Microdata and TableBuilder: Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment, BLADE

Information is available about: 

• the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Institutional Environment, including the legislative obligations, financing and governance arrangements, and mechanisms for scrutiny of ABS operations
• the ABS and its role as an Integrating Authority Accreditation under the Commonwealth Data Integration Interim Arrangements

BLADE microdata are released in the ABS DataLab and TableBuilder, in accordance with the conditions specified in the Census and Statistics (Information Release and Access) Determination 2018 made under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. This ensures that confidentiality is maintained whilst enabling micro level data to be released.

The Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) combines administrative, business tax and survey data to provide a better understanding of the characteristics of Australian businesses and the economy. The data is used to study how businesses fare over time and the factors that drive performance, innovation, job creation, competitiveness and productivity.

BLADE detailed microdata

The BLADE microdata contains businesses that have been active at one time in the Australian economy since 2001-02 and are in the scope of the ABS's Business Register. This data asset of businesses is created by integrating datasets from the ABS, Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and other agencies. The specific sources used to create BLADE are:

• ABS Business Register
• ATO Business Activity Statement
• ATO Pay As You Go
• ATO Business Income Tax
• ATO Single Touch Payroll
• Various ABS Business Surveys and Agriculture Census
• Intellectual Property Australia: Intellectual Property Longitudinal Research Data
• Department of Home Affairs: Merchandise Trade Data
• ASIC Insolvencies

Businesses in Australia, TableBuilder

The Businesses in Australia, TableBuilder product data is drawn from the BLADE detailed microdata product. It contains a subset of data items covering key demographic and economic information. 

The BLADE detailed microdata is updated regularly (dependent on the frequency of the source data) and includes the most recent information for each of the sources available at the time the product is released.  

The Businesses in Australia, TableBuilder product contains data on businesses from BLADE as of 30 June each financial year from 2001-02 to 2023-24. 

As information in BLADE is sourced from datasets which are created for administrative purposes, accuracy may be impacted by one or more of the following:

• no (or very minimal) editing is applied to the data over and above what was conducted on the source datasets by data custodian agencies
• differences in conceptual definition of similar concepts (e.g. BAS and PAYG both include information relating to wages paid)
• the dynamic nature of the business population is captured in BLADE. The Businesses in Australia, TableBuilder contains the business population as of 30 June each year. 

The data included in BLADE is used for many purposes. Australian Government administrative data are used for reporting and compliance purposes by agencies, and ABS survey data is used for the compilation of published information. Output derived from BLADE or Businesses in Australia, TableBuilder may or may not align exactly with outputs from individual sources or other ABS statistical publications, such as the Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits publication population, due to the treatments made to produce BLADE as a longitudinal dataset and confidentiality treatments to TableBuilder outputs. 

When using BLADE in the DataLab it is important to refer to the available Explanatory Notes to understand the methodology used to integrate the data, any limitation on certain data items and how to correctly use the various datasets that are available.

Limited information about individual data items is available in the BLADE Data Item List. For more detailed information visit the relevant agency website.

The BLADE can be accessed through TableBuilder (with limited data items and reference periods) and the ABS DataLab. BLADE has been released to all registered users in Businesses in Australia TableBuilder. Access to BLADE in the ABS DataLab is available to approved researchers for approved projects. See Accessing integrated data on how access BLADE in the ABS DataLab.