Using the BEA Web site

Some large spreadsheets on the BEA web site are compressed as self-extracting ZIP files. If you have difficulty opening a ZIP file, try the following:

• Save the file to a folder on your hard drive (be sure to note where the file is stored).
• Open the file by double-clicking on its icon (or run it as you would any other program).
• A window with a black screen will appear when the "unzipping" is complete. Close this window.
• The unzipped spreadsheet will appear in the same folder as the zipped file.

Your browser understands active server pages (ASP) just as it understands HTML; no additional software is required to access this material. ASP is used to ensure consistent formatting in various sections of the BEA web site.

Some spreadsheets on the BEA web site are in Microsoft Excel (XLS) format. If Excel is installed on your computer, the spreadsheet will probably display when you click on the link.  If Excel is not installed, you can download the free Excel viewer from Microsoft. Alternatively, you can download the spreadsheet itself to your computer and open it using another spreadsheet program. To download:

HTML (hypertext markup language) is the language your browser understands. You do not need additional software to access this material. A drawback is that the material does not look the same as it does in published documents, like the Survey of Current Business. 

PRN (print) files usually are PS (PostScript) or EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) files. These files contain page description language that defines how the page will be printed. To use a PRN file in a program other than your browser, do this:

Some files are offered in CSV (comma separated values) format. These files are in plain text with, as the name implies, commas between data values. Depending on the configuration of your browser, CSV files may import directly into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets (assuming Excel is installed on your computer). Most spreadsheet programs can open or import CSV files.

PDF (portable document format) files retain the appearance of the published documents. A drawback is that special software is required to read these files; this software, Adobe Reader, can be downloaded free from the Adobe web site.

These are all acronyms for formats in which eletronic data is stored and shared with our web site users.

Much of the material on this site is available in both HTML (hypertext markup language) and PDF (portable document format). Some of our files are offered in CSV (comma separated values) format, and some spreadsheets are in XLS (Microsoft Excel) format. Additionally, some PRN (print) files appear throughout the site, and large documents are compressed as ZIP files. ASP (active server pages) is also used where necessary to execute site design.

To find out more about information published on this Web site, please see Section 207 (f)(2) of the E-Government Act of 2002.