly for large classifications or datasets. 

Once you have created your table, you can drag variables to change the order of nesting within a row, column or wafer. You can also drag variables between the rows, columns and wafers to rearrange your table.

To nest variables in a table, add variables one at a time to the row, column or wafer. Variables can be added using the drag and drop method or the Add to Row, Column or Wafer buttons.

1. Select Age categories between 15 and 29 years and Add to row.
2. Then select Indigenous Status, and Add to row.
3. Add Sex to column.
4. The variables Age and Indigenous Status display as nested variables.

When filters are applied to a table, only records that match the filters are included in the results. Filters are an alternative to selecting and including specific categories in the table, and can easily be removed to show all categories again.

1. The following table shows Labour Force Status (LFSP) by State with no filters applied.

Excel 2007 table output with no filter applied

CSV table output with no filter applied

2. Select a single category and click Add to Filter.

3. TableBuilder adds the filter to the Filters list above the table.

Excel 2007 output with filter for males

CSV output with filter for males

4. Additional variables can be added to the filter. However, only one category can be added per variable. For example Sex - Male and Sex - Female cannot both be added as a filter at the same time, but you can add Marital status - Married.

5. The following table has two filters added. The table now only includes individuals who are both Male and Married.

Excel 2007 output with two filters applied

CSV output with two filters applied

6. To remove a filter, click the X next to the filter name.

To see how large your table is, check the cell count above the table. This shows the number of rows, columns and wafers for all cells (total) and displayed cells. The displayed cell count may differ from the total cell count if row or column totals are not displayed. The largest table (including totals and wafers) that can be built in TableBuilder is 40 million cells.

Some Census TableBuilder Pro 2016 and 2021 databases include mesh block level detail, the smallest geographical unit used in TableBuilder. Mesh blocks to enable you to build your own custom geographic areas. If you want to display a geography in a table that is not already provided in TableBuilder, you can use mesh blocks to accurately approximate a large range of other statistical regions. See the Custom data section and Census mesh block counts for help in customising your own geographies and using mesh blocks.

Mesh blocks are ideal for building custom geographic areas. However, you may also want to add mesh blocks directly to your table. TableBuilder has a limit of adding 62,000 categories from any one variable to a table. As there are more than 62,000 mesh blocks in each of Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland you need to select a smaller geographic area when using mesh blocks. Because of the very detailed information, you may need to build a number of tables if you want to include mesh blocks as a variable in your table.

1. If you try to add all mesh blocks to your table, an error message is displayed indicating 'A maximum of 62,000 categories can be added to a table. 'Untick all' at the top of the variable panel and select fewer categories'.

2. The number of items you currently have selected is displayed at the top of the left panel. TableBuilder stops selecting categories when it reaches the 62,000 limit. Before continuing, clear your current selection by clicking on Untick All.

3. You can then select a smaller number of categories to build a table. This example shows all mesh blocks in South Australia being successfully selected.

Mesh blocks are restricted from cross-tabulation with certain other variables, see Confidentiality for more information.

Rows can be sorted using the double arrow next to the variable names. Rows are sorted alphabetically by the variable labels. If row categories are removed and then re-added to a table, they appear in the order they have been added, not their original order. Categories can be re-ordered by using the sort option. Row variables can be sorted either by their category labels or codes.

Use the double arrows shown against the row variable label to sort based on the row labels.

Clicking the double arrow on row headings sorts based on the category names for that variable. You can toggle between:

• ascending order

• descending order

• default order

Hide totals

TableBuilder can automatically add totals to tables. Click on the three vertical dots menu next to the variable name to show or hide the total for the variable.

For certain variables it may not make sense to add totals, in which case the Totals option does not appear.

If you remove totals for very large tables this can improve the time taken to retrieve the data. However, if you plan to use totals, it is better to use the totals generated by TableBuilder rather than summing the interior cells after downloading your table. See Totals on the Confidentiality page.

Show totals

Hide totals

By default, the category labels show the names of the categories (such as Divorced, Separated, Married for the variable Marital Status). By clicking the three vertical dots menu next to the variable name, you can choose to display the numeric category codes instead. This can be a useful option for large classifications or variables with long category labels, such as the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).

Table displaying category labels

Table displaying numeric category codes instead of labels

Zero suppression helps you reduce noise in tables to focus on the most relevant cells of the table. When zero suppression is enabled, TableBuilder automatically removes rows and columns that contain only zeros. This can be useful for large tables with many small and zero values, as it can reduce the size of the table significantly, making it easier to focus on the results.

To enable zero suppression, go to the Options menu at the top of the table and select from the Rows and/or Columns options.

If wafers are included in a table, then TableBuilder determines whether to suppress a row or column by looking at the entire cube, not just the currently visible wafer. A row or column is only suppressed if it contains only zeros on all of the wafers. This means that rows and columns with all zero values still appear in the table if a row or column only contains zeros on the current wafer, but has values on at least one of the other wafers.

For example, this table can be reduced by enabling zero suppression for rows. TableBuilder automatically removes all the rows that have only zeros in them. 

Zero suppression turned off

Zero suppression turned on

Use the Option menu above the table to change the counts in the table to percentages. The percentages option can be set to show percentages for:

• rows
• columns
• totals
• no percentages (none)

Percentages are calculated differently based on the option selected.

Percentages are not supported when opening certain predefined tables that contain grand totals.

When downloading tables containing percentages, the percentage symbol is only displayed in Excel format downloads. Other formats such as CSV include the percentage value but do not show the percent symbol (%) after the value.

Replaces the values in the table with a percentage of the total in each row.

Replaces the values in the table with a percentage of the total in each column.

