Indicator Groups
In Ecodata, an indicator is more than a variable name. Each indicator should be understood together with its source, coverage, frequency, unit, metadata, methodology, and export permissions.
Indicator Metadata
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Indicator name | Display name shown to users. |
| Code or short code | Identifier used for search, copy, export, or AI Chat discussion. |
| Source | Original data source or ingestion pipeline. |
| Category | Topic group such as macro, trade, labor, governance, survey, or stock. |
| Coverage | Countries, provinces, firms, commodities, and available year range. |
| Frequency | Annual, quarterly, monthly, or report-period frequency. |
| Unit | Measurement unit, price basis, percent, index, VND, or USD. |
| Completeness | Data availability within the selected scope. |
| Methodology | Definition and calculation method from the source. |
| Citation | How to cite the data in research outputs. |
| Quality notes | Notes on missing values, methodology changes, or alternate sources. |
Indicator Groups by Topic
| Topic | Example indicators | Common sources |
|---|---|---|
| National accounts | GDP, GDP growth, GDP per capita, sector value added | World Bank, IMF, OECD, GSO |
| Prices and monetary | CPI, inflation, exchange rate, interest rate, money supply | IMF, World Bank, GSO |
| Trade | Export, import, trade balance, commodity trade, partner country | WTO, UNCTAD, Customs, World Bank |
| Labor | Employment, unemployment, wages, productivity | ILO, World Bank, GSO |
| Population and society | Population, urbanization, education, health | World Bank, GSO, VHLSS |
| Governance and institutions | WGI, PCI, PAPI, PAR, SIPAS | WGI, Macro Survey |
| Household welfare | Income, expenditure, poverty, demographics | VHLSS aggregate, VHLSS Micro |
| Stock and financial statements | Price, OHLCV, balance sheet, income statement, cash flow | Stock Hub |
Indicator Groups by Module
| Module | How to select indicators |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Filter by keyword, category, source, frequency, year, and completeness; open details before export. |
| GSO Explorer | Choose a dataset, browse the catalog, select indicators, and view province-year pivots. |
| Customs Explorer | Select report type, reporting period, commodity, country, province, or transport mode. |
| Survey Explorer | Filter survey, province, year, indicator group, and indicator details. |
| VHLSS Variable Hub | Select waves, datasets, variables, preview records, then choose merge, panel, or pooled output. |
| Stock Hub | Select a symbol and inspect price, financial statements, notes, or events. |
Rules for Combining Indicators
- Do not mix units of analysis unless aggregation or merging is explicit.
- Do not mix monthly, quarterly, and annual data without frequency conversion.
- Do not mix currencies, current prices, and constant prices without normalization.
- Use metadata to compare indicators with similar names across sources.
- Use Preview to detect missing values before modeling.
AI Chat Workflow for Indicator Selection
- Describe the research question, unit of analysis, period, and expected model.
- Ask AI Chat to suggest dependent variables, explanatory variables, controls, and sources.
- Search those suggestions in Dashboard or the relevant module.
- Copy selected indicator short codes back to AI Chat to validate the model logic.
- If coverage is incomplete, ask for proxy indicators or alternate sources.