How is statistical data (SPSS, STATA) archived at DANS?

The best way to preserve statistical data for the long term is to store both the data and the data documentation in an ASCII format. This is why statistical data from proprietary software packages such as SPSS and STATA is transferred into open formats by DANS.

In the past, DANS transformed files using the Stattransfer software package. This software offers the option to convert SPSS files (.sav) and STATA files (.dta) to data and setup (.dat and .sps for SPSS; .dat and .DO for STATA). In the data station, statistical files are transferred automatically by the Dataverse software. Dataverse transforms tabular data files, like SPSS files and other statistical files, automatically into TAB files. The metadata which describes the content of these datafiles is separately stored in an XML file. Together this information can be read into SPSS or STATA as well as into other applications making the data easily reusable by others.