Replaces the values with a percentage of the grand total. If you are using wafers then this shows the total percentage across all the wafers.

Selecting none removes percentages from the table and reverts back to counts.

Where relative standard error (RSE) data is available for a table, this data is included in the downloaded table. Some datasets, including Census datasets, do not have RSEs. RSEs are only applicable for sample and weighted data for survey-based datasets that are subject to sampling variability. For help interpreting RSEs, see Relative standard error.

RSEs are presented differently depending on download format of table.

Excel: downloads include RSE data in a separate Excel worksheet (tab).

CSV: downloads include a separate column for RSE data.

CSV: downloads include a separate column for RSE data.

SDMX: RSE data is represented as an attribute value in the SDMX Generic Data observation element. This attribute is only added when the dataset is weighted and has RSE values in the associated data cube. 

Annotations provide additional information or notes about features or aspects relating to the data or dataset. If the table contains annotations they are included in the downloaded table.

Excel:

• Annotation symbols in the table cells on the first worksheet
• Annotation details in footnotes under the table

CSV:

• Annotation symbols in a separate column
• Annotation details immediately after the table data

SDMX: 

• SDMX downloaded at the dataset level contains dataset level annotation descriptions and symbols in the <Annotations> ... </Annotations> section of the XML.

Example of annotations in a CSV download

There are two ways to search within TableBuilder:

1. across all datasets and tables that you have access to: search box at the top right of all screens
2. within a selected dataset: search box at the bottom left of the dataset you have open

Use the search box in the top right corner to search across all datasets and tables. The results are presented by type:

• dataset
• table (your saved tables and predefined tables)
• variable
• category

TableBuilder displays results from all the datasets you have access to.

The results return in a table format with the following columns: 

• Item - indicates in which dataset or table the search term has been found
• Type - indicates the type of result: dataset, table, variable, category
• Location - indicates the path to locate the search term

Click on a result in the panel on the right to open that item.

To return to the search page and continue with the same search results, use the back button on your browser toolbar.

Use the Filter tick boxes on the left panel to narrow down the results:

• by dataset - display only specified folders or datasets
• by type - display only specified dataset, table, variable or category
• if no filters are ticked, results display for all datasets

If your search term returns a large number of results, TableBuilder only displays the first 2,000 results per type (dataset, table, variable or category). In that case, the search may show no results for other datasets that also include the search term. Try refining your search to a more specific term so that your search includes all results.

Some searches may get stuck on the "loading" screen and not return any results. To continue working in TableBuilder you need to:

1. Close the tab or window where you are working in TableBuilder using the x. You may not be able to use the log out option.
2. Clear your browser cache. For Edge and Chrome, use Ctrl+Alt+Del to open the clear cache options. Other browsers may have different ways to access the cache options.
3. Navigate back to the log in page and enter your credentials.
4. Try a different search term, or use the other search option: search within a selected dataset (see below).

In addition to searching across all the available datasets, you can also search within the currently selected dataset. In the Table view, the Dataset search is at the bottom of the left panel.

Use the search box to display variables and categories that include your search term:

• Type your search term and either click Enter on your keyboard or click the triangle next to the search box
• Searching is not case sensitive
• You can search for a whole or partial word or for multiple words
• The number of results within the open dataset is shown below the search box
• The first result in the variable folder structure is displayed in the left panel
• Use the arrows below the search box to navigate through the results - the single arrows display the next or previous result, the double arrows display the first or final result
• Click the X button to clear your search and revert to the full list of available variables

Census datasets that include mesh block may take a long time to display search results. You may prefer to search using the 'all datasets' search function (top right) and use the filter to limit the results to the dataset you are interested in. Use the back button on your browser toolbar to return to the search results after viewing each selection.

You can save the tables you create in TableBuilder:

• Once saved, the tables are available the next time you log in.
• Saved tables are only visible and accessible by the person who created the table.
• Queuing a table does not save the table structure, although you can access previously queued table again for up to 28 days.
• Saved tables remain in your profile until you delete them.

1. Once a table has been created, click on the Save table button above the table.

2. Enter a name for the table and click Save. The name of the table must be unique and no longer than 255 characters.

There are three ways you can access your saved tables:

1. From any screen in TableBuilder, click on the Saved and queued tables option in the three vertical dots menu at the top right of the screen. This opens the main saved tables view where you can see all your saved tables across all datasets. From this view you can open any of the saved datasets, even if you have a different dataset open in the Table view.

2. From the home page, select the dataset that you used to create your table so that all saved and predefined tables associated with the selected dataset appear in the middle panel of the home page. For this view, you can only see the saved tables for the selected dataset. 

3. From the Table view page, click on the Saved and predefined tables tab at the top of the variables panel on the left. For this view, you can only see the saved tables for the open dataset.

4. Select the table and click Open or double-click the saved table.

5. If a table is currently open, any unsaved table content will be lost. The table you are opening will replace the currently active table.

The main view for Saved and queued tables is accessed via the three vertical dots menu in the top right corner. In the Saved tables panel on the left there are options to open, copy, delete and rename saved tables.

To open a saved table:

1. Select the tick box next to the table
2. Click Open

To create a copy of a saved table:

1. Select the tick box next to the table to be copied
2. Click Copy
3. A copy of the saved table is created called 'saved table' or 'saved table1' etc, which you may rename.

To delete a saved table:

1. Select the tick box next to the table to be deleted
2. You can select one or more tables
3. Click Delete
4. Click OK to confirm the table or tables to be deleted
5. Tables cannot be retrieved once they are deleted

To rename a saved table:

1. Select the tick box next to the table to be renamed
2. Enter a new name in the text box
3. Saved table names must be unique
4. Click Rename

You can create your own grouping of categories within a variable. These are also known as 'recodes'. Custom groups can be saved in TableBuilder or downloaded and shared with other users for uploading. Custom data is useful if you want to create your own classification or load more recent electoral boundaries. Once you create your grouping, you can add it to a table like any other variable.

