Frequently Asked Questions

It’s common for sales data to differ between ScribeCount and the individual platforms, as most platforms provide both a dashboard and a downloadable spreadsheet, and the numbers on each may not always align. Here are some reasons why:

Amazon:

Amazon offers two types of sales reports: a real-time dashboard and a downloadable spreadsheet. The dashboard reflects sales as they happen, while the spreadsheet includes only "fully processed" sales, meaning those that have been paid for. Due to factors like payment processing delays, time zone differences, currency conversion rates, and other variables, the data on the dashboard and spreadsheet can differ. However, the spreadsheet is typically more accurate, which is why ScribeCount relies on it for reporting your sales data.

Apple:

Apple uses a business calendar, which divides months into 28, 28, 28, and 35 days instead of the typical 31, 28/29, and 30 days. This means that Apple’s months don’t align with the standard calendar used by other platforms. To account for this difference, ScribeCount adjusts your Apple sales data to fit the standard calendar for consistency across platforms.

Barnes & Noble:

Barnes & Noble’s dashboard excludes sales from the last two days of the reporting period until they have fully processed the payments. However, their downloadable spreadsheet includes these last two days of sales. While it may seem like ScribeCount has access to more up-to-date data, we’re simply pulling from the spreadsheet, which includes the delayed sales.

These are just a few of the challenges ScribeCount addresses to provide you with accurate and up-to-date sales data. Additionally, we use verification software to detect and correct anomalies, ensuring that factors like coupon codes, price matching, and short-term promotions are automatically accounted for, without any manual adjustments needed on your part.

Yes, you can try ScribeCount risk-free with our 14-day free trial. This gives you the opportunity to explore all the features and see if our platform is the right fit for your business before making a commitment. Sign up today and experience how ScribeCount can streamline your sales tracking and reporting.

ScribeCount is designed for all authors, whether you're published wide or exclusively in Kindle Unlimited (KU). We understand that the reporting needs for wide authors and KU authors can differ, which is why we offer several optimized dashboard options tailored to your specific needs.

If you have books available on both wide platforms and in KU, you can select a wide dashboard that defaults to either KU or wide, based on your preference. You have full control over how your data is displayed, ensuring a seamless experience no matter your distribution model.

At ScribeCount, we prioritize your security and privacy. Here’s how it works: we don’t require your passwords, and there’s no need to download any complex software. All you need is a small browser extension to securely pull data from each of your sales platforms and display it on ScribeCount.

As authors and small business owners ourselves, we understand the concerns around giving out passwords, installing questionable software, or granting uncontrolled access to your data. That’s why we designed ScribeCount with these issues in mind. Our goal from the beginning has been to create a platform that’s both safe and easy to use.

With ScribeCount, you have complete control over your data. You can use as much or as little of the platform as you wish, and you can delete your data at any time. We believe in giving you the freedom to manage your information on your terms.

When you log in to ScribeCount, you are simply creating secure, read-only connections between your computer, our service, and the various sales, email, and ad platforms you use to publish your books. These connections allow ScribeCount to securely gather and display your data in your personalized dashboard.

Based on the platforms you choose and the security measures you’ve selected, the data is pulled from these platforms and presented in a way that’s easy to understand. The three connections (your computer, ScribeCount, and the platforms) are essential for the platform to function properly, but you have complete control over each connection at all times. You can manage, modify, or disconnect any of these connections whenever you wish, ensuring that you always have control over your data.

ScribeCount uses a browser extension, a small software application similar to tools like AdWorks, Clearly, Honey, or Google Translate. This extension enhances your existing browser by adding specific functionality. Think of it as hiring your own personal doorman who controls who and what ScribeCount can access. Unlike other reporting services, this doorman works for you, ensuring that only the data you choose is shared with ScribeCount. This method allows us to provide accurate reporting without ever needing your password.

In the previous version of ScribeCount, we did not use cookies to function. This was effective until the number of sales platforms, email services, and advertising portals increased to a point where the data volume became too large for the extension to process efficiently.

To address this, ScribeCount launched version 2.0 on June 1st, 2024, which now uses an encrypted cookie. Importantly, this cookie is generated by the platforms you use, not by ScribeCount itself. We use it solely to maintain your connection, even if you're not actively using your ScribeCount dashboard.

The extension we use to enable ScribeCount remains Read-Only, meaning we cannot alter or modify any data within your sales platforms or elsewhere. The extension has been approved by major platforms such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft, ensuring its safety and functionality.

You have full control over your data. At any time, you can sever the connection, stop the data flow, and even delete all your data from ScribeCount. Many other applications and services operate similarly, but we prioritize transparency and keep you informed about how your data is handled.

The new extension code has been approved by and is visible on both the Chrome and Firefox portals for full transparency.

No, it’s not a cookie. To explain using our doorway analogy: A cookie would be like giving us a key to the door, one that we could use whenever we wish. However, the browser extension works differently. With the extension, you retain control and keep the “key” in your possession, meaning you are always in control of the connection.

When you enable a connection to a sales platform in ScribeCount, you start by selecting the platform and clicking the “Go to Login” button. This will redirect you to the platform’s login page, where you can log in as you normally would. This action is like telling your personal "doorman" to grant ScribeCount access to your account.

Once the platform is enabled, ScribeCount will automatically visit that website every fifteen minutes to gather the necessary data for your sales report. The data will be presented to you through various features on the platform.

The first time you connect to a platform, it may take several minutes to gather all your data, depending on how long you’ve been published on that platform and the size of your library. After the data is successfully gathered, you’ll receive a notification via a large green checkmark on the Settings page.

