Value of Shipments - The dollar value of products sold by manufacturing establishments based on net selling values, f.o.b. (free on board) plant, after discounts and allowances are excluded. Freight charges and excise taxes are excluded. Where the products of an industry are customarily delivered to distributors or consumers by the manufacturing establishment (such as in certain foods industries – fluid milk, bakery, soft drinks), the value is based on delivered price rather than f.o.b. plant price. Multi-industry companies report value information for each industry category as if it were a separate economic unit. Thus, products transferred from one plant to another are valued at their full economic value.

US Census Bureau Definitions

New Orders - A new order is a communication of an intention to buy for immediate or future delivery. Orders data are not collected from industries that have mostly immediate deliveries. Only orders supported by binding legal documents (such as signed contracts, letters of intent, or letters of award) should be included. Reported data should include all new orders received during the month less cancellations.

Order Backlog (Unfilled Orders) - Generally, unfilled orders at the end of an accounting period are equal to unfilled orders at the beginning of the period, plus new orders net of cancellations received during the period, less net sales. This includes orders that have not yet passed through the sales account and funded orders (or portions of orders) for which the value of work done has not been reported as sales.

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