You can only combine categories from one variable or one level of a variable. You cannot create a new custom data group using:

• two or more original variables, such as Sex and Age - an error is displayed if you try to add more than one variable
• categories from two different levels of a hierarchical variable, such as NSW and Melbourne - TableBuilder allows you to build and save a multi-level hierarchical variable, but does not allow you to add it to a table

To start creating your custom data, click on the Custom data button at the bottom of the left panel in Table view.

1. This example uses the 2016 Census - Cultural Diversity dataset. Click on the Custom data button.

2. In the Step 1 panel, select the categories you want to group together, then click on the double arrows to add them to the panel on the right.

For example, to create a group of States using Main Statistical Area Structure (Main ASGS), select the States from the list and click  »» 

3. The selected categories now appear in the Step 2 panel on the right. After adding all the categories you need, click Save.

4. Enter a name for your new custom group and click Save.

5. TableBuilder adds the new group to the My custom data list in the left panel of the Custom data view.

6. Your saved custom data group is now available in the left panel of the Table view. Custom variables are found with the original variable as pictured below.

7. The custom group can be added to a table.

8. You can edit a group that you have created previously. However, if you have used your custom group in a saved table, the old version of the group will continue to display in the table. To update to the new version, you need to remove and re-add it to the table.

You can download a Custom data group you have built in TableBuilder to share with other users.

1. In Table view click on the Custom data button at the bottom of the left panel.

2. In the My custom data panel, select the tick box next to the group to be downloaded and click the Download button.

3. Depending on the browser, the file either saves to the default downloads folder, or a prompt appears to save or open the file. For example:

4. The custom group is downloaded in a Comma Separated Values (CSV) format, and you can edit it outside TableBuilder or share it with other users. They will need to have access to the same original dataset to be able to use your custom data.

You can download a whole classification to edit outside TableBuilder. This option is useful for very large classifications, such as geographies, or where you would like to use a TableBuilder classification to build your own classification outside TableBuilder

1. This example uses 2016 Census - Main Statistical Area Structure (Main ASGS) (UR). Click on the Custom data button on the left panel in Table view. Then select the whole classification you are interested in using the single arrow > at the end of the variable name. In this example, SA2 is selected. Click on the double arrow »» to move the selected classification to the second panel.

2. Once the classification has loaded, it may display over more than one page. You can view other pages using the page navigator below Step 2 panel. Click the Save button.

3. Choose a unique name for your classification. 

4. In the My custom data panel on the left, select the tick box next to the group to be downloaded and click the Download button.

5. Depending on the browser, the file either saves to the default downloads folder, or a prompt appears to Save or Open the file. For example:

6. The custom group downloads in a Comma Separated Values (CSV) format, and can be edited outside TableBuilder.

When a custom group is downloaded as a file in Comma Separated Values (CSV) format, the file can be opened and edited in a text editor or application such as Excel. It is important to be careful when editing a saved custom groups file in Excel, as it may make changes to the data that will prevent the file from opening in TableBuilder again. For example, Excel may strip leading zeros from codes in the file, such as ValueCode, which will not allow the data to be loaded back into TableBuilder. It is best to use a text editor instead, such as UltraEdit, to upload the new group.

A downloaded custom group opened in a text editor.

A downloaded custom group opened in a spreadsheet.

The first row contains the headings, and each subsequent row represents a single category in the custom variable group. The heading row must not be edited or the file cannot be uploaded to TableBuilder.

Rows can be added, edited or removed (except the header row) to change the composition of the group.

Custom group files that have been created or edited in your own system or shared from other users can be uploaded into TableBuilder.

To upload a custom group:

• You must have access to the dataset that the custom group was created in.
• The dataset that relates to the custom group must be open.
• Upload files must be in CSV format.
• The structure of the custom group file must be retained using the same column headings.
• The name of the group in the saved file must not be the same as an existing custom group. TableBuilder displays an error if a custom group with the same name as an existing group is attempted to be loaded. Delete the existing custom group, rename it, or rename the group saved in the file (by changing the value of the GroupName in the final column).
• Only one saved group can be uploaded at a time.

1. To load a custom group from a file, open the dataset that was used to create the recode, and click on the Custom Data button at the bottom of the left panel in the Table view.

2. In the My custom data panel, click the Upload button.

3. Browse to the location where you saved your custom group file and select the file. When uploaded, TableBuilder adds the new group to the My custom data panel.

4. If there is a problem with the upload, an error message is displayed.

Common errors when uploading a custom data group:

Commonwealth electoral divisions (CED), state electoral divisions (SED) and local government areas (LGA) boundaries change over time. ABS has prepared upload files to assist users to update the boundaries available within Census TableBuilder.

TableBuilder upload files for CEDs, SEDs and LGAs are available for use with Census 2016 datasets:
Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 3 - Non ABS Structures (see Downloads tab)

Earlier boundaries are also available using SA1s for use with Census 2011 datasets:
2016 Commonwealth Electoral Divisions
2012 Commonwealth Electoral Divisions

1. Download CSV file from the Downloads tab in Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 3 - Non ABS Structures and save it to your computer.

2. Files are available for Australia and for each state and territory. These files are suitable for use with the following 2016 Census of Population and Housing - TableBuilder Pro datasets:
2016 Census - Counting Persons, Place of Enumeration (MB) - compatible files are annotated with en (enumeration)
2016 Census - Counting Persons, Place of Usual Residence (MB) - compatible files are annotated with ur (usual residence)

3. Log into TableBuilder and open the dataset you are interested in. This example uses 2016 Census - Counting Persons, Place of Usual Residence (MB).

