# What Creates a Tracked User

A tracked user represents a unique visitor who generated meaningful activity during a given month. HockeyStack counts a tracked user when:

**• A visitor is recognized**, and\
\&#xNAN;**• They perform an interaction** such as a pageview, click, or form submission.

A tracked user is counted **once per month**.\
If the same person returns in a new month, they count as **one tracked user for that new month as well**.

***

## **What Does Not Create a Tracked User**

The following actions do *not* qualify:

• Anonymous traffic with no interaction\
• Impressions without a session\
• Repeated views with no new interaction\
• Static assets loading (images, scripts, etc.)

If HockeyStack cannot connect activity to a session with a recognizable signal, it does not count as a tracked user.

***

## **No Double Counting**

Within the same month, HockeyStack avoids inflating user counts.\
If a visitor returns on the same device and generates additional activity, it is tied to the **same** tracked user record.

A new tracked user is created only when:

• No recognizable signals can match the visitor to an existing record, or\
• The visitor uses a completely new environment with no matchable signals.

This ensures billing and analytics reflect true, unique monthly activity.

***

## **Where Tracked Users Appear**

Tracked user counts surface in:

• Analytics reporting\
• Journey and funnel views\
• Contract usage metrics\
• Identity stitching and account level attribution

This is **not** the same as contacts, leads, or product users.\
It reflects unique recognized activity from website and event sources.

***

## **Identification and Continuity**

If a visitor later identifies themselves, such as through a form submit, HockeyStack links previous tracked activity to their profile.\
If their signals cannot be matched, a new tracked user may be created for that month.

***

## **About Identification Signals**

HockeyStack uses a privacy safe method to recognize returning visitors.\
For a deeper technical explanation, see the **Fingerprinting & Identity Signals** article.


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