Chapter 4

Data management and software selection

4.1 Introduction

Price analysis will be greatly facilitated by a well thought through and documented data and

file management system for price data.   Also, selecting an appropriate software program for

the storage, analysis, and presentation of price data is also important.

4.2 Data management and verification

Data management

It is important to have solid data management concepts in mind when preparing to

incorporate price monitoring into one's early warning activities.  Although specific

suggestions are provided below, the important concept is that the data management system

be logical, consistent, and well documented.  Spending some time thinking through a

functional management system can save a lot of time later.

The first task is to establish 

a logical structure of subdirectories

 for data and outputs.  The

names of subdirectories should describe the contents of the subdirectory

5

.  It is important

that data, analysis outputs, reports, and computer programs not be mixed together within the

same subdirectory.  This will make it easier to retrieve data or document files.

Again, there are many structures that can be developed, but an easy and useful is presented

below (Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1: Proposed subdirectory structure

|    BACKUPS

|

C:    |    DATA      |    HEALTH             

 |   ANALYSIS OUTPUT

|                   

|                                  

 |

|                 

|      PRICES                       |    PROCESSED DATA

|                   

|                                     

 |

|                  

|      PRODUCTION 

 |    RAW DATA

|      

          |

|                   

|    RAINFALL

|

|    EXCEL

|

|    LOTUS

|

|    PRICEMAN

|

|    REPORTS

5

 In Windows 95 the length of the subdirectory and file names is not limited to eight characters as it was in

DOS and Windows 3.1.  A subdirectory called  Nominal prices  is now possible.

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