COUNTER - Counting Online Usage of NeTworked Resources
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COUNTER Codes of Practice

Draft Release 3 of the COUNTER Code of Practice for Journals and Databases (Published March 2008)

Release 2 of the COUNTER code of Practice for Journals and Databases (Published April 2005)

COUNTER Usage Report XML Schemas

XML Schemas for the COUNTER usage reports have been developed by Project SUSHI (Standardised Usage Statistics Harvesting Initiative) and are available on the NISO website, where they may be accessed by clicking on the link below:

http://www.niso.org/schemas/sushi/index.html#COUNTER

Release 1 of the COUNTER Code of Practice for Books and Reference Works (Published March 2006)

COUNTER Audit

COUNTER Audit: guidance for vendors on implementation

An important feature of the COUNTER Code of Practice is that, from 2007, compliant vendors must be independently audited on a regular basis in order to maintain their COUNTER compliant status. To facilitate this, a set of detailed auditing standards and procedures has been published in Appendix E of the Code of Practice for Journals and Databases on the COUNTER website h.ttp://www.projectcounter.org/r2/R2_Appendix_E_Auditing_Requirements_and_Tests.pdf In developing these COUNTER has tried to meet the need of customers for credible usage statistics without placing an undue administrative or financial burden on vendors. For this reason audits will be conducted online using the detailed test scripts included in the auditing standards and procedures.

The independent audit will be required within 18 months of vendors achieving compliance with Release 2 of the COUNTER Code of Practice for Journals and Databases and annually thereafter. Vendors will be reminded by COUNTER at least three months before the deadline for an audit is due. COUNTER will recognize an audit carried out by any Professional Certified Accountant (USA), by any Chartered Accountant (UK), or by their equivalent in other countries. Alternatively, the audit may be done by ABC ELECTRONIC, the first COUNTER-approved auditor.

The Audit Process

    1. COUNTER compliant vendors will be notified in writing by COUNTER that an audit is required at least 3 months before the audit is due.

    2. Vendors should respond within 1 month of receiving the reminder by informing COUNTER of their planned timetable for the audit and the name of the organization that will carry out the audit. Any queries about the audit process may be raised at this time.

    3. Irrespective of the auditor selected, the audit must adhere to the requirements and use the tests specified in Appendix E of the Code of Practice for Journals and Databases.

    4. Upon completion of the audit the auditor is required to send a signed copy of the audit report to the COUNTER office pshepherd@projectCounter.org

    5. If, for any reason, a vendor fails the audit, that vendor will be allowed a grace period of three months to rectify the reasons for the failure before being removed from the Register of COUNTER compliant vendors.

The Auditor
COUNTER will accept an audit done by any Professional Certified Accountant (USA), by a Chartered Accountant (UK), or by their equivalents in other countries. Alternatively, the audit may be done by the COUNTER-approved auditor, ABC ELECTRONIC, with whom COUNTER has negotiated a special price for COUNTER members. ABC ELECTRONIC is a division of ABC, the long-established Audit Bureau of Circulations for the UK and Ireland which has been auditing print circulations since 1931. Founded in 1996, ABC ELECTRONIC is well qualified for the task of auditing COUNTER reports, being an industry-owned, not-for profit, independent organization that specialises in delivering website traffic audits. Currently ABC ELECTRONIC audits over 200 companies and has certified over 1400 domains worldwide. Further information on ABC ELECTRONIC can be found at:http://www.abce.org.uk .
ABC ELECTRONIC and the audit process

Prior to auditing a vendor ABC ELECTRONIC will contact the vendor to discuss the prescribed COUNTER auditing requirements and tests, with a particular focus on the following:

    1. Description of any validation of access to the content covered by any COUN TER report, e.g. login/password, IP authentication checking
    2. Description and examples of the COUNTER reports to be audited
    3. A multiple 2 or 3 seat (as applicable) licence to access the journal(s)/da tabase(s) being audited and the usage reports generated (if possible)
    4. The URL identifier used for any claimed metrics such as Turnaways, Full-Te xt Articles, Database Searches etc.
    5. Explanation of how the numbers claimed in the report(s) being audited have been produced

Once the timetable for the audit has been agreed, the Auditor will:

    During the audit:
    • Conduct the tests specified by Appendix E for any and all metrics being reported by running the prescribed test scripts
    After the audit:
    • Receive reports from the Vendor
    • Check compliance of report(s) format to COUNTER code
    • Test and validate accuracy of reporting
    • Tolerance levels +2% / -8%
    • Deliver findings to COUNTER

Fees for ABC Electronic audit
The schedule of fees for the ABC Electronic Audit may be found by clicking on the link below. Vendors interested in using ABC ELECTRONIC for the COUNTER audit should contact either the COUNTER office (pshepherd@projectCounter.org), or ABC ELECTRONIC directly, for further information, ABC ELECTRONIC may be contacted at counter@abce.org.uk .

ABCE Schedule of Audit Fees

Previous Releases of Codes of Practice

(No Longer Valid)

Release 1 of the COUNTER code of Practice for Journals and Databases (published January 2003)

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