How is the data normalised ?
The data is normalised in two ways : • Standard presentation of the accounts : BvD has done a detailed analysis of the most common formats of accounts used in Europe, either compulsory formats (like in France or in Belgium) or suggested formats (UK, Netherlands, Germany). The result of this analysis is BvD’s standard format. This is a balance between a very detailed format that could have lots of gaps if information is not filed, and a very brief format with not enough information. • Standard industry codification : As most IPs use different industry classifications, BvD has manually allocated each company a CSO code (derived from the UK Statistical Office SIC codes). This avoids errors that arise when codes are automatically translated or cross-referenced.
