How do I classify and enter keywords for the service?
In the Suomi.fi Finnish Service Catalogue, services must be given information that describes the content as well as classifying data, i.e. metadata. They are intended make it easier to find and group services in e-services and systems that utilise information in the FSC.
Metadata may not be visible to clients as such: for example, the Suomi.fi Web Service does not expose keywords or classifications to the reader in any way, but they serve as search terms in the web service.
The key metadata in the FSC are the target group, service class and keywords. The combination of the target group, service class and keyword indicates the service’s intended audience and subject matter.
One less used metadata item is the life event.
Metadata is selected from existing classifications. This way, the information provided to the services are consistent and can be used automatically on websites, chatbots, map services, etc.
The target group, service and life event classification is maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency on the Interoperability platform.
The keywords in the FTC are retrieved from Finto, the Finnish thesaurus and ontology service.
This information is regularly retrieved to the FSC user interface and made available to its users.
The target group indicates to whom the service is intended. A service may be intended for several target groups.
The target group classification used by the FSC has two levels. The main levels are:
- citizens
- businesses and non-government organisations
- public authorities.
The main target group, Citizens, refers to individual people, i.e. anyone who uses the services as themselves and does not represent their business or employer.
The sub-groups in the Citizens target group are various population groups, such as families with children, disabled people and senior citizens. Selecting a sub-group is not necessary for a service intended for citizens. Only select a sub-group if the service is intended for that sub-group and not for others. Do not select all sub-groups if the service is intended for any citizen.
The Businesses and non-government organisations main target group includes different types of businesses, entrepreneurs and NGOs. Selecting a sub-group is mandatory for business and NGO services.
The Public authorities target group includes agencies, ministries, municipalities, wellbeing service counties or their individual employees. The Public authorities target group does not include any sub-groups.
If you have used a general description for your service, the target groups of the general description will be automatically completed. You can add target groups where necessary.
The service class indicates the subject area of the service.
Select at least one service class for the service as accurately as possible according to its subject area. You can choose up to four service classes. When possible, select a subclass from under the main class.
There are two levels of service classification. At least one, but preferably as many service classes as possible, must be a service subclass, as they are more accurate. For example, the P4 Social services main class includes a vast number of matters, but the P4.10 Income support subclass restricts the topic to a much more detailed level.
The system will not allow a service to be published, if
- more than four service classes are selected
- all selected service classes are main-level service classes.
If you have used a general description for your service, the service classes of the general description will already appear in the field. You can add service classes where necessary.
Assigning a service class
To begin selecting service classes, click the Select service classes button.
You can search for a suitable service class or view service classes without searching.
Open the sub-levels of the main service class from the expander element to the right of the main class.
Click on the Info icon in the service class to read the description of the service class, which helps you select the correct service class.
You can view the selected service classes before saving them. Click the View selected service classes link.
Click the Back to service class selection button to return to the previous screen.
When you have selected the appropriate service classes, click the Add options button.
Keywords describe the content of the service with greater detail than the service class. Keywords can be used to distinguish services within a service class.
Enter at least one keyword for your service. You can enter 1–10 keywords for the service. However, do not enter unnecessary general keywords, whose subject matter is already indicated by the target group or the service classes. Use keywords to specify the subject of the service.
If you have used a general description for your service, the keywords of the general description will be automatically completed. You can add keywords where necessary.
Entering keywords
Select keywords using the keyword search. Press the Search for keywords or enter a freely assigned keyword button. Select the Search Keywords tab. In the search box on the tab, type a word or part of a word that describes the subject matter of the service as accurately as possible. The search will start to offer matching terms with the string you entered.
Select the appropriate term from those offered and click on it. You will see what the upper concepts and possible sub-concepts of the term are. If a term is suitable as a keyword, select it by ticking the checkbox.
Repeat the previous until you have found and selected all the keywords you think you need (up to a maximum of 10).