Once you see the green checkmark, you no longer need to keep the platform’s tab open. You can log in to multiple platforms simultaneously, and once the data is gathered, ScribeCount will display your combined sales without needing you to keep all the tabs open.

ScribeCount pulls a variety of important data from your sales platforms to generate your reporting dashboard. This includes:

• Sales numbers
• KENP (Kindle Edition Normalized Pages) data
• Book IDs
• Book ranks
• Book reviews
• Book prices
• KU (Kindle Unlimited) enrollment dates
• Geographical sales data (both current and historical)

It’s important to note that ScribeCount does not store or visualize your passwords, and it cannot alter any data on the platforms it pulls from. In simpler terms, ScribeCount can only view your data—it cannot modify it.

Sales data are encrypted and stored on ScribeCount’s servers until you decide to control the flow of data. You have two options:

Option 1: Log out without disabling platform connections

If you choose this option, ScribeCount stops requesting data every fifteen minutes. Essentially, the "doors" to each platform are closed. Your settings and the data pulled so far are saved on our servers, allowing for faster login the next time you return, as only new data will need to be fetched from the platforms.

Option 2: Disable platform connections and log out

If you choose this option, ScribeCount stops asking for data, the "doorman" shuts the doors, your settings are deleted, and all your data is purged from our servers. This means that the next time you log in, the data will need to be reloaded, resulting in a longer wait time.

There are two ways to wipe your data from ScribeCount’s servers:

Option 1: Disable all platform connections

By disabling all the connections to the platforms, you can ensure that your data is removed from our servers. This option will also delete your settings, and no new data will be pulled.

Option 2: Use the “Delete All My Data” button

If you prefer to keep your platform connections enabled, you can simply click the “Delete All My Data” button. This will purge your data from our servers while keeping your settings intact, so you won’t lose your configurations.

ScribeCount only loads a small browser extension on your computer. There is no tracking software, no data mining for advertisers, and no third-party interference. Your data is never shared or mixed with other authors’ data.

Each subscriber has their own individual file at ScribeCount, ensuring that your information remains private and secure.

All data stored at ScribeCount is protected using AES 256-bit encryption, a highly secure encryption standard. In the unlikely event that our servers are compromised, your sales data would remain unreadable and secure, appearing as a random collection of numbers to any unauthorized access.

As encryption technology evolves, we continuously update our security protocols to stay ahead of potential threats. Our data storage is hosted via Microsoft Azure, and you can learn more about their encryption practices here.

Ransomware threats targeting subscriber data are not a concern with ScribeCount. Here's why: Your data is securely stored on the platforms you publish through, not on ScribeCount itself. In the event of an attack, the "kidnapper" would need to compromise each of these platforms in addition to ScribeCount to hold your data hostage—something highly unlikely given the robust security measures of these large companies.

Moreover, ScribeCount is backed by Microsoft’s Azure Cloud network. If a ransomware attack were ever successful, we could quickly rebuild and relaunch the service with minimal effort, much like restoring a manuscript from a backup. Our data is secure, and we’re prepared to handle any unexpected situations swiftly.

ScribeCount does not request or store your banking information. We’ve partnered with trusted third-party payment processors, Stripe and PayPal, to handle all payment transactions securely.

Your payment card details are never seen by ScribeCount. Instead, they are directly provided to Stripe or PayPal, whose use of your personal information is governed by their own Privacy Policy or Privacy Policy. Both Stripe and PayPal adhere to the security standards set by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), which ensures the secure handling of payment information.

In short, ScribeCount has no access to your banking or payment information. Any issues related to billing or payment are handled directly by Stripe or PayPal, ensuring your data remains secure and private.

It means that ScribeCount has implemented strong security measures to keep both the service and your data as safe as possible. You have full control over how your data is retrieved, stored, and used. Our system gives you options to manage your data flow and access, and you can exercise those options at any time.

In essence, it means that you are in charge of your data, with the freedom to choose how it's handled, stored, and deleted. This level of control ensures that your data privacy is respected and maintained, as it should be.

Yes, ScribeCount is designed to work seamlessly on mobile devices. We built it using the Bootstrap framework, which ensures that the platform is responsive and optimized for both mobile and tablet screens. You can easily access and manage your data on the go!

ScribeCount operates on a subscription model to cover the ongoing costs of maintaining and improving the service. It requires a dedicated team and powerful servers to keep everything running smoothly. Additionally, we continuously develop new features to enhance the platform for users. The subscription model allows us to provide reliable service, ongoing updates, and new functionalities in the future.

ScribeCount accepts a variety of payment methods to make it easy for you to subscribe. We offer payments via PayPal, or through Stripe, which supports Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and direct bank debit. Stripe, which is trusted by companies like Kickstarter and Twitter, is PCI Service Provider Level 1 rated, ensuring the highest security standards for your payment information.

While we recommend using Stripe for its convenience and security, we understand the preference for PayPal. Regardless of your choice, rest assured that your payment information is never stored or accessible to ScribeCount.

At the end of your 14-day trial, ScribeCount will present you with a sign-up form where you can select your preferred payment method. Once we have your billing information, the software will track your income for the previous month and automatically charge you based on our pricing structure. For example, your income on August 31st will determine the charge for October 1st.

You will receive a monthly invoice and receipt of payment sent to the email address you provided during sign-up. Additionally, at the end of the year, you'll get a printable summary of all charges for easy reference.

YES! We love discovering and sharing great resources with our community. If you have an article, blog post, or podcast that you think would be valuable to other authors, please submit it using our Submit a Suggestion form. We review all submissions and look forward to seeing your contribution!