• Click on to the Custom data button on the left panel of the Table view.
• Click the upload button at the bottom left of the screen.

4. Find the location where the CED files have been saved and select the region you are interested in (Australia, state or territory). This example uses 2020_lga_act_ur_csv.

5. When the upload has completed, a message appears on the right to confirm the number of rows that have been loaded from the CSV file (not including the heading row). The uploaded custom data appears in the My custom data panel under Custom Geography. If you receive an error when uploading a file, check the errors and causes listed in the Upload a custom data group section above. 

6. In the Table view tab the custom data you uploaded appears under the Custom Geography folder. You can select multiple tick boxes at once by holding down the Shift key to add the NSW CEDs to a table.

When you open a dataset and build a table, most datasets display the default summation above the table. This tells you what you are counting in your table. For example, your table may be counting persons, families, households, or motor vehicles. Some datasets also allow you to choose a summation option where you can vary what the table is counting. For example, a dataset may include options for counting number of drinks of alcohol consumed or number of kilometres travelled. 

The i link next to the default summation provides further information about what is being counted for the default summation.

For tables that do not use the default summation, an annotation displays below the table indicating what is being counted.

Some datasets include categorical variables only while other datasets also include continuous variables.

Categorical variables have limited discrete responses, such as State/Territory or Marital status.

Continuous variables can take any numerical value and can be measured. In TableBuilder continuous variables may have options to calculate sum, median, mean or ranges.

In TableBuilder, some variables may be included as both categorical or continuous. For example:

• Age may be categorical, where you can select specific ages to include in your table, and continuous, where you can calculate the median age for a population.
• Income may be provided as a categorical variable in set ranges, such as $0-$499, $500-$999 etc, and may also be provided as a continuous variable, where you can create your own custom ranges, including decimal places.

Please note that both Census TableBuilder Basic and Census TableBuilder Pro do not include continuous variables.

Calculations for median, mean and sum cannot be applied to variables in these datasets within TableBuilder. 

Datasets that include continuous variable functions have a Summation options folder at the top of the variable list panel on the left of the Table view. Summation options control what is being measured in the table. If a summation option is not added to the table or if there is no summations options folder, TableBuilder automatically adds the default summation option for that dataset.

Summation options allow you to calculate the following functions for continuous variables:

• sum - add all responses, such as total number of drinks consumed for a population
• median - the midpoint of the frequency distribution
• mean - average
• ranges - create your own custom intervals

For example, instead of counting the number of males and females who consume alcohol, you can display the total number of standard drinks consumed by males and females. For survey data, this is weighted based on population estimates.

A table that includes a sum, median or mean for a continuous variable only includes those records in the dataset that have a valid value. For example, records with responses for the continuous variable such as 'N/A' or 'Did not respond' are excluded. The records that have valid responses for a variable are determined for each individual cell of the table, including total cells. For further information about valid values, see Interpreting sums, means and medians.

1. Click on Summation options at the top of the left panel in Table view. Summation options are only visible for datasets that include continuous variables.

2. Select one of the sum, median or mean tick boxes and Add to row, column or wafer. In this example, the Sum of Number of standard drinks by day has been added to row.

3. Only one sum, median or mean can be added to a table at a time:

• If you try to add a second sum, median or mean to a table that already includes one, TableBuilder automatically removes the existing one and adds the new one.
• If you try to add more than one summation at the same time by ticking more than one of sum, median or mean, TableBuilder displays a error message "Only one summation option can be added to a table"

4. The Weighted sum of Number of standard drinks by day has been added to the row.

5. Other variables can be added to the table. The variable Sex is added to column, and the table is queued and downloaded. This table displays the Weighted sum of Number of standard drinks by day, which is 59 million standard drinks for all males in Australia and 28 million for all females.

6. To display the median or mean Number of standard drinks consumed instead of the sum, select the new option from the summation options on the left, and Add to row again. This automatically replaces the summation option currently in the table.

7. After downloading the table, the Weighted median Number of standard drinks by day was 3.2 drinks for Males, 2.2 drinks for Females and 2.8 drinks for all persons.

8. Similarly, when the Weighted mean Number of standard drinks by day is added to the row, it automatically replaces the median. The Weighted mean of Number of standard drinks by day was 4.7 drinks for Males, 3.1 drinks for Females and 4.0 drinks for all persons. The mean is calculated based on the population of people who have a valid response, and does not include people who do not drink or children. See Interpreting sums, means and medians for more information about valid responses for continuous variables.

9. If all Summation Options are removed from the table, TableBuilder automatically adds in the Default summation option back into the table. If the weighted mean is removed from the above table, by dragging it into Remove, TableBuilder confirms that 'Removed all the summation options from the table. Your table is now using the default summation option, listed in the Filter'. In this case, the table has reverted to counting Selected persons.

Estimates of sums, medians, means and ranges for continuous variables must be interpreted carefully. You should read the entry for the continuous variable in the data item list for the dataset, checking the population and the 'special response' categories.

A continuous variable on a dataset has an associated range of 'valid value' responses, and also may have various categories of response that are 'special', for example a special response may be 'Not applicable' or 'Not stated'. These special responses may occur for a variety of reasons, such as the relevant question does not apply to certain records, or the information is unable to be determined. Read the dataset documentation and data item list for detailed information. To open the website dataset information, click the i link at the top left next to the dataset name when in Table view. This opens in a new tab so you can continue working in TableBuilder.