You can view the selected keywords before saving them. Click the View selected keywords link.
Click the Back to keyword selection button to return to the previous screen.
When you have selected the appropriate keywords, click the Add options button.
Source systems for keywords
The keywords used in the FSC are so-called ontological terms. This means that it is not a traditional single-level list of keywords, but an ontology that also defines relationships between the terms, such as hierarchy, concept matches and alternates.
When you select a term in the FSC interface, you can see the relationships of the term with other related terms and make sure that you are selecting the most accurate keyword possible.
Ontological terms are retrieved from the Finto service’s KOKO ontologyOpens in a new window.. The FSC does not use the KOKO ontology in its entirety, but only the ontologies listed below:
- Public administration ontology JUHO
- Public administration service ontology JUPO
- Health and welfare ontology TERO
- Occupational safety ontology TSRO
- General Finnish ontology YSO.
In these ontologies, every term has a permanent, machine-readable identifier (URI), which enables the use of the terms in communication between systems.
If the ontologies used in the Suomi.fi Finnish Service Catalogue are missing a term that you think should be a standardised national term, send a message to ptv-tuki@dvv.fi.
In addition to the actual keywords, you can also enter freely assigned keywords that make it easier to find the service if the word you want cannot be found in the list of keywords. You may not choose to use only freely assigned keywords.
If you cannot find a keyword with the Search keywords function, you can add the word as a free keyword on the Freely assigned keywords tab.
Make sure that you enter your keyword correctly and click the Add freely assigned keyword button.
The system will check if the keyword is a real keyword.
If the word is found in the list of keywords, you will be directed to select it from the list of keywords.
If the word is not found in the list of keywords, the word is added as a freely assigned keyword for the service in question.
After you have selected the appropriate keywords, click the Add options button.
If you have used a general description for your service, freely assigned keywords may have been entered for the service (this is rare). You cannot add a freely assigned keyword for your service that has already been entered as such in the general description. The system alert you of this when you try to save your work.
Optional information.
You can select a Life Event class for a service intended for citizens if this is necessary and a suitable Life Event class exists for the service.
Typical life events include changes that affect working life, family relations and housing. There are 19 identified life events. If none of the available Life Event classes is suitable for the service you are describing, leave the selection empty.
You cannot select a Life Event class for services intended for businesses or public authorities.
After you have selected the appropriate Life Events, click the Add options button.
The FSC’s Life Event classes are selected from the Life Events classification in public services (Koodistot.suomi.fi)Opens in a new window..
Business permits and services aimed at companies in certain industries must be provided with industry information in Suomi.fi Finnish Service Catalogue.
Industry means the industry of the company that belongs to the target group of the service or permit. The industry you select should therefore be the industry or industries of the company applying for the permit and not the industry in which your own organisation operates.
If the service or permit applies to companies in all industries, leave the industry selection blank. Such permits that are independent of the industry include, for example, permits for employers.
However, if the service type is professional qualification, you must always select an industrial class for it.
The industrial class helps entrepreneurs to find the permits and services they need in the Suomi.fi Web Service, for example. In the Suomi.fi permit application processOpens in a new window., entrepreneurs can apply for permits, obligations and professional qualifications for their own industry.
FSC uses Statistics Finland’s Standard Industrial Classification (TOL 2008). The Standard Industrial Classification is hierarchical, but it is not possible to select the higher levels in FSC. Check the detailed descriptions of industry sectors in the Standard Industrial Classifications (Statistics Finland)Opens in a new window..
How to select industries
Click the Select industries button.
Search for suitable industries with the word search or browse for industries.
Select one or more industries in which the entrepreneur looking for a permit, obligation or service operates. In some cases, you may have to select a large number of industries.
Industrial classes are shown in the FSC hierarchically, but it is not possible to select the higher levels. Always select the most accurate industrial class possible.
When you have selected the appropriate industries, click the Add options button.