Data Dictionary

This page defines the metadata model of EcoData: every indicator is described by a standard set of fields so users can look it up, cite it, and reproduce their research. The dictionary applies to both international and Vietnam data.

Metadata model of an indicator

Every indicator in EcoData carries the following fields:

Field	Meaning	Example
short_code	EcoData standardized code (see below)	wb_mac_gdp_usd
code	Native code published by the source	NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
label_vi / label_en	Bilingual labels	"GDP (USD hiện hành)" / "GDP (current US$)"
unit	Unit of measurement	USD, % of GDP, index, persons
frequency	Observation frequency	annual, quarterly, monthly, mixed
source	Originating organization	World Bank, IMF, GSO, Customs
time_start / time_end	First and last year/period	1990 / 2023
spatial_coverage	Unit of analysis	country, province, firm, household
data_quality_notes	Quality / provenance notes	unit, source group, methodological caveats

Dual lookup

Users can search by short_code (compact, stable) or by the source's native code. The interface shows short_code first; the native code is always kept in the metadata for cross-checking.

Standardized code scheme: ss_dom_key_mod

EcoData maps long, inconsistent native codes across sources into a single structured short code made of four segments separated by underscores:

ss _ dom _ key _ mod
│    │     │     └── modifier: unit / variant (usd, pct, idx, sa, ...)
│    │     └──────── key: indicator name (gdp, cpi, exp, pop, ...)
│    └────────────── domain: field (mac, ext, fis, lab, dem, ...)
└─────────────────── source: provider (wb, im, ad, un, fr, ...)

Segment	Role	Example values
ss (source)	Data source	wb (World Bank), im (IMF), ad (ADB), un (UN), fr (FRED)
dom (domain)	Field	mac (macro), ext (external), fis (fiscal), lab (labor), dem (demographic)
key	Indicator name	gdp, cpi, exp, imp, pop, une
mod	Unit / variant	usd, pct, idx, cap (per capita)

Example mappings:

Native code	short_code	Interpretation
NY.GDP.MKTP.CD	wb_mac_gdp_usd	World Bank · macro · GDP · current USD
FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG	wb_mac_cpi_pct	World Bank · macro · CPI · %/year
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS	wb_lab_une_pct	World Bank · labor · unemployment · %

Canonical source of the code scheme

The code scheme is generated and validated by the integrated Codebook tool (the Codebook admin page) and internal validation scripts. Auto-generated suffixes are limited to [a-z0-9]{2,8} characters. The entire catalogue (~18,000+ indicators) has short_code values.

Frequency and units

• Frequency (frequency): annual, quarterly (Q1–Q4), monthly (M01–M12), or mixed when an indicator has multiple frequencies depending on the source.
• Period key (period_key): for sub-annual data, each observation carries a standard period key — Q1…Q4 for quarters, M01…M12 for months. Annual data leaves the period key empty.
• Unit (unit): keeps the source's original semantics (USD, % of GDP, index, persons, tonnes, etc.). When building a multi-source panel, read unit to avoid aggregating mismatched units.

Definitions by data group

Each group has its own characteristic variables; see the detail page for the full list and scope:

Group	Unit of analysis	Representative variables	Details
Global Data	Country × year	GDP, CPI, exports/imports, FDI, population	Global Data
Vietnam GSO	National/Province × year	GRDP, population, industry, CPI, investment	Vietnam GSO
Customs	Commodity × partner × period	export/import value, quantity, balance	Customs
Macro Survey	Province × year	PCI, PAPI, PAR, SIPAS, ICT	Macro Survey & VHLSS
VHLSS Micro	Household/Individual × wave	income, expenditure, education, health	Macro Survey & VHLSS
Stock Hub	Symbol × time	OHLCV prices, revenue, net income, EPS, events	Stock Hub

Using metadata for reproducibility

1. Keep the short_code + native code with your data so others can cross-check sources.
2. Record the unit, frequency, time_start/time_end in your study's data description.
3. When combining sources, check the unit and unit of analysis before building a panel.
4. Export with metadata (CSV/Excel/JSON) — see Data Export.

See Also

• Data Methodology — how EcoData collects, cleans, and standardizes data.
• Indicator Groups
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)