Help with eSurvey

This online reporting system allows users to upload and submit their reports for the surveys for which they are responsible using preset delivery formats. Users receive email updates on the processing status of their reports. The required forms and formats are available in eSurvey and on our website (https://emi.snb.ch/en/emi).

For certain surveys, eSurvey offers a web-based reporting tool (web tables) which displays the information to be reported and allows users to enter, check and submit their data. This tool is described under ‘Understanding and testing surveys’ (cf. also 1.2.3. Understanding and testing surveys and 7. Understanding and testing surveys).

Statistical data are submitted in the preset delivery formats or entered into web tables under the ‘Reports’ menu item (cf. chapter 4. Reports).

When a new or revised survey is announced, information on that survey will be provided in this section of the website, together with the specifications for the different delivery formats. Reports for the available surveys can be tested here in all the formats offered for the respective survey, and checks are made for compliance with the delivery format specifications and for consistency of the data reported.

This test function is currently only available for surveys conducted using web tables. It is to be extended to the other surveys in due course. More information on this subject can be found under 7. Understanding and testing surveys.

eSurvey users can view their account information saved in eSurvey, such as contact details and responsibilities. They can also change their own login details themselves here and find information on who in their company, as administrator, is in charge of managing contact details and responsibilities (cf. 3. My profile).

Executive management can create new administration accounts here when a company is required to report data for the first time (cf. 8.1.1. Executive management accounts).

Reporting institutions can use the user administration functions to manage contacts and their access to eSurvey. Administrators set up by executive management manage the reporting institution’s access to eSurvey in the user administration. They create, change or delete contacts, give contacts access rights to eSurvey, and allocate the responsibilities for surveys and for the CRF mailbox. Cf. also 8. User administration.

The SNB uses the eSurvey online reporting system for the exchange of data in connection with the SNB COVID-19 refinancing facility (CRF). Dedicated mailboxes are provided for this (cf. 9. CRF mailbox).

Cf. also section 3 of the Technical instructions on the web page SNB COVID-19 refinancing facility (CRF).

The web tables have a menu on the left, and at the top a navigation bar which takes you through the various tables. It is marked in red at the top on the right that you are in the test environment.

Fig. 16: Structure of web tables

On the left you will find a menu with the items ‘Save’, ‘Export (CSV)’, ‘Information’, ‘Help’ and ‘Close’.

Fig. 17: Left-hand menu in web tables

By clicking ‘Save’, you can save the data you have entered at any time. To prevent data loss due to interruptions in internet connectivity or from closing the browser, your work will be saved automatically at regular intervals.

‘Export (CSV)’ enables you to export the content of the report in CSV format. There are different options for doing so. Using the CAS survey as an example:

Under ‘Information’, you can find information on the survey and the notes on the survey content.

‘Help’ opens the page with a guide to eSurvey.

By clicking ‘Close’, you can leave the web tables.

A navigation bar above the web tables takes you through the entire report process. It differs depending on the survey, but all surveys have the items ‘Complete tables’ and ‘Complete reporting’.

Other menu items are survey-specific, for example ‘Questions on your company’ and ‘Select components’ in the case of the CAS survey.

There may be an initial set of questions, some of which are mandatory.

Further survey-specific information is available in the notes for the respective survey.

Fig. 18: Web tables, navigation for reporting using CAS as an example

Once you have selected a report, click on ‘Test report’ under ‘Actions’ and start with a blank report or carry on working on an already saved report.

Fig. 22: Selection of tables

If you would like to use the CSV file format for your report, start by downloading the survey in this format. You can either download the survey in full or tailor it to your requirements first and then download.

A guide on creating a CSV report can be found under ‘Guides, tutorials’.

You can submit the report under ‘Complete reporting/Check and submit’. Before the report is transmitted, a consistency check is carried out and any errors and warnings displayed. Please go to the corresponding tables showing these errors and warnings, and make the necessary corrections. When the correction has been made, click ‘Submit’ again to send the report.

If there are legitimate reasons why the report is being submitted with errors or warnings, or if there are errors or warnings which you cannot resolve, you must add an explanation in the corresponding comments field before sending. If the check shows errors, the submission function will not be activated until an entry is made in the field ‘Comments on errors and warnings’.

After the checks have been completed, the user receives an email showing the processing status.

With the ‘Understanding and testing surveys’ function, reports are not submitted; they are merely checked for consistency. You will therefore also not receive an email.

