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Creating and disseminating footnotes in Statistical datasets

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Mathias NAADEB • 11 May 2026

Course description

Quick facts

This training session offers practical in-depth exploration of footnotes in statistical datasets, emphasizing their role in enhancing metadata clarity, supporting data interpretation, and improving transparency. Participants will have a hands-on experience on the technical and procedural aspects of implementing footnotes using the European Statistical Metadata Handler (ESS-MH), covering topics such as template filling, validation, and publication workflows.

Participants should come with their Laptops.

 

Target Group

The course is designed for domain managers, metadata editors, and statistical production units.

 

Objectives

To empower participants with the knowledge and skills required to create, and disseminate footnotes in statistical datasets, thereby improving metadata quality and user comprehension.

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the purpose and value of footnotes in statistical data dissemination.
  2. Identify common use cases for footnotes, including revisions, anomalies and methodological clarifications.
  3. Fill in footnote template file and navigate the ESS-MH system to  correctly attach structured excel footnote template to metadata file.
  4. Apply best practices for filling in footnote templates, including formatting rules and metadata alignment.
  5. Validate footnote files and troubleshoot structural errors using STRUVAL.
  6. Update and maintain footnotes across reference periods and datasets.

 

Contents

The course will cover the following key topics:

  1. What footnotes are: Participants will get a deeper understanding of what footnotes are and their relevance in disseminated datasets.
  2. Practical steps to create and disseminate footnotes: Participants will gain hands-on-experience in creating footnotes through to dissemination.
  3. Updating existing footnotes: Participants will also be taken through the steps involved in updating an existing footnote
  4. Live Demo example.

 

 

Frequency

2 times per year each course

 

Duration

2.5 hours (Internal) 

 

Location

Onsite

 

How to apply

To apply for this course, please go to the training calendar and follow the instructions given in the specific training event. 

 

Material from previous editions

 

 

Suggested reading

Metadata section on the Eurostat website

 

Contacts

For more information about this course, please contact ESTAT-DATA-METADATA-SERVICES@ec.europa.eu