Whenever a sum or mean is included in a table for a continuous variable, the statistic is estimated for the variable's reference population with a valid response.

A continuous variable that does have possible special responses appears in two different sections of the variables list panel:

• as a selectable summation option (continuous variable)
• as a categorical variable under the relevant grouping

The version that appears as a categorical variable contains categories for each of the special response types, and one for 'valid' responses. You can use this variable for population estimates of the various special response types (such as 'No Response'). It is highly recommended when interpreting a table of means or sums of a variable that the corresponding categorical variable be used in separate tabulations of population counts.

When interpreting a table of median estimates, it is also important to understand the population for which the estimate applies, and the valid responses. If there are a small number of records making up a cell's reference population with a valid response, the cell may be suppressed, showing a value of '0' or 'np'. The suppression occurs to prevent the release of disclosive information. The relative standard error (RSE) for each median estimate is estimated using the Woodruff method, which is a replicate weight method. Further information is available in the Relative standard error section.

1. When working with sum, median and mean, check the data item list for the dataset to see the population to which the variable applies. 

• Access the data item list via the i link next to the dataset name in the Table view.
• You can also access data item lists via the relevant publication on the Topics page.

3. Using the earlier example, open the National Health Survey, 2017-18 dataset and search for Number of standard drinks consumed using the search box in the lower left corner. This finds two results in the variables list.

1. a continuous variable (summation option)
2. a categorical variable that can be used to find the number of records that recorded a valid response, and that were used to calculate the mean.

4. If a table is created using Sex and the categorical version of Number of standard drinks consumed, the weighted number of persons whose responses contributed to the sum and mean are displayed. This table is now counting persons in thousands (000's). The categorical variable for Number of standard drinks consumed provides estimates of the size of the population to which the above sum, median and mean are calculated. It also provides the sizes of the populations to which it does not apply, for example, the category 'Have never consumed alcohol', which also includes people under the age of 15 years.

There were weighted counts of 5.8 million males and 4.5 million females whose responses were included in the sum and mean. An incorrect result would have occurred for mean if the persons who did not consume any alcohol were recorded as consuming a valid value of 0 standard drinks.

Continuous variables on a dataset usually allow you to create ranges to include in your table. Ranges allow you to create groups of a consistent size that can summarise your data. For example, Age ranges can be created from Age in single years to create 10 year groupings.

Categorical variables can also be grouped using Custom data, where you can create groups of a consistent size, such as 10 year groupings, or groups that suit your analysis, such as 15-17 years, 18-29 years, 30-49 years and 50+.

When using a ranges variable in a table, the ranges span all valid values for that variable. The table does not include records which did not provide a valid response for that variable. Even if all the categories within a ranges variable are added to a table, the grand total of the table may therefore be less than the total population due to records without a valid value being excluded. See Interpreting sums, means and medians for more information about valid responses for continuous variables. You should also read the entry for the continuous variable in the data item list for the dataset and check the population, and the 'special response' categories. Information about each variable's population is available in the dataset's data item list on the ABS website. To open the website dataset information, click the i link at the top left next to the dataset name when in Table view. This opens in a new tab so you can continue working in TableBuilder.

1. In the left panel, open the Summation options folder to select the continuous variable to be put into ranges. Click on the Range button.

3. If values are selected outside the allowable range values, TableBuilder displays information about the minimums and maximums you can select. You can use this information to help you decide on appropriate range parameters. Click Next.

4. The ranges to be included are displayed. Edit by clicking Back or continue by clicking Create.

5. This creates your range, and adds it to a new Ranges folder in the variables list panel in the Table View below the Summation options folder. Click on the Ranges folder to view your range. The Ranges variable is now saved and can be used to a table now or for future tables using this dataset.

6. Custom ranges can be added to a table like any other variable, by dragging and dropping, or using the Add buttons at the top of the left panel.

1. To copy or delete a ranges variable, open the Ranges folder below the Summation options folder in the left hand panel. Click the Manage button next to your variable.

2. The Ranges management screen opens.

3. To copy a range, click the Copy button. The Ranges screen opens with the parameter values for the existing Ranges variable entered. Change the parameters and rename the range, then clicking the Next button to continue to create the new range. 

4. To delete a range permanently, click Delete. A confirmation screen opens showing items that you have created using this range:

• any groups you have created (using Custom data) 
• any tables you have saved

Clicking OK deletes these groups and tables as well as the ranges variable. 

In accordance with the Census and Statistics Act 1905, all the data in TableBuilder is subject to a confidentiality process before release. This confidentiality process is undertaken to avoid releasing information that may allow for the identification of particular individuals, families, households, dwellings or businesses. For further details of how the ABS handles your information, see the ABS privacy policy, Census privacy policy and TableBuilder Privacy Impact Assessment.

System restrictions have been implemented which prevent the cross-tabulation of certain variables within several datasets.

These restrictions have been applied to:

• maintain the confidentiality of respondents
• ensure the output of quality data
• assist users by not allowing combinations of variables that statistically should not be combined.

When the restriction is triggered the following error message will be displayed: "The variable you are trying to add cannot be used with one of the variables already in the table.”

These restrictions are applied at the system level and can not be bypassed, though other similar variables may be available. For example, if you are using geographical areas from Mesh Blocks, you may be able to use another geographical area variable instead.

To minimise the risk of identifying individuals in aggregate statistics, a technique has been developed to randomly adjust cell values. Random adjustment of the data, known as perturbation, is considered to be the most satisfactory technique for avoiding the release of identifiable data while maximising the range of information that can be released. These adjustments have a negligible impact on the underlying pattern of the statistics.

