Adapted from the tutorial Accessing Census Data (MS Word format) by Barbara Ronningen, Minnesota State Demographic Center.

Exercise 1: Using Report Templates for a Single Geographic Area
Exercise 2: Using Report Templates for Multiple Geographic Areas
Exercise 3: Using the File Output Option
Exercise 4: Simple Variables for Multiple Geographic Area Types
Exercise 5: Geocoded Data for Mapping
Exercise 6: Creating a Custom Variable
Exercise 7: Creating Custom Geographic Areas

Exercise 1: Using Report Templates for a Single Geographic Area

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Go to Pick Geography.
3. Click on the + before County, Minnesota, and then click in the box by Blue Earth County.
4. Click Next at the bottom of the screen.
5. The Output Tab will open, the default is Report, a temporary .html file.
6. Choose a Report Template Filethat includes the data you want; in this case, Quick Tables/P03 Race and Hispanic or Latino.rpt.
   • With a report template the variables have been chosen for you and can't be modified.
7. Click Finish at the bottom of the screen.
   • Choose to view the file either with the default application (a web browser since it's an *.html file) or another application.
   • A Browse option is available if you're not sure where the alternate application is located.
8. Choose File > Save As to save the report.

Exercise 2: Using Report Templates for Multiple Geographic Areas

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Skip Workspace.
3. Go to Pick Geography.
4. Click in the box before County,to select all counties in Minnesota.
5. The Output Tab will open, the default is Report, a temporary .html file.
6. Choose a Report Template Filethat includes the data you want; in this case, Quick Tables/P03 Race and Hispanic or Latino.rpt.
7. Click on Finish and open the .html report file. The result is a little different since we selected all Minnesota counties.
   • The resulting .html file uses frames to display each county with a hyperlink on the left side of the page.
   • To save the whole frameset, go to the directory indicated in the browser and save all of the files, including cb_head.gif.

Exercise 3: Using the File Output Option

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Skip Workspace.
3. Go to Pick Geography.
4. Click in the box before County,to select all counties in Minnesota.
5. Select Fileoutput rather than report.
6. Click on Save As and enter a name for the file you will create, selecting .xlsfor the file type.
7. Click Next to select variables that reflect race and Hispanic ethnicity data.
8. Click on Finish.
9. When prompted, enter a name for the worksheet inside of the *.xls file.
   • Users can view the output file and/or the descriptions file.
   • Be sure to click on the worksheet name that you entered.
10. To modify your file, return to the Simple Variablesand add those to the file.
    • Be sure you close the file in Excel before trying to add to it.
    • When prompted, choose to write over the original file name, and give a new name to the worksheet.

Exercise 4: Simple Variables for Multiple Geographic Area Types

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Create Workspaceby clicking Newand typing in a name.
3. Next, Pick Geography.
4. Scroll to County Subdivision by County, click the +, then click the + before Minnesota.
5. Scroll to Blue Earth County and click in the box to select all county subdivisions in Blue Earth County.
6. Next scroll to Census Tract by Countyand click the +, then click the + before Minnesota.
7. Scroll to Blue Earth County and click in the box to select all tracts in the county.
8. Click Next to select the output type and select Fileoutput.
9. Click on Save As
10. Select .csv for the file type, and enter a file name as instructed.
11. Click Next to select variables.
12. Scroll to PCT 12 Sex by Ageand highlight the table name.
13. Click on Select to select all ages for both genders.
14. Click on Finish.
    • Users can view the output file and/or the descriptions file.
    • MS Excel is used to open a .csv file.
    • To modify the file, return to the Simple Variablesand add those to the file.
    • Users can choose to write over the original file or to create a new file name.
    • Saving the workspace will enable you to skip the Pick Geographystep in future sessions.

Exercise 5: Geocoded Data for Mapping

Geocoding Note: This exercise is presumes users will use ArcView. Atlas users need to match geocodes from the .shp file to the data. The AGF_LINK column generated contains the geocode needed to match data to the polygons. By saving the county and MCD .dbf files, a match can be made between FIPS and AGF_LINK. Then load new data into an Excel file sorted to match the FIPS code. The result can be exported as a .dbf file with geocodes from the .shp file that can be linked back to the Atlas GIS geographic file.

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Create Workspaceby clicking Newand typing in a name.
3. Click Next to Pick Geography.Scroll to Census Tract by Place and Etc.and click the +, then click the + before Minnesota and the + for Blue Earth County.
4. Click in the box to select all census tracts in Mankato.
5. Click Next to select the output type and select Fileoutput.
6. Click on Save As
7. Select .mdb for the file type and enter a file name in the desired folder.
8. Click Next to select variables.
9. Highlight P17 and click on Select. The variable Average Household Sizewill appear in the Output Variablesbox.
10. Scroll to the top of Simple Variables.and select Geographic Identifiers.for the geocodes.
11. Select the FIPS code for state and county and the census tract code.
12. Click on Finish.
    • Give the .mdb a table name when prompted and click on OK.
    • You can either concatenate the geographic identifier codes in MS Access or in ArcView.

Exercise 6: Creating a Custom Variable

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Click Pick Geographyand scroll to Placeand click the +, then click the + before Minnesota.
3. Click in the box before Waseca.
4. Click Next to select the output type and select Reportoutput.
5. Scroll to the last report type Report (blank) .rptand highlight it.
6. Click Next to select variables. Select any variables you want to include in the output.
7. Click Next to begin creating the custom variable.
8. Highlight Hispanic or Latino(variable P004002) and click on VAR from the custom variable operators, this will put Hispanic or Latino in the Formulabox.
9. Click on /, then highlight Total(P004001).
10. In the New Variable Namebox, enter the name for the variable.
11. Click Select
12. Click Finish.
13. An .html report will appear with the custom variable %Hispanic.

Exercise 7: Creating Custom Geographic Areas

1. Open the US Census 2000 Data Engine.
2. Click Pick Geographyand scroll to Placeand click the +, then click the + before Minnesota.
3. Click in the box before Milaca.
4. Click Next to select the output type and select Reportoutput.
5. Scroll to the last report type Report (blank) .rptand highlight it.
6. Click Next to select variables.
7. Under Geographic Identifiers, select Internal Point (Latitude) and Internal Point (Longitude).
8. Click Finish.
9. An .html report will appear with the latitude and longitude of the center of Milaca.
10. Return to Pick Geographyand highlight Custom Radii.
11. Click on the File pull down menu and select Add Radii.
12. Enter the latitude and longitude you just found in the previous step and click OK.
13. In the next box, the latitude and longitude appear in the Point Namebox
14. Replace those numbers with the name of the city, Milaca, if you choose.
15. In the Radii or doughnuts box enter 10; default units are Miles.
16. Click OK.
17. Leave Output selection as Report (blank).rpt.
18. Select all population variables for persons 65 and overfrom table P12 for both males and females.
19. Click on Finish and OK to see the number of males and females 65 and over who live within 10 miles of the geographic center of Milaca.

Adapted from the tutorial Accessing Census Data (MS Word format) by Barbara Ronningen, Minnesota State Demographic Center.