Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE)

The Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) is an economic data tool combining tax, trade and intellectual property data with information from ABS surveys to provide a better understanding of the Australian economy and businesses performance over time.

Authorised researchers use BLADE to understand how businesses fare over time and the factors that drive performance, innovation, job creation, competitiveness, and productivity, and provide new insights into the development and evaluation of government policies, programs and services.

The current BLADE asset contains data on all active businesses from 2001-02 to current, sourced from: 

• ABS Business Register
• Australian Taxation Office: Business Activity Statements (BAS), Business Income Tax (BIT) filings, Pay as You Go (PAYG) summaries, Single Touch Payroll (STP), JobKeeper Payment Scheme and JobMaker Hiring Credit Scheme.
• ABS surveys: Business Characteristics Survey (BCS) Innovation Module (IM) and Digital Activity Module (DAM), Management Capabilities Module (MCM), Economic Activity Survey (EAS), Business Expenditure on Research and Development (BERD), Private Non-Profit Expenditure on Research and Development (PNPERD), Survey of Research and Experimental Development, Government (GOVERD), Energy Water Environment Survey (EWES), Employee Earning and Hours (EEH), Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure (CAPEX), Business Conditions and Sentiments (SBCS), Survey of International Trade in Services (SITS), Restraint Clauses Short Survey of Employment Conditions (SSEC) and Agricultural Commodities.
• Intellectual Property Australia: Intellectual Property Longitudinal Research Data (IPLORD)
• Department of Home Affairs: Merchandise Trade data
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC): Insolvency data
• Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR): Workplace Agreements Database (WAD)

For more information, you can see a full list of the BLADE data inclusions and legislation.

The ABS is trusted as the accredited Integrating Authority for BLADE. We collect and combine the data, provide access to authorised researchers, and protect your privacy and keep your information secure at all times.

Research projects using BLADE are listed on the BLADE Research Projects register.

A number of case studies have been produced that demonstrate the value and public benefit of data analysis using BLADE. To find out more, visit the Use and benefits page.

BLADE is governed by ABS Privacy and Security protections, expanded in the Keeping integrated data safe page.

To apply for access to BLADE data or other products, see the Access and services page.

For more information about BLADE, see Microdata: Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE).