Tally Counter

Some things can only be counted one at a time: people through a gate, cars at a junction, boxes on a shelf, or repetitions of a mantra. Keeping that number in your head works for a minute or two, and then someone asks you a question. A tally counter holds the number for you, so that your attention can stay on what you are counting. This one runs in your browser on a phone or a computer, and needs no app or sign-up. This page explains how it works and sets out some methods that help a count stay accurate.

How the counter works

Press the large button, or tap the plus, to add one. The minus takes one off, which is useful when you tap twice by mistake. Reset returns a counter to zero.

On a computer, you can use the keyboard:

• Space or the up arrow adds one.
• The down arrow takes one off.

The keys act on the counter you are using, and a hint under the counters reminds you of them. They do nothing while you are typing a name or goal into a box, so a name with a space in it will not add to your count.

The page saves each change in your browser. If you close the tab by accident, your counts will be there when you come back on the same device and browser. Nothing is sent to a server, so counts do not appear on your other devices.

Several counters at once

You can add up to eight counters and give each one a name. The page also shows the total across all of them. This helps whenever you are sorting things into groups as you count them, for example:

• Men, women and children at an event.
• Cars, bikes and trucks at a junction.
• Pass and fail items on an inspection line.
• Each size of a product on a shelf.
• Votes for different options in a show of hands.

The names are saved with the numbers, so you can come back to a session later. Use short names, as they are easier to read on a phone.

Goals and rounds

Each counter can have a goal. When a counter reaches its goal, the page shows the number of rounds completed, which is the count divided by the goal, with what is left over.

A goal is useful in three ways. It tells you when you are done, such as when a stock count should reach 200 units. It splits a long count into blocks, for example, boxes of 24. And it matches a mala of 108 beads, as described below.

Counting people at an event

The most common use of a tally counter is at a door. A few habits keep the number honest.

Decide what counts first. Does a child in arms count? Does staff? Do people who step out and return? Settle this before the doors open.

Use two counters for occupancy. If a venue has a capacity limit, name one counter "In" and the other "Out". Subtract the second from the first to get the number inside. With 340 in and 95 out, there are 245 people inside.

One person, one door. If there are two doors, have a person at each one, and add the figures at intervals.

Note the time. Writing down the count every 15 or 30 minutes tells you when the rush came, which helps with planning the next event.

Counting stock

For a stock take, a counter gives speed, but a good method gives accuracy.

Work in a fixed order. Go shelf by shelf, left to right, so that nothing is counted twice.

Count whole boxes first. Count cartons, multiply by the units in a carton, then add the loose pieces. Forty cartons of 24, plus 7 loose, is 967. Tally counters are for what you cannot multiply.

Use a name for each item. A separate named counter for each product line avoids mixing them up.

Spot check. Have someone else recount a sample. If a sample disagrees, recount that shelf.

Counting japa

Many Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs recite a mantra or name a set number of times, a practice called japa. Traditionally this is counted on a mala of 108 beads. A counter is useful when you have no mala with you, or want a record over many days.

Set the goal to 108. Each tap marks one repetition, and at 108 the page shows one round. If you recite 11 malas a day, that is 1,188 repetitions. Over 21 days, it comes to 24,948. Time one mala on a quiet day and you can also estimate how long a daily session will take.

If you count over several days, leave the counter running and note the total each day, as that protects you against a cleared browser. A phone's screen may dim during a long session, so check your display settings, or use a physical mala and tap once per round. Then the counter tracks malas rather than single repetitions, which is often more peaceful.

Other uses

Exercise. Count repetitions, laps of a track or rounds of skipping. A count by sets is simple with a goal of 10 or 20.

Traffic surveys. Students working on a project can count vehicles by type and work out the hourly rate from a timed sample. A count of 57 in 15 minutes is 228 an hour.

Teachers. A teacher can count correct answers around a class, or keep a score for two teams.

Sports. Scoring a casual game of cricket or badminton takes one counter for each side. For a proper league table, use the cricket points table maker.

Knitting and crafts. Rows and stitches are easy to lose track of, and a counter on a phone stays beside the work.

Prayer and reading. Some people count chapters, verses or rosary decades in the same way.

Paper tally marks

Before clickers, people used tally marks, four strokes and a line across for the fifth. That groups the count into fives, which you can then count quickly. It remains a good backup when a phone runs flat. A mechanical clicker, the thumb-operated type used by ushers and flight attendants, does the same job with no battery.

Tips for a count you can trust

• Start with a clear reset, and check that every counter shows zero.
• Tap at the moment each item passes, not in batches.
• Keep the phone in one hand, and use your thumb without looking.
• Turn on your phone's do-not-disturb mode, as a call can take over the screen.
• Write down the final number. A browser can always lose data.

If a count goes wrong

Everyone loses their place at some point. If you suspect an extra tap, use the minus button rather than starting again. If you are unsure of the number altogether, note the point where you stopped, recount only the last section, and correct the total.

What this tool does

• It counts by one in each direction, and does not go below zero.
• It keeps up to eight named counters, with a goal for each.
• It saves the counts in this browser only, and they stay there until you clear them.
• It sends nothing to a server, so your counts are private, and they will not sync to another device.
• Using a private or incognito window means the counts may not be kept after you close it.