In addition to issue pointers for new and current issues, the audit system also has an "Audit issue" pointer and a "Controlled expire" issue pointer. When you run the 'Issue labels' update for an audit issue, the update creates a galley data file containing audit data for the issue.
The "Controlled expire" issue pointer is used to define a default issue at which controlled subscriptions should expire. You may override this default at the time the controlled subscription is entered.
Controlled expire issue pointer
When entering a controlled subscription in QuickFill, you don't specify a term, such as 12 or 24 issues. Instead, you enter a start issue and an expiration issue; QuickFill computes the number of issues to be served based on the start issue and expiration date. The "Controlled expire" issue pointer defines the default expiration issue for new or requalified controlled subscriptions, that is, the issue with which a new controlled subscription will expire unless you override it. Usually you will set the "Controlled expire" issue pointer to the last issue before the audit issue that is at least three years after the current issue.
To set the "Controlled expire" issue pointer, you simply move the cursor to the issue you want to designate as the expiration issue and click on "Controlled expire."
Example: Let's say your publication issues a publisher's statement every June and December. Controlled subscriptions that start between November 2005 and April 2006 should expire with the April 2009 issue. Controlled subscriptions that start in May 2005 through October 2006 should expire with the October 2009 issue. This way you keep subscribers active for the maximum allowable three years before they must be dropped if they haven't requalified. If, however, your policy specifies that controlled subscriptions expire after one or two years, you can set the expire issue accordingly. You can also use the 'Cancel subscriptions' update to cancel controlled subscriptions before their normal expiration date.
Audit issue pointer
Use the "Audit issue" pointer to define the audit issues for your publication. It is important to define your audit issues as such because QuickFill uses the "Audit issue" pointers to determine the issues for which a galley data file should be created. To set the "Audit issue" pointer, move the cursor to the appropriate issue and click on "Audit issue." If you click on "Audit issue" again, the "Audit issue" pointer will be removed from the issue. You can define as many audit issues as you would like by moving the cursor to each of the appropriate audit issues and clicking on "Audit issue" each time.
Note: audit pointer
When an issue is defined as an audit issue, a galley data file is created when the 'Issue labels' update is run for that issue. The galley file's name is made up of the database name, publication code, and issue number. For example, if your audit issue for publication code WIDGET in the standard QuickFill database (that is the database files are named QFWDB*.QFDAT) was issue #144, the galley data file would be named QFWDB_WIDGET_0144.QFDAT. You use the galley data file to create a test selection for your auditor by running the 'Audit issue galley' report; this file is located in the database directory. Click here for more information on the galley data file.