Fictional teaching example: six records and eight recorded checks. No real campaign, publisher or traffic result is shown, and no sites are contacted.
One target page. Two inclusive 14-day periods: September 1–14 and October 1–14, 2026. Publication and check dates use UTC. Counts describe only the tracked records. https://target.example/guide · UTC
4 records: 3 reported published in total, 2 during this period. 2 observed present, 0 missing, 1 unresolved and 1 not checked in this period.
Use the latest check inside the selected period. Older checks are not carried forward; checks after the cutoff cannot establish earlier status. Row E’s October 16 check is excluded from October 14.
| Record | Source URL | Tracking began | Reported delivery | Publication date | Observed link status | Check date | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | https://alpha.example/article | 2026-09-01 | Reported published | 2026-09-04 | Observed present | 2026-09-12 | Retain the dated observation; schedule the next review. |
| B | https://beta.example/article | 2026-09-02 | Reported published | 2026-09-07 | Observed present | 2026-09-13 | Retain the dated observation; schedule the next review. |
| C | https://gamma.example/article | 2026-08-20 | Reported published | 2026-08-26 | Unresolved | 2026-09-14 | Resolve the access or inspection problem; do not classify it as a lost link. |
| D | https://delta.example/article | 2026-09-08 | Ordered | Not provided | Not checked | Not provided | Request the publication URL and date, then plan a check. |
6 records: 5 reported published in total, 2 during this period. 2 observed present, 1 missing, 1 unresolved and 2 not checked in this period.
Use the latest check inside the selected period. Older checks are not carried forward; checks after the cutoff cannot establish earlier status. Row E’s October 16 check is excluded from October 14.
| Record | Source URL | Tracking began | Reported delivery | Publication date | Observed link status | Check date | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | https://alpha.example/article | 2026-09-01 | Reported published | 2026-09-04 | Observed present | 2026-10-12 | Retain the dated observation; schedule the next review. |
| B | https://beta.example/article | 2026-09-02 | Reported published | 2026-09-07 | Observed missing | 2026-10-13 | Repeat the check and compare page evidence before contacting the publisher. |
| C | https://gamma.example/article | 2026-08-20 | Reported published | 2026-08-26 | Observed present | 2026-10-13 | Retain the dated observation; schedule the next review. |
| D | https://delta.example/article | 2026-09-08 | Reported published | 2026-10-06 | Unresolved | 2026-10-14 | Resolve the access or inspection problem; do not classify it as a lost link. |
| E | https://epsilon.example/article | 2026-10-01 | Reported published | 2026-10-08 | Not checked | Not provided | Schedule a first check within the next review period. |
| F | Not provided | 2026-10-10 | Ordered | Not provided | Not checked | Not provided | Request the publication URL and date, then plan a check. |
The fixed cohort contains A–D in both periods. E and F enter only the full October list. The status filter changes the displayed rows, not the headline totals.
| Record | September comparison | October review |
|---|---|---|
| A | Observed present | Observed present |
| B | Observed present | Observed missing |
| C | Unresolved | Observed present |
| D | Not checked | Unresolved |
| E | Not yet tracked | Not checked |
| F | Not yet tracked | Not checked |
Illustrative outcomes use their own sources and date boundaries. The comparison remains fixed when the record filters change. These numbers do not establish that backlinks caused a change.
| Metric | September comparison | October review | Change | Measurement scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referral sessions | 30 | 36 | 20% | GA4-style session source / medium = alpha.example / referral, landing page /guide; UTC property; the same two 14-day calendar ranges. This covers one publisher, not the whole network. |
| Organic search clicks | 100 | 110 | 10% | Search Console-style exact target page, Web search, all countries and devices; the same calendar ranges in Pacific Time. These day boundaries are not aligned with UTC link checks. |
| Key events | Not provided | Not provided | Not provided | No key-event measurement supplied for either period. Missing values are not zero conversions. |
A and B were present in September; A and C are present in October. The total stays at two while the underlying links change. C is an older publication with newly resolved evidence, not a new placement.
The present share falls from 2/4 = 50% to 2/6 = 33.3% because the list expands. With the original four records it remains 50%. Neither percentage alone describes delivery quality.
Five publications by October 14 include three from earlier months and two new October publications. A cumulative count of five must not be reported as five new links this month.
One known missing observation needs follow-up; one unresolved check needs evidence; two unchecked rows need scheduled work. Unknown outcomes remain unknown. A zero baseline has no finite percentage growth.
All eight invented observations are retained here, including the later check excluded from the October snapshot. A check records a point in time, not continuous availability.
| Record | Check date | Observed link status | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2026-09-12 | Observed present | By October cutoff |
| A | 2026-10-12 | Observed present | By October cutoff |
| B | 2026-09-13 | Observed present | By October cutoff |
| B | 2026-10-13 | Observed missing | By October cutoff |
| C | 2026-09-14 | Unresolved | By October cutoff |
| C | 2026-10-13 | Observed present | By October cutoff |
| D | 2026-10-14 | Unresolved | By October cutoff |
| E | 2026-10-16 | Observed present | After October cutoff |
Downloads always contain the full example, independent of the controls. Restore the October JSON in the report builder to edit its scope and notes. Proposed next actions have not been performed.