Hello ScribeCounters!
We have an update for you on ScribeCount...stuff.
Much is happening, some of it is even on purpose!
As you know, we extended the trial period until April 1st in order to work on the data accuracy issues, and I’m pleased to say that we’re making good progress. Read on for a few specific updates!
Data Accuracy
We first deployed the verification code to Amazon and - thanks to many of you providing excellent feedback - it's working as planned. KDP numbers should now be very tight. The main issue we have now is explaining the HOW and WHY our numbers are different than what you're seeing elsewhere. We're still getting tickets that say "Your numbers are wrong, they don't match KDP, BookReport, etc."
Funny thing about that.
Short answer: The KDP dashboard gives rounded figures with unknown exchange rates, as Amazon doesn’t share their rates with anyone.
The other reporting services do their data pulls from the KDP dashboard, while ScribeCount pulls the data from the reports (which are more exact), then calculates exchange rates using industry standard day-end rates, and verifies the data for glitches (such as millions of dollars made in India overnight), before displaying it.
We aren't certain which exchange rates the other reporting services use, though the difference suggests that they are not using the market-close rates.
You will also see some variation from the KDP dashboard itself, as the dashboard does not provide conversion numbers or the same exactness as the reports.
We just did an extension update that fixed the linking issue, and - while we were there - we added the verification code, as well. Google numbers should now be just as tight as Amazon numbers.
We're adding the verification to Kobo next and hope to have it done by early next week. Next in line will be D2D, Apple, and B&N, in that order. We'll keep you posted on our progress.
Once in place the data from these platforms should be as accurate as it can possibly be without having direct access to the platform’s servers (or a crystal ball to look ahead for things like future exchange rates...though, to be honest, we'd probably look for lottery numbers first).
WSOD: the White Screen of Death
A few of you experienced what we’re calling the White Screen of Death, where nothing showed on your dashboard at all.
And it's...difficult...to make sense of your data when that happens.
This stemmed from a glitch with Microsoft’s Content Delivery Network failing to load some files. This has since been addressed and I’m told it’s a very rare occurrence. Hopefully, this will not happen again.
Free Books
As we mentioned in our last update, free books are now a thing on your dashboard. Where previously we were focusing only on royalties, we have now incorporated free books from all platforms into the display. You’ll also find a FREE/SALES Ratio chart at the top of the dashboard.
Huzzah!
Alerts
In the upper right-hand corner of your dashboard, you will now see a red icon telling you when a platform connection has been severed. It will also provide a link to re-establish that connection. You no longer need to check your settings page to see which platforms have done an untimely severing of the link.
The Future
For the next couple weeks, we’ll be focusing on the getting the data verification code to all platforms, adding some requested payment options, and an overdue homepage. After this, we plan to get back to adding Smashwords to the platform list along with some additional requested features.
Thanks again to everyone who provided feedback to our development team. Your tickets and screenshots make finding and solving issues much easier and faster, and the help is very much appreciated!