Fig. 27: Check and submit

Under the menu item ‘Understanding and testing surveys’, you can download the test results in the ‘List of surveys’ by clicking on ‘Actions’.

Accounts for executive management are temporary accounts. They are used by executive management or their representatives to designate administrators for eSurvey themselves. A detailed description of how administration accounts are created can be found under 8.2. Creating administration accounts. Reports cannot be submitted using the executive management account.

Users with administration accounts see the user administration menu item in eSurvey. Administrators can create, edit and delete new contacts. They can make account applications for contacts and, once the SNB has checked and approved the applications, provide the initial login details to these contacts. They also have to specify for each contact the surveys for which they are responsible and whether they manage a CRF mailbox.

Administrators can also assign themselves data provider responsibility for given surveys, but they are not able to change contact details for administration accounts.

The initial login details are sent to new eSurvey administrators by the executive management account holders.

The SNB communicates with administrators and the responsible contacts via the email addresses stored in their contact details. Administrators are therefore advised to keep their contact details up to date.

Standard accounts are set up and managed by users with administration rights. Standard account holders can use the functions for the CRF mailbox and/or for the surveys allocated to them. Specifically this means they can submit reports for the relevant surveys and send and receive messages in connection with the CRF.

Standard account holders receive information from the SNB by email on the surveys for which they are responsible.

The eSurvey administrators send the initial login details to new standard account users.

When a company is required to report data for the first time or no longer has any active administration accounts, executive management will receive a letter inviting them to set up two accounts with administration rights in eSurvey. Once the accounts have been activated, executive management or their representatives are informed by email and asked to forward the initial login details to the new account holders. The executive management account is temporary and will be deleted at a later date.

Fig. 28: Creating administration accounts

The SNB is responsible for setting up, changing and deleting administration accounts. Existing administrators can submit corresponding applications by email to www.snb.ch, Surveys/Contacts.

Administrators can create personal contacts, set up and manage eSurvey accounts, and allocate responsibilities. Administrators’ contact details are managed by the SNB.

Personal contacts are managed by administrators or by the SNB. Non-personal contacts are no longer permitted.

Under ‘Create new contact’ in the ‘List of contacts’ (cf. 8.3. List of contacts) in the user administration function, you have the possibility of creating a new contact. Contacts can be created for companies for which you are responsible as administrator. If you wish to create a new contact at another company, please contact www.snb.ch, Surveys/Contacts. Certain fields in the form are mandatory. If the contact you are creating is to have access to eSurvey, tick the box ‘eSurvey account required’ at the bottom of the form (cf. 8.4.2. Creating and deleting accounts). Click on ‘Save’ to complete the process. After saving the new contact, you must allocate responsibilities for surveys and/or for the CRF mailbox to them (cf. 8.6. Managing responsibilities).

Fig. 30: Contact details and account information

If a contact is to be able to submit data or manage the CRF mailbox, they need an account. Tick the ‘eSurvey account required’ box under ‘eSurvey account information’ (cf. fig. 30: Contact details and account information). The SNB will check the application and activate the account. The ‘user ID’ and ‘initial password’ will then be displayed under the account information. Pass these login details on to the new contact.

If a contact no longer requires their account, it can be deleted by unticking the ‘eSurvey account required’ box. All responsibilities for this contact will also be deleted.

You can delete contacts which you have previously created. In doing so, all responsibilities will be deleted and the contact’s access will be blocked within six hours.

If you delete contacts, please ensure afterwards that every survey has at least one data provider allocated.

Data providers can submit reports via eSurvey for surveys for which they have been allocated responsibility. Individuals who have to provide data require an eSurvey account.

For each survey, at least one contact must be nominated as data provider. Administrators can check this in the ‘List of responsibilities’.

These contacts are responsible if there are questions relating to the content of a given survey. They will be contacted by email or telephone and do not require access to eSurvey.

These contacts can submit documents via the dedicated mailbox and receive information and documents from the SNB.

Cf. also chapter 3 of the Technical instructions on the website SNB COVID-19 refinancing facility (CRF).

The ‘forms for submitting collateral and drawing on loan’ are delivered by clicking ‘Create new message’, selecting the topic ‘CRF standard process’ in the dropdown menu, and clicking on the relevant form.

Required sample documents are submitted to the SNB via file upload in the CRF mailbox. Click on ‘Create new message’ and in the input mask click on ‘CRF samples’ in the dropdown menu and choose the relevant files under ‘Select documents’.