PanelWhiz: A Stata interface for large scale panel datasets

This paper outlines a panel-data retrieval program written for Stata/SE or better, which allows easier accessing of the household panel datasets. Using a dropdown menu system, the researcher selects variables from any and all available years of the panel. The data are automatically retrieved and merged to form a long file, which can be directly used by the Stata panel estimators. The system implements modular data cleaning programs called plugins. Yearly updates to the data retrievals can be made automatically. Projects can be stored in libraries, allowing modular administration and appending. PanelWhiz is available for SOEP, IAB-Betriebspanel, HILDA, CPS-NBER, CPS-CEPR. Other popular datasets will be supported soon.