Worked example
A recent check does not make every number recent
Read three source states from the same saved demo snapshot, then decide what each one tells you.
Four dates to keep separate
- Last source check
- When the connection was checked. This does not establish that a new business reading arrived.
- Data through
- The latest date covered by the source data. This is separate from the period of an individual metric.
- Metric period
- The interval the displayed metric measures. A newer source check does not turn a completed monthly figure into a current-month figure.
- Metric as of
- The date attached to the metric reading. Read it alongside the reporting period. It does not replace that period.
RevenueCat · 16 September 2026 snapshot
1. A source marked Fresh can show a completed monthly reading
- Last source check
- 16 Sep 2026, 09:12 UTC
- Data through
- 15 Sep 2026
- Source
- RevenueCat
- Unit
- USD
- Metric period
- 1 to 31 Aug 2026
- Metric as of
- 15 Sep 2026
The source check and data-through date are later than the MRR period. Those dates describe different things. The displayed MRR still belongs to its stated period. It is not a month-to-date reading for the month of the check.
What to check next. Compare it with MRR for the same completed period and definition. To judge whether the next reading is late, first establish when that period finishes and when the source is expected to report it.
Meta Ads · 16 September 2026 snapshot
2. An error can coexist with an earlier reading
- Last source check
- 16 Sep 2026, 09:13 UTC
- Data through
- 12 Sep 2026
- Source
- Meta Ads
- Unit
- USD
- Metric period
- 1 to 31 Aug 2026
- Metric as of
- 12 Sep 2026
The source reports a connection error, while a completed-period CAC reading remains available. A failed check does not turn that historical reading into zero. Its presence also does not prove that newer data has arrived.
What to check next. Inspect the source error and verify access. After it is resolved, check the data-through date and the period of the next required reading before using it in a new comparison.
Stripe · 16 September 2026 snapshot
3. A successful check can still leave no usable data
- Last source check
- 16 Sep 2026, 09:12 UTC
- Data through
- No data received
No Stripe business reading is supplied in this example. A successful connection check is not a zero-valued metric.
The connection status records a successful check, but the source has no data-through date and its data status is never received. That is why the displayed state is No data received. There is no Stripe business reading here from which to infer zero revenue or zero subscribers.
What to check next. Verify that the intended metric is connected to this source and that the required period contains usable data. Keep the result missing until there is a reading to inspect. A valid zero is a measured result. An absent result is not.
Check the period you actually need
Use the source state to decide what needs investigation. Use the metric's definition, unit and period to decide what the number means. Neither check, on its own, establishes why the business changed.
Source: Sandbar's public demo source records and headline metrics, saved on 16 September 2026. Open the demo to inspect its current presentation, or use the metric-checking reference for your own readings. If a reading is missing or unexpected, follow the setup and troubleshooting guide.
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