RE: [CTPP] Proprietary Employer Data -- Comments on the various providers?

We use InfoUSA. We have previously used Claritas. We have been happy with InfoUSA, but it does suffer from some of the weaknesses you mention - public sector employment is problematic due to duplication (agency organization creates a problem) and the branch vs. headquarters problem inherent in all employer databases. You do need to plan on spending considerable time reviewing the employers to check for any obvious errors or duplicates (e.g., different business names but same address). We have never used Dun & Bradstreet so I can't comment on their dataset. Bill Schaefer, Transportation Planning Manager Madison Area Transportation Planning Board - An MPO 121 S. Pinckney St., #400 Madison, WI 53703 PH: (608) 266-9115 FAX: (608) 261-9967 Email: wschaefer(a)cityofmadison.com www.MadisonAreaMPO.org From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Reardon , Tim Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 2:15 PM To: &#39;ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net&#39; Subject: [CTPP] Proprietary Employer Data -- Comments on the various providers? I have managed to assemble some funding to acquire employer data for our 164-municipality transportation modeling region in Eastern MA, and I am wondering if any of you have comments on the accuracy and utility of the various proprietary employer data sources currently available. I have been in conversations with two major providers (InfoGroup and Dun & Bradstreet) and have received sample files for certain zip codes, but it is hard to assess the accuracy or completeness of either sample. I'm wondering if anybody can offer insight on working with such data, and whether you have suggestions on choosing a vendor. We will be using it primarily to determine employment by sector at very fine geographies (250m or 1km grid cells) for land use planning and analysis. Some concerns we have already identified include: branch vs. headquarters employment, public sector employment, "paper companies" and verification, and the accuracy of the goecoded location that accompanies each record. Any thoughts are appreciated. Feel free to reply off-list if concerned about publicly trumpeting or bashing somebody's product. Thanks, Tim Reardon ___________________________________________ Timothy G. Reardon -- Senior Regional Planner Metropolitan Area Planning Council 60 Temple Place | Boston, MA 02111 617-451-2770 x2011 treardon@mapc.org<mailto:treardon@mapc.org> [cid:image001.jpg@01CC35A3.838F26C0] Say it with a map! Find data and bring it alive at www.MetroBostonDataCommon.org! ________________________________ Please be advised that the Massachusetts Secretary of State considers e-mail to be a public record, and therefore subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66 § 10.