Unit 3: Creating the SDMX Prerequisites in FMR

This unit identifies:

• The FMR use cases and SDMX artefacts covered in this module
• The essential prerequisites to complete the tasks in the next unit, Creating the SDMX structural model in FMR:
  • Install working version of the FMR tool
  • Create the essential SDMX artefact, the agency

Introduction to essential SDMX and FMR

As you learned in the previous unit, FMR supports an extensive list of use cases and statistical processes. For each use case, we need to create SDMX artefacts and use different FMR features.

This introductory module provides the essential knowledge and skills to confidently capture and maintain SDMX statistical models using FMR.

What we WON’T cover in this module
The following principal FMR use cases:

• Data collection
• Data reporting use case

The tasks required for each of the use cases above are out of scope for this introductory module but are covered in additional learning resources available on the sdmx.io website.

So, what WILL we cover in this module?

Select each principle FMR user case and SDMX aspect to find out.

Installing FMR

To complete this module, you’ll first need to install a working version of FMR.

Once installed and ready to use, you MUST login to FMR in order to:

• create new SDMX artefacts and
• complete the next section of this module.

SDMX artefact – Organisation scheme

SDMX organisation schemes are used by SDMX systems to control access to data reporting, maintain structural metadata, and data query. There are four types:

1. Agencies
2. Data providers
3. Data consumers
4. Metadata providers

For data governance purposes, structural metadata (SDMX artefacts and concepts) must have an agency assigned in order to attribute ownership of items.

• For the SDMX cross-domain codelists, for example, the agency is “SDMX”.
• For global DSDs, the agency is the lead organisation responsible for maintaining the global DSD.
• For a national statistics office, central bank, or other organisation, the agency for items created by the organisation would be the organisation itself i.e. the organisation is responsible for maintaining the items that the organisation itself is creating.

Getting started with FMR

The first step prior to capturing the SDMX Logical Model items in FMR, is to create an organisation scheme entry for a new agency – your organisation.

BEFORE you do this, however, follow the links below and read the articles on how to use FMR to create and maintain structures and to familiarise yourself with the UI and steps:

• All Structures
• Maintaining Structures in V11

Creating a new agency – Pro tips!

To help you through the process, take a moment to review these pro tips for creating a new agency.

Select each pro tip for the details.

Creating an organisation scheme entry for a new agency

Once you have familiarised yourself with how to create and maintain structures using FMR, it’s time to create your first structure, your agency.

BEFORE you do this, however, review these resources explaining how to create and edit an organisation scheme in FMR to help you along the way:

• Organisations – Overview
• Organisations – Agency Schemes

As a minimum, you’ll need to identify the following items:

• ID: the abbreviation for your organisation (e.g. BIS, ECB, BOI, STC, ABS, ISTAT, MBS …).
• Language(s): the default language is English. If you want to create structural metadata in order languages (e.g. FR, SP, AR, …) you can add the additional languages.
• Name (en): name of your organisation (English).
• Description (en): optional description of your organisation (English).

What do you know?

Now that you’ve completed our look at Creating the SDMX Prerequisites in FMR review, try this.

Which of the following statements about what you have just learned are TRUE?

Select all that apply and then select Submit.

SDMX organisation schemes are used by SDMX systems to control access to data reporting, maintain structural metadata, and data query.

For data governance purposes, structural metadata (SDMX artefacts and concepts) must have assigned data providers in order to attribute ownership of items.

To help distinguish between different IDs, it’s good practice to use both uppercase and lowercase formatting.

As minimum, when creating a new agency, you need to identify the ID, Languages(s) and Name. Description is recommended, but optional.

Coming next …

Now that you’ve completed the SDMX prerequisites in FMR, it’s time to focus on the remaining tasks needed to create our SDMX structural model in FMR.