BAS Digital QuickStart

Digital - Quick Start - Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide

Linear Feature Changes	CHNG_TYPE
Add Feature	AL
Delete Feature	DL
Rename/Recode Feature	CA
Point Landmark Changes	CHNG_TYPE
New Landmark	E
Change Landmark Name	G
Delete Landmark	D
Geographic Area Changes	CHNG_TYPE
Annexation	A
Boundary Correction	B
Geographic Corridor	C
Deannexation	D
New Incorporation	E
Geographic Offset	F
Disincorporation	X
Authorization Types	AUTHTYPE
Ordinance	O
Resolution	R
Local Law	L
State Level Action	S
Other	X

Initial Steps

1. Report that you are making updates by one of the following methods:

   • Completing the Annual Response Form on the BAS website <https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/bas.html>

   • Call (800) 972-5651

   • Email [email protected]

2. Obtain the following materials from the BAS website or CD/DVD (if requested):

• Digital BAS Respondent Guide

• Digital BAS Quick Reference Guide

• BAS Partnership Shapefiles:

<https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/2019/geo/bas/2019-bas-shapefiles.html>

3. Review respondent guides and training videos

• Review the Digital BAS Respondent Guide, Quick Start Guide, and training videos on the BAS website before beginning any boundary or linear feature updates.

Boundary Review

1. Compare the Census Bureau’s representation of your government’s boundary with the local representation of your boundary, and extract the differences (change polygons). The differences can be extracted using one of the sample methods in the Digital BAS Respondent Guide, or using another method of your choosing.

1. Populate the applicable mandatory fields for each change polygon. The Census Bureau may not be able to accept changes without the appropriate attribution or documentation.

• NAME: Entity name (all changes)

• CHNG_TYPE: Type of area update; see tables (all changes)

• AUTHTYPE: Authorization type; see tables (all legal changes – annexations, deannexations, new incorporations, disincorporations)

• DOCU: Supporting documentation (all legal changes)

• EFF_DATE: Effective date; if after January 1, changes will not be included in this year’s ACS or PEP data (all legal changes)

• RELATE: Relationship description; IN or OUT (all boundary corrections)

3. BAS participants have the option, if they choose, to return linear feature (road, railroad, hydro) and landmark updates. Review Digital BAS Respondent Guide for more information on these types of changes.

Boundary Review – Quality Control

1. Verify that all mandatory fields are populated.

2. Verify that all legal changes (annexations, deannexations, new incorporations, and disincorporations) have appropriate legal documentation, authorization types, and effective dates.

3. Verify that all boundary corrections less than thirty feet are not dissolving boundary to feature relationships (with roads, railroads, hydrography, etc.)

4. Verify that all boundary changes are greater than thirty feet, unless they include housing units.

File Naming Conventions and Submission Prep

1. Name all return files (change polygons, linear feature updates, whole entity files, etc.) using the file naming conventions outlined in the Digital BAS Respondent Guide. The table below contains examples of the file naming conventions.

2. Include important metadata information. It is critical that all return files have *.prj files

3. Include a text file with the BAS and HEO contact information, or update the contact information using the online Annual Response Form.

4. Zip all return files together and name the file bas19_<BASID>_return.zip. <BASID> should be replaced with your eleven digit BAS ID code (e.g. bas19_20100100000_return.zip)

Changes Submitted For	Change Shapefile Naming Conventions	Whole Entity Shapefile Naming Conventions
County	bas19_<basID>_changes_county	bas19_<basID>_WholeEntity_county
Minor Civil Division	bas19_<basID>_changes_cousub	bas19_<basID>_WholeEntity_cousub
Incorporated Place	bas19_<basID>_changes_incplace	bas19_<basID>_WholeEntity_incplace
Consolidated City	bas19_<basID>_changes_concity	bas19_<basID>_WholeEntity_concity
Edges	bas19_<basID>_LN_Changes	N/A
Area/Hydro Landmarks	bas19_<basID>_Alndk_Changes	N/A
Point Landmarks	bas19_<basID>_Plndk_Changes	N/A

Return Updates Using the Secure Web Incoming Module (SWIM)

1. Open a browser window and enter the SWIM URL: <https://respond.census.gov/swim/>

2. If you already have a SWIM account enter your Email address and Password - Skip to Step 4)

3. If you do not have a SWIM account click ‘Register Account’

• Enter the 12 digit token provided by Census

• Create a password following the five criteria below:

• It must be 8 characters in length

• It must have at least one upper case character

• It must have at least one lower case character

• It must have at least one number

• It must have at least one special character (valid characters are: #, !, $, &, ?, ~). Do not use commas since they are for spacing purposes only

• Complete the registration information form

4. Login to SWIM

• Select Start New Upload button

• Select BAS radio Button

• Select your entity type (State, Place, County, County Subdivision, Tribal Area, or Concity)

• Select your state and county

• Select the Zip file to upload

• Click the + Add File button

• Double-click on the file you want to upload

• [Add additional files in the same manner]

• Add any additional information to the Comments field

• Logout

BAS Schedule and Deadlines

• January 1 Boundary updates must be legally in effect on or before this date to be reported in the current survey year

  • March 1 Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in the ACS and PEP data estimates and in next year’s BAS materials

• May 31 Boundary updates returned by this date will be reflected in next year’s BAS materials.

Contact Information

If you have questions, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau:

• Email: [email protected],

• Phone: 1-800-972-5651

• Fax: 1-800-972-5652