This manual summarizes the theoretical bases of the input-output model applied in the economic analysis of countries and groups of countries (subregions). The input-output tables developed by the Regional Integration Unit of the International Trade and Integration Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will be of use to government experts for conducting their own calculations and analyses, following and adapting the guidelines and recommendations contained the manual to design specific public policies. Some indicators suggested in the document include the intensity of imported inputs in production and exports, forward and backward production linkages, import dependency analyses, the domestic value added in exports or imported content by trade partner, and extensions and applications related to export employment and CO2 emissions. This manual can also serve as a useful aide for academics, researchers and students in understanding sometimes elusive and complex literature.