Data sources, freshness and insufficient evidence
Zero means a completed observation counted 0. Unavailable means no data was obtained. Stale means the validity window expired. Insufficient sample means a stable rate cannot be computed. None of these is a health score.
Four states
| State | Meaning | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Zero | The count is 0 inside a valid sample | Confirm the denominator is greater than 0 and failed requests were not dropped |
| Unavailable | The source is disconnected, unauthorized or failed | Read the connection state. Do not write failure as 0 |
| Stale | The source or fact is past its validity window | Check updated time and expiry, then collect or revise |
| Insufficient sample | Valid samples are below the defined threshold | Widen the window or weaken the claim. Do not compute an unstable rate |
Freshness
Platform reports are often delayed. A delayed day is not a complete business day. Compare trends on complete dates that share the same definition.
Checks you can run
- Open the result detail and record the source name and collection time.
- Confirm the time is still inside the validity window.
- Confirm the valid sample count. If there is no sample, write insufficient evidence.
- If the source is not connected or failed, restore the connection before talking about lift or drop.
Sources
- Free visibility diagnosis — No primary score when evidence is missing
- FAQ — The free diagnosis does not give a real score