Perturbation is applied across all non-zero cells in a table, including the totals cells. Perturbation may change the true cell value by either increasing or decreasing the value by a small amount. Within this context, although cells may appear to contain none, or all, of a relevant sub-population, this is not necessarily a reflection of the true value of the cell. These adjustments result in introduced random errors, but with almost no bias. The information value of the table as a whole is not significantly impaired.

Random perturbation can be a source of frustration to users, as it can result in inconsistencies in the data. Most tables reporting basic statistics do not show significant discrepancies due to random perturbation. However, as the degree of complexity of tables increases, the need for random perturbation remains and it will continue to be used in most TableBuilder datasets.

In TableBuilder, totals are not calculated by summing the interior values of the table. Instead, more accurate totals are provided by calculating the true total, and then perturbing this value. If you attempt to reconstruct a total on the basis of the perturbed interior cells, you are adding together the small changes made to each cell which may result in a large change relative to the perturbed total. It is recommended that totals are constructed in TableBuilder, rather than by summing the interior cells from an exported table.

When calculating proportions, percentages or ratios from cross-classified or small area tables, the introduced random error can be ignored except for small cells. The introduced random adjustments made to cells in a table are independent of the size of the original cell value, so perturbation has the greatest relative impact on small cell values. The information value of the table as a whole is not impaired as small cell values are also strongly affected by other factors, such as sampling error, respondent errors and processing errors.

Small cells may not be reliable, as not enough records have been selected in the sample to accurately estimate the population for that combination of characteristics. To continue working, you can try creating a variant of the original table. For example, removing a Not applicable category may reduce the number of small cells in the table. Possible methods to improve reliability of the table include:

• removing one or more variables
• removing one or more categories
• using a less detailed level of a hierarchical variable
• creating a custom range to combine less relevant categories.

Caution should be exercised when interpreting and using cells with small values or large percentage Relative standard error (RSE) values. RSEs are provided for survey-based datasets that are subject to sampling variability. Datasets including the full Census of Population and Housing are not weighted so RSEs are not applicable. 

When analysing a table of means or sums for a continuous variable, it is recommended that the table be compared to the corresponding table of counts of records with a valid response for that continuous variable. No reliance on estimates of means or sums should be placed on cells with a large RSE or for which the corresponding cell count is small. For more information, see the Summation options for continuous variables section.

• General information about confidentiality and perturbation is provided in Treating aggregate data in the Data confidentiality guide
• About the Census
• Census methodology, 2021
• You need to agree to Conditions of use when using TableBuilder. The ABS may impose a limit on the maximum number of tables per user.

Some datasets, such as censuses of a population, are not weighted so the relative standard errors (RSE) do not apply and are not available in TableBuilder. RSEs are available for sample-based datasets that are subject to sampling variability. Refer to the TableBuilder section of each dataset's publication for information on reliability of estimates within these datasets. Publications for each TableBuilder dataset can be accessed from the Topics page, or within TableBuilder, click the i link at the top left next to the dataset name when in Table view. This opens in a new tab so you can continue working in TableBuilder. RSEs will automatically included in any downloaded table.

There are two sources of uncertainty or variability associated with survey estimates that are released by TableBuilder. The first source of variability is due to sampling and the second is due to random adjustment of cell values.

Since the estimates from surveys may be based on information obtained from a sub-sample of usual residents of a sample of dwellings, they are subject to sampling variability. They may differ from those that would have been produced if all usual residents of all dwellings had been included in the survey.

Most weighted datasets in TableBuilder measure this component of variability using the group Jackknife method.

These datasets use the Bootstrap method:

• Employee earnings and hours
• Motor vehicle use
• Road freight movements

The random adjustment of totals and subtotals introduces another source of variability into the estimates. As these adjustments are generated in a predictable way the impact they have on estimates can be measured directly.
 

The estimates of means and sums of continuous variables are subject to sampling variability and random adjustment. As for population estimates, the variability due to sampling and random adjustment is combined into the calculated Standard Error, and the relative standard error is reported. The component of variability arising from sampling is calculated using either the Jackknife or Bootstrap method, depending on the dataset.

The estimates of quantiles such as medians, quartiles, quintiles and deciles are subject to sampling variability and random adjustment. As for population estimates, the variability due to sampling and random adjustment is combined into the calculated Standard Error, and the relative standard error is reported. The component of variability arising from sampling is calculated using the Woodruff method. This is also true for Equal Distribution Quantiles.

Estimates with RSEs of 25% or more are not considered reliable for most purposes. Estimates with RSEs greater than 25% but less than or equal to 50% are annotated by an asterisk (*) to indicate they are subject to high standard errors and should be used with caution. Estimates with RSEs greater than 50% have their RSE suppressed in order to prevent the release of confidential data, and are annotated by a double asterisk (**). These estimates are considered too unreliable for general use. Occasionally an estimate of RSE may be suppressed and displayed as ‘np’ (not published). This occurs because the RSE cannot be estimated reliably, and in this case the RSE should be interpreted as being greater than 50%.

Excel downloads include small red arrows which indicate an annotation for cells that are asterisked

Excel downloads include np and RSE percentage data in a separate RSE Excel worksheet (tab)

CSV displays asterisk, np and RSE percentage data within the same sheet as the counts data

The imprecision due to sampling variability and random adjustment should not be confused with inaccuracies that may occur because of imperfections in reporting by respondents and recording by interviewers, and errors made in coding and processing data. Inaccuracies of this kind are referred to as non-sampling error, and they may occur in any enumeration, whether it be a full count or a sample. Every effort is made to reduce non-sampling error to a minimum by careful design of questionnaires, intensive training and supervision of interviewers, and efficient operating procedures.

