Using Global Insight

Created by Lara SkellyFor University of Cape Town Libraries

August 2010

Background

• Global Insight is not a database. • It is a platform for exploring other databases.• Which databases these are depends on your

institutions subscriptions.• It is also known as Time Series Explorer (TSE),• and EconoStat.• This presentation explains how to use Global

Insight.

Go to www.globalinsight.co.za

Click on the Login in the top right corner.

Log in with your institutions log-in details.

If you are UCT staff or student, contact Lara.Skelly@uct.ac.za for log-in details.

This page will appear after logging in.

Click on Search.

You will then see a list of data sources that is available to your institution.

Step 1: Select how you want to search for your data (browse or search).

Step 1: Select your data source (CSS: Statistics South Africa releases is used in this example).

Step 1: Then click on Search.

Step 2: If you had chosen the search option, this screen will appear.

Step 2: Type in some keywords (CPI is used in this example), and click on Search.

Step 3: Your results will be shown.

Step 3: Select the series of interest, and click on Next.

Step 2: If you had chosen the Browse option in Step 1, this is the screen you will see.

Step 2: Browse through the files to find the series you are interested in

Step 4: Your selected series will be displayed. Change dates as needed and click on Next.

Step 5: Choose your format, and click on Get results. Note that CSV formats can be opened in

Excel and other econometric software.

Here is the result of the example that was used.

Notice that there was no frequency selection option. This is because Global Insight will provide

any and all frequencies that is available, be it monthly, quarterly, yearly or any combination thereof.

Need more help? Ask a librarian. Email Lara.Skelly@uct.ac.za.

Picture by Carlos Porto (Flickr)