Verification Methods
A metric earns trust when its reader can see how the number was produced and who examined it. Every verification on the Network states both, in the terms defined here, so anyone reading a metric can weigh it for themselves.
1. What a verification contains
A verification is a report of findings about one metric.
- Definition
- What the metric means, in the company's own terms.
- Method
- How the verification was conducted.
- Data Sources
- The systems and tools where the data comes from.
- Submitted by
- The name and role of the person who submitted the metric.
2. The methods
Users select the verification method for each of their metrics. Each method is complete on its own and mitigates risks differently.
- Witnessed extraction
- On a live call or screen recording, the company walks us through how they pull the records from their data sources and compute their number, answering any questions we have to ensure a chain of custody for the data and a clear definition. The company navigates to the records live, from login, and exports them; screenshots are not accepted.
- Direct extraction
- The company grants us access to their data sources, we pull the records directly, and compute the number.
With any method, the company can name a second system that holds the same events, one of its own or an outside party's such as its bank, and we may cross-check against it. This would be named on the data sources line as "(cross-check)" next to the system.
3. Dating and renewal
All verifications carry a verification date. We recommend renewing verifications with every update to the metric.
4. Revocation
Where material provided during verification proves false or misleading, the verification will be revoked.
5. The evidence file
Every witnessed extraction is recorded, timestamped, and hashed. The recording, the observation log, and any records extracted are held by the Network.
6. What a verification is not
A verification is not an audit opinion, a guarantee, an endorsement, or a recommendation of any company. It makes no statement about matters not examined. The Terms of Service state this posture in full.