Some datasets have an additional quality measure called sparsity applied to tables with too many small cells. Sparsity does not apply to most Census of Population and Housing datasets.

Small cells may not be reliable, as not enough records have been selected in the sample to accurately estimate the population for that combination of characteristics.

In this example table showing Country of Birth (using the most detailed level of this hierarchical variable) by Social marital status, an error is located at the bottom of the spreadsheet. 

To continue working, you can try creating a variant of the original table. For example, removing a Not applicable category may reduce the number of small cells in the table and allow the data to be retrieved. Possible methods to reduce the size of the table include:

• removing one or more variables
• removing one or more categories
• using a less detailed level of a hierarchical variable
• creating a custom range to combine less relevant categories.

For this table, the Marital status categories of Not applicable and Married in a defacto marriage were removed. Then the full Country of birth variable was replaced with all categories within Oceania and Antarctica, still at the most detailed level of this hierarchical variable. This table was able to be retrieved.

Register in the ABS Registration Centre to access datasets in TableBuilder.

• You automatically get access to basic datasets (free) by registering
• If you register with your organisation email address, and your organisation is already registered, you also automatically get access to Census TableBuilder Pro (free) and any other datasets your organisation has access to

• Basic datasets are free, including Census TableBuilder Basic and Businesses in Australia
• To access Census TableBuilder Pro (free) you need to join your organisation in the Registration Centre - contact microdata.access@abs.gov.au if you are not automatically joined to your organisation when you register
• Other datasets can be accessed upon application - microdata.access@abs.gov.au

Select the forgotten password or user ID link on the TableBuilder log in page and follow the prompts.

If you have forgotten which email you registered with or your secret question and answer, contact microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

TableBuilder user ID is a number. If you have forgotten your user ID, click on forgotten user ID from the TableBuilder log in page.

Log into the Registration Centre using the same user ID and password that you use for TableBuilder.

You can update:

• your address
• phone number
• secret question/answer

You can also see which organisation you are a member of and see all the data series that you have access to.

Your email address must match your organisation, and this can only be updated by an ABS staff member.

If you have changed your email address because you have changed organisations, ABS will remove you from your old organisation and add to your new organisation. This will give you access to your new organisation's subscribed paid products.

Using your new email account, email microdata.access@abs.gov.au with:

• your name
• the names of your former and current organisations
• your old email address
• your user ID number

If you have changed your email address because you have changed your name, email microdata.access@abs.gov.au using your new email account with:

• your former and current names
• the name of your organisation
• your user ID number

No, you must not share your password with anyone

• Each user needs to register individually in their own name
• You have agreed to Conditions of use that you will not share your access credentials with any other person, including other people in your organisation
• Additional organisation users can access your organisation's paid subscriptions for free
• If users or organisations are found to have breached the conditions of use, access may be revoked

• Your organisation may not have subscribed to the data series you are trying to access. Check which datasets your organisation has access to in Registration Centre
• Subscribe to additional data series in How to access

The ABS regularly reviews its security position in an ever-evolving cyber environment to ensure the best safeguards are in place for the data we hold. In our latest review, we identified an update needed to provide greater data protection.
Some changes have been made to the way that table data is retrieved. This has been necessary to ensure the security and privacy of data. You will still be able to access the same data as before and all your saved tables and custom groups will still be available.

In the updated version of TableBuilder, when you create a table, you submit your table to the queue and it will be populated with data and returned to you for download, rather than having it returned on screen. This is similar to the previous process used to generate large tables. This process is likely to take less than a minute for small tables, several minutes for large tables and an hour or longer for very large tables. 

As data is returned in downloads rather than on screen, the following functions are no longer available:

• quantiles
• graphs
• maps

The default download format is CSV, you can choose your preferred download format in the top right corner before you queue your table. 

If you queue a table in XLSX format and then open the table outline using the view link from the Saved and queued tables view the default format will be set to CSV. You can change the format before you re-queue the table. 

Tables can be up to 40 million cells, including totals and wafers. Very large tables may take several hours to populate depending on the size of the table and other tables in the queue.

• Excel 2007 has a limit of 16,384 columns x 65,000 rows and less than 100,000 cells.
• use CSV to download larger tables

Options to reduce the size of your table include:

• Remove categories that you may not be interested in, such as Not applicable categories.
• Turn off totals - this does not change the size of your large table but can improve the time it takes to populate the table. However if you are planning to use totals, you should use the totals generated within TableBuilder rather than summing the interior cells. See also Totals on the Confidentiality page.
• Group categories together that you want to include but do not need to view separately, by creating a Custom data group.

There are a number of options to improve your displayed table layout. These do not affect your total cell count for Large table mode.

• Hide totals, by clicking on the three dots menu beside each variable within your row headings and unticking Total.
• Select Zero suppression for rows and/or columns in the Options menu. This hides rows or columns where all cells are zeros. If you are using wafers, then this option hides rows or columns where all cells are zeros across all wafers, so rows or columns of zeros may appear in some wafers.

TableBuilder has a limit of adding 60,000 categories from any one variable to a table. As there are more than 60,000 mesh blocks in each of Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland you need to select fewer geographic categories when using mesh blocks. If you have already ticked too many mesh blocks, click untick all to start again.

You are also unable to add mesh blocks to tables in combination with certain variables, see Confidentiality for more information.

A table outline preview is available within TableBuilder. To see the data for your table, queue and download your table.

No, you can only save tables in TableBuilder and then open them in a later session.

You can share and upload custom data variables that you have created either inside or outside TableBuilder.

