The Data Distribution Team takes on the processing and delivery of process data in accordance with the requirements agreed with the individual projects. The service is provided for researchers of the IAB as well as, under special conditions, for external projects. It closes the gaps in the offers of the Statistical Data Centre of the BA (Statistik der BA) and the Research Data Centre of the BA (Forschungsdatenzentrum der BA) in the IAB in the field of process data.

Processing of a data order
Often, researchers are being advised even before their first inquiry regarding which data in which processing meet their information requirements best. Within a few days after receipt of a written data order, they then, if necessary, after a first consultation regarding contents, receive initial feedback on feasibility and an expected delivery date. The team then specifies together with them the requirements in relation to specifications, dates and, if necessary, legal particularities in terms of data protection. If all questions concerning the request have been clarified, the researcher receives an official order confirmation with a specific delivery date for final inspection and acceptance. The entire workflow from the order to the delivery is structured, documented and monitored using a requirements management system.

Processing and delivery of the data
The tasks of the team are widely diversified: They range from the short-term production of small data extracts to extensive internal and external data deliveries as in the Hartz I-IV evaluation projects.

All data products from the DIM business unit contain quality-assured, documented and readily interpretable longitudinal data suited for various research purposes in the field of labour market and occupational research. They are provided to internal and external researchers in the form of project-specifically compiled excerpts. The necessary processing steps as well as the delivery files created in the course of this are also standardized, documented and quality-assured.

The Data Distribution Team also has a self-service for data extracts. There, the team members run the STATA-do-files developed through the research projects themselves on the basis of samples on the total material and provide the records created in this context.