PLEASE NOTE: Although the Credo platform refresh of August 2023 moved most Admin functions to https://admin.infobase.com, Usage reports from prior to September 2023 are still obtained through the legacy Admin platform as described at the bottom of this page. For more about the update see the article here, or contact support@credoreference.com:
Reporting Usage
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Running Stats Reports September 2023 - Present
Running Stats Reports Prior to September 2023
Running Statistics Reports in the Infobase Admin (Sept 2023 - Present)
Following the Credo platform migration, usage reports for September 2023 and forward are downloadable from the Infobase platform. Currently, only COUNTER reports are available. We plan to import two years of historical data from the old platform, as well as expand the offering to include some of the custom reporting possible in the legacy Admin platform. For earlier usage reports, see the Legacy Usage Stats section below.
How to download usage reports:
1. Log into https://admin.infobase.com. For customers who subscribed prior to September 2023, the credentials are the same as your legacy Credo Admin credentials. Your Infobase Admin credentials will work as well. The log-in info is always available upon request to support@credoreference.com.
2. Under "Credo Reference," look for the option "Reports"
3. Under COUNTER, click "Go to Report". The default is the COUNTER Platform Master (PR) report for the previous 12 months. If there is no usage for the period, there will be an error message.
4. On the report page, you can adjust the time period, report type, and other metrics. See the definitions section below for more information on the report types and metrics. The report type can be selected using the drop-down menu at the center of the report header.
5. To download a report, click "Download" in the right header menu. This will download a file in xslx format to your default location (typically the download folder) with a name like this:
29940014-YourLibraryName-pr-202209-202309
6. Changing the Reporting Period
The default reporting period is the previous 12 months (for example, in Oct 2023, the period is Sept 2022 - Sept 2023). To change the period, click on the date range in the left header menu:
The "Quick Set" menu on the left are some pre-defined periods, such as year to date. The middle menu represents the start date of a custom period. The right menu represents the end date of a custom period. In the image above, if you wanted to see just usage from September 2023, you would change the year from 2022 to 2023 and select September, then click "View."
7. Alert Emails
To set up automated usage emails, click the "Alerts" button in the upper right header, then click "Add Alert" in the upper right. Add your email under "To", select a period, and choose the report type. Under Advanced options, you can set the subject and body of the automated email.
COUNTER Report Terminology
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Available reports (the most useful reports are marked with *)
- PR* - Platform Master Report - Includes aggregate numbers of searches, investigations, and requests for the period (see below for definitions)
- DR - Database Master Report - Similar to the PR Report, but does not include title metrics
- IR* - Item Master Report - Lists entries viewed in this reporting period
- PR_P1 - Platform Usage - Similar to the Platform Master Report
- DR_D1 - Database Search and Item Usage - Similar to the Platform Master Report
- IR_M1 - Multimedia Item Requests - Not applicable to Credo
- TR* - Title Master Report - Lists titles viewed in this reporting period
- TR_B1 Book Requests - Similar to the TR report
- TR_B3 Book Usage by Access Type - All usage is "Controlled" for Credo users
- LL_CR_D1 - A report available on Consortial accounts only, which shows aggregate usage by the child accounts.
* Starred reports are the most useful to Credo customers.
- Searches_Platform: A COUNTER Metric Type used to report searches conducted on a platform. This represents a basic or advanced search run on Credo content, whether it is performed in the Credo platform or initiated externally, as with a widget or external search box. A Mind Map-only search is not counted.
- Total_Item_Investigations: A COUNTER Metric_Type that represents the number of times users accessed the content (i.e. full text) of an item, or information describing that item (i.e. an abstract). For Credo purposes, this is equivalent to entries viewed.
- Unique_Item_Investigations: A COUNTER Metric Type that represents the number of unique “Content Items” investigated in a user-session. For Credo purposes, this is a count of entries viewed at least once in a user session; multiple views or previews of a single entry in that session are not included.
- Total_Item_Requests: A COUNTER Metric Type that represents the number of times users requested the full content (i.e. full text) of an item. Requests may take the form of viewing, downloading, emailing, or printing content provided such actions can be tracked by the content provider’s server. For Credo, this is a count of entries viewed in full and any action (downloading as PDF, emailing, etc) this entry.
- Unique_Item_Requests: A COUNTER Metric Type that represents the number of unique entries investigated in a user-session. For Credo, this is a count of entries viewed at least once in the user session; multiple views of a single entry in the session are not included.
- Unique_Title_Requests: A COUNTER Metric Type that represents the number of unique titles requested in a user session. Examples of titles are journals and books.
Definitions from https://cop5.projectcounter.org/en/5.1/appendices/a-glossary-of-terms.htmlhttps://www.projectcounter.org/appendix-glossary-terms/
SUSHI Reports
Information on running SUSHI reports can be found here:
If you'd like further help, please email support@credoreference.com
Frequently Asked Questions
- How are searches counted?
Every query entered is counted as a search, and every 25 items viewed is counted as a search. If a user clicks "load more" 3 times in the search results for the term “DNA," the search count for “DNA” would be 3.
- How are entries counted?
Every entry viewed during a session is counted. If an entry is displayed, printed, emailed or saved multiple times in a session, each event will be counted.
- How quickly are statistics available?
