Learning Outcomes:
Identify the differences between real-time and historic data.
Learn how to access and utilise each data type in TRAC.
Pulsar's data comes in two forms: real-time data and historic data. Both types serve unique purposes and provide different insights depending on your needs.
By understanding the differences between real-time and historic data, you can make informed decisions on which type of data best serves your needs, ultimately enhancing your research and analysis capabilities in TRAC.
How can I collect data within TRAC?
You can find both real-time and historic data in TRAC within Search Management > Status. There are two ways to access this page:
1. All Searches
Access the Status page for any search by selecting the "Settings" option within All Searches.
![Screen Recording 2024-01-17 at 1.46.14 PM.mov [video-to-gif output image]](https://pulsar.intercom-attachments-1.com/i/o/936436367/26f70a7befe7825776f06d68/ezgif-1-34dece4bdb.gif?expires=1732371300&signature=5edcec798e45239c39e1082cdf919fa8d2b16cc114fd2394b6b902caae51adda&req=fSMhEsp4nodYFb4f3HP0gM%2Fg4MI7SPlNRUH65NByfDawQ2Bk4yovUNJmce8z%0AAFfhq5JNPwOuFwVG8A%3D%3D%0A)
2. From within a search
When viewing your dataset, you can also access the status of an individual search by navigating to Search Management > Status.
Collecting Real-time Data
Real-time data includes mentions collected from the moment you initiate a real-time search until you either schedule the search to stop or manually pause it. Posts are gathered at regular intervals throughout the day, much like periodically checking your Instagram feed. The intervals vary based on the source, with some as short as 90 seconds (X).
📝 Note: Real-time data is available for all TRAC data sources.
Top Tip: When using TRAC to gather posts related to a time-limited event or campaign, you can schedule an end date for the real-time data collection to cease.
Ordering Historical Data
Historic data encompasses content from the past, which is delivered to your TRAC searches based on a time period you specify. A search can contain both real-time data and historical data; real-time data only; or historical data only.
Sometimes, there are limitations to data sources that prevent historics from being collected on a source. For example,
Instagram does not allow any historic data at all.
X prevents historic data if you select region filters or use the proximity operator.
Historic requests for Facebook, Threads, Twitch, and Pinterest may fail to complete the "Previewing" stage if emojis are present in the Boolean query for these sources.
📝 Note: All historical data orders, up to 250K, are authorised automatically by the system, whilst orders above 250K will require authorisation by customer success or an account manager. There are source-based restrictions concerning how far back you can retrieve historical data. Explore the available historic data options for each data source here.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article! 📚
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team via live chat. 🚀