Business Expenses Survey

Definition

Business Expenses Survey. A Census Bureau survey that provides periodic estimates of operating expenses for retail, merchant wholesale, and most service firms.

Operating expenses for 1997 include payroll and fringe benefits, contract labor costs, taxes and license fees, depreciation and amortization charges, software and other computer expenses, office supplies, repair and maintenance expenses, lease and rental payments, utilities, advertising, accounting, and legal services.

Unpublished data on capital expenditures were included in the past. Coverage was expanded for 2002 to include more industries and to collect more categories of expenses. For 2007, the BES will collect information for only wholesale and retail trade; information on services will be collected as part of the Service Annual Survey.