Checks and Scheduling

What a Check Does#

Each check collects one answer for every active question, on every engine and in every location you track. For example, 20 questions on 3 engines in 2 locations make 120 answers.

A check then works in two stages. The progress card on Overview and Questions shows which stage it is in:

1. Collecting answers from AI engines: TDC Signal asks each engine your questions, the way a buyer would.
2. Analyzing answers for mentions, sources and sentiment: TDC Signal finds each brand, its position and sentiment, the cited sources and any wrong facts.

The progress card also counts answers as they arrive, such as "84 of 120 collected".

How Long a Check Takes#

A check takes a few minutes. Large question sets and many locations take longer. You can leave the page while a check runs. Answers appear on each screen as they arrive.

Scheduled Checks#

Once setup is complete, checks run on their own. Choose the frequency in Settings, then Tracking, under Check frequency:

• Daily: a check runs every day at about 08:00 UTC. That makes about 30 checks a month.
• Weekly: a check runs 7 days after the last check, at about 08:00 UTC. That makes about 4 checks a month.

The header on Overview shows when the last check ran and when the next one is due. The Free plan checks weekly. Paid plans can choose daily or weekly.

Pause Scheduled Checks#

Turn off Tracking On in Settings, then Tracking, and select Save Changes. Scheduled checks stop until you turn it back on. Your data and questions stay as they are.

Run Check Now#

Owners and admins can start a check at any time from the Run Check Now button on Overview. Manual checks follow your plan's fastest frequency:

• On paid plans, you can start one check a day.
• On the Free plan, you can start one check a week.

The wait counts from the start of your last check. If you start too early, TDC Signal tells you when your next check can start. A check that failed before it collected any answers doesn't count.

A manual check also resets the schedule. Your next scheduled check counts from the day the manual check ends.

You can't start a check while another one is running.

Skipped Answers#

Sometimes an engine gives no usable answer. TDC Signal skips that answer and leaves it out of every number, so it never counts as a miss. An answer is skipped when:

• Google showed no AI Overview for the search. Google shows AI Overviews for some searches only.
• The engine returned an empty answer or couldn't answer the question.
• The engine didn't answer in time. TDC Signal waits up to 45 minutes after the last answer arrives, and up to 5 hours per check.

The progress card counts skipped answers as "failed". The next check asks the same questions again.

What Your Plan Includes#

Your plan sets which engines, how many locations and which frequencies a check can use:

If your settings go above your plan, each check uses only what your plan allows. See Plans and Billing.

Engines and Locations#

Choose engines and locations in Settings, then Tracking, under Engines and Schedule. You can track these engines:

• ChatGPT
• Perplexity
• Microsoft Copilot
• Gemini
• Google AI Mode
• Google AI Overviews

A location is a country, such as United Kingdom or Canada. In the United States you can also pick a state. A US state narrows answers on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot and Gemini.

The Each Month summary shows how many answers, checks and questions your settings add up to.

ChatGPT Searches and Shopping#

Turn on ChatGPT Searches and Shopping to collect the web searches ChatGPT runs and the products it shows. These searches appear as fan-out searches on the Answers, Questions and Opportunities screens. Online stores need this setting for product tracking. It's available when ChatGPT is selected.