Credo Online Reference Service statistics are updated every 24 hours. Usage today will be downloadable tomorrow.
- What does it mean if a month is unavailable in the stats timeline?
This means that there was no recorded usage for this period - if this is the case, please contact support@credoreference.com for usage troubleshooting and promotional ideas.
- What does it mean if a title we have access to does not show in the title report?
This means that there was no recorded usage for this title in this period.
- How long does Credo keep usage statistics?
- COUNTER reports are available for September 2023 to present in the Infobase Admin.
- COUNTER reports are available for the period August 2021 - August 2023 in the legacy Credo Admin (see below)
- Custom reports are available for the period 2011 - August 2023 in the legacy Credo Admin (see below)
- Is Credo COUNTER-compliant?
Yes! Credo Reference provides standardized usage reports that are in compliance with the COUNTER R5 Code of Practice for Books and Reference Works. Download a PDF of our COUNTER R-5 compliance letter here.
- I have purchased or subscribed to Add-on Content. How can I see this title usage?
For legacy usage (pre September 2023), use the “Title Usage by Collection” report at the bottom of the custom reports page. This type of reporting is not currently available for September 2023 to present, although we hope to offer it soon.
Running Statistics Reports in the Legacy Credo Admin (Before September 2023)
To generate historical usage reports, you'll need your legacy Admin or Stats credentials. This information is provided in the Admin welcome email sent at onboarding, or is always available upon request. The legacy Admin Module can be found at https://admin.credoreference.com/.
There are four types of usage reports you can generate:
1. Monthly reports
If you wish to obtain usage for a single month, go to Usage Statistics > Credo Reference Reports:
Select a month and your parameters, and the report will open in a new window.
2. Custom Reports
If you wish to obtain usage for a longer period of time, or generate an Excel spreadsheet with the data, go to Usage Statistics > Custom Reports:
Specify a date range, the information you'd like ("Session Search and Retrieval Activity" and "Top Search Terms" are popular reports), click the buttons for parameters (title, ISBN, etc), and choose a format: either HTML or Excel.
If you’ve subscribed to or purchased Add-on content, and you’re interested in distinguishing usage of this content, you can do so using the “Title Usage by Collection” report at the bottom of this page. This report is based on the COUNTER BR2 report, but additionally shows the collection information in column C (miscellaneous purchased titles are called “Add-on Content”). It also excludes usage of titles found only through Topic Page entries, and not otherwise accessible in your account.
Unlike other title usage reports, this report will also display titles with zero usage for the specified time period.
Credo Statistics Report Terminology
- Session: A successful log-in to Credo Reference. A session starts when a user connects to Credo and ends when the user leaves Credo through exit or logout or with a session timeout due to user inactivity.
- Searches: The number of searches submitted using the search form on Credo Reference. This includes searches completed through the basic or advanced search forms.
- Section Request: a single access of our content (entries or Topic Pages).
- Entries Viewed: The number of full text entries viewed. Topic Pages count as two entries viewed if the "Expand Definition" link is clicked.
- Page Views: The number of times specific pages were viewed by visitors. Pages can include entries, books, advanced search, crossword solver, etc.
- Type: The Credo product category of each title: either Core Collection (Type 1) or Add-on Content (Type 2). If your institution has not purchased or subscribed to Add-on Content, your titles will all be Type 1.
COUNTER R5
Our 2022 COUNTER Compliance documents can be found here: Audit Result
Our COUNTER R5 compliant reports are available from April 2018 - August 2023. By default, these reports are only available for a period of up to one year within the previous two years of usage; for older data, use the custom reports (option 2 above) or manually edit the dates in the report URL to extend the range.
Platform Master Report - This report shows the number of searches, "item investigations" (how many times entries were viewed or previewed, as on the search results page), "item requests" (entries viewed), and unique item investigations/requests. See the "COUNTER Report Terminology" section below for more information.
Platform Usage Report - This report filters down the master report to just the number of searches, item requests, and unique requests.
Book Requests Report - This report shows all titles within your account and the number of item requests (entries viewed) in each title by month.
Book Access Denied Report - This report lists single user titles from which users were turned away in the reporting period and the number of turnaway events for each title. This report is the equivalent of the COUNTER R4 BR-3 report, and can include data prior to April 2018. Since all Core Collection titles support unlimited user access, this report should be blank for most customers.
COUNTER R4
Although deprecated, we continue to offer COUNTER R4 PR-1, BR-2, BR-3, and PR-6 Reports. You can select a range on this page and generate a report in Excel with the data. By default, these reports are only available for a period of up to one year within the previous two years of usage; for older data, use the custom reports (option 2 above) or manually edit the dates in the report URL to extend the range.
COUNTER BR-3 reports offer statistics on patrons turned away from accessing an entry. Reasons for turnaway include the following:
- Multiple users attempting access of a single-user title. Since there are no single-user titles in the Core Collections, this report will not be relevant to most of our customers.
- Following a link from your Discovery service to a title not in your account. If you are having issues with limiting to accessible results, please email support@credoreference.com for troubleshooting help.
- Accessing a catalog listing for a title no longer in your account due to title retirements. To rectify your catalog, download purge records in Admin here or contact support@credoreference.com for a list of retired titles.