<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  More Frequently Asked Questions > FAQs Common to Multiple Assessor Series Applications > Assessor Series FAQ #23 Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:  Why can we access the data only during the quarter for which it is released? I understand that you want your customers to access the most up-to-date data, but what if we wish to compare this quarter with previous quarters' data?

 

ERI's cloud-based Assessor Series are provided for a one-year period (see Update Available to learn about database updates).  Because the databases are constantly improving, ERI does not wish to support any earlier release than the most recent quarterly update.  ERI's survey population changes from quarter to quarter.  With the addition of new survey resources, historical comparison between quarters is not statistically relevant.  (If our data population were to remain consistent from quarter to quarter, as with a single survey that queries the same entities through time, then trending could be inferred.)  Likewise, cost-of-living data is continually being collected and updated.

 

Customers are encouraged to save comparisons by printing or exporting reports with which they may compare future release data.  Please note, however, that the reason for most historical comparisons of compensation data is the analysis of market movement.  Again, because we do not survey the same data population from quarter to quarter, these inferences would be misguiding.  A change in value from quarter to quarter may not be the result of inflation, for example; rather, it may be the result of improved data and/or improved methodology.