There are a number of errors that can occur when Uploading custom data including:

• leading zeros have been dropped when editing in Excel
• reusing an existing custom data group name
• not having access to the right dataset, or not having that dataset open when uploading
• errors in the header row
• loading a file type other than CSV
• file is too large (greater than 20MB)

Nested variables (multiple variables nested on one row, column or wafer) can cause issues for some TableBuilder functions. Nesting up to 10 variables is possible for some variables but may cause performance issues. Nesting fewer variables is recommended, particularly for large classifications

Data item lists for each dataset available in TableBuilder datasets are available via TableBuilder topics and Available microdata.

In TableBuilder in the Table view, the i links next to each dataset name link to the associated web information and data item list.

No. TableBuilder includes Census data from 2006 onwards. See Historical Census Data for earlier data.

• Multiple variables cannot be combined to create a new variable. For example, Age and Sex cannot be merged to create a single variable. However, filters can be used to display certain categories only. For example, Sex=Male and Age=17 can be added as filters to a table so that the data in a table applies only to male 17 year olds. See Add and remove a filter.
• You can create a new category by collapsing an existing variable categories. For example, Age categories in single years can be collapsed to create a new category for 0-17 year olds. See Custom data.
• You can also upload your own variable classifications. New classifications must use existing variable categories within TableBuilder. For example, a new geographic classification that has been constructed using mesh blocks can be uploaded to TableBuilder. See Custom data.

There are several reasons this may happen:

• Sparsity settings may prevent your table from displaying data. Some datasets have an additional quality measure applied to tables with too many very small cells. This measure is particularly relevant to survey datasets and has not been applied to Census TableBuilder datasets. Very small cells of a table using survey data may not be reliable, as not enough records have been selected in the sample to accurately estimate the population for that combination of characteristics. A sparsity error appears below the table where this has occurred.
• The ABS sometimes releases 'shell tables' in advance of releasing a dataset, to allow you to become familiar with the variables and structure of the dataset and to set up and save tables for future use. If your table includes variables that have not been released yet in the dataset you are using, it shows zeros.
• There may be an outage with the TableBuilder system. If the issue is not caused by sparsity or shell tables, report the issue by emailing microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

Perturbation is applied across all non-zero cells in a table, including the totals cells. Perturbation may change the true cell value by either increasing or decreasing the value by a small amount. This introduces almost no bias. However, small cells may change by a large amount in proportion to the true value, and therefore should not be relied upon. Other factors also affect the reliability of small cells, such as sampling error, respondent errors and processing errors. 

All non-zero cells in tables are subject to perturbation, a small adjustment made to cell values, including totals, to protect the confidentiality of the data. In TableBuilder, totals are not calculated by summing the interior values of the table. Instead, more accurate totals are provided by calculating the true total, and then perturbing this value.

Perturbation makes small changes to all estimates including both the interior cells of the table and the totals. If you attempt to reconstruct a total on the basis of the perturbed interior cells, you are adding together the small changes made to each cell which may result in a large change relative to the perturbed total. It is recommended that totals are constructed in TableBuilder, rather than by summing the interior cells from an exported table.

Summation options for continuous variables, such as sums, medians and means can be created in TableBuilder for continuous variables. Some datasets, such as Census TableBuilder, contain only categorical variables. To create medians and means for categorical variables, download the data into a spreadsheet to generate these formulas.

TableBuilder times out when no action has been taken for 30 minutes. Log in again using your user ID and password.

The time it takes for the system to process and return your table depends on size of your table and the number of other tables in the queue.

• Small tables normally complete within a few seconds or a minute.
• Larger tables may take several minutes.
• Very large tables may take several hours.

Check the Saved and queued tables screen (via the three dots menu at the top right) to see if your table has finished processing.

Click refresh on your browser to update the queue status. 

If your large table has still not returned after 24 hours, contact microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

• Different browsers have different functions and speeds to download tables. Not all browsers show progress while downloading.
• Very large tables may take a several minutes to download even though they have been zipped. 

Some special characters cause queue issues and your zip file will be empty when it completes. Do not use these characters when naming your queued table:

• ? * < > / \ |

While working in a large table, it can be slow to drag variables between rows, columns and wafers. This may happen for:

• large datasets
• large variable classifications with hundreds or thousands of categories.

The all datasets search (top right corner) returns a maximum of 2000 results per type of result:

• datasets
• tables (saved or predefined)
• variables
• categories

If your search exceeds 2000 for one of these search types, TableBuilder displays (2000+) in red in the bottom left corner against that type. You can:

• refine your search to a more specific term to return complete results
• use the dataset specific search to view results for that dataset only - open the dataset you are interested in and use the dataset search in the bottom left corner

For some searches, your search may get stuck at the loading screen, and not return your results. To resolve this error, follow the steps to close the session and clear the cache.

There is no limit on the number of areas that can be included for your custom group. However, when you are editing very large number of areas the system may slow down.

If you get an error 'The requested URL was rejected. Please consult with your administrator.' you need to provide details of the actions you were performing in TableBuilder when the error occurred. Send the details to microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

There is a known issue with some browsers where the 'processing' blue circle appears even though no action is underway. Move your cursor so that this disappears and you can continue working.

There is a known issue if you tick median or mean and then try to drag the summation variable onto column, row or wafer pop up, TableBuilder gives you an error:

Only one summation option can be added to a table

To add median or mean use the add to row, column or wafer buttons at the top of the left panel instead. 

Adding sum to your table is not affected by this error.  

There is a known issue for some summation variables where the queued table results in a status of error. We are working with the software provider to resolve this issue.

Try a different summation variable or contact microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

If you are not able to resolve your query through the help provided in this guide, email microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

If you would like assistance to analyse your table results, submit a Consultancy services request form. This is a charged service.