This paper describes key characteristics of SOEP users, measures their satisfaction with SOEP service, and studies their habits in the use of the SOEP data. The analysis is based primarily on data from the SOEP user surveys conducted in 2004, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Older user surveys (in the 1980s and 1990s) are documented briefly. The description of users focuses on their research habits and preferred analytical methods. In the area of user satisfaction, the focus is on data access, the data themselves, and data documentation. As a special feature of the 2012 survey, questions from the main SOEP survey were included to allow for a comparison between SOEP users and SOEP respondents. The results give insight into the research habits of empirical social, behavioral, and economic researchers. The results point to significant changes, particularly in the statistical packages used and the preferred data formats.
