How We Source Data
Data Sources and Independence
Where does Intratec get its pricing data?
Our pricing data comes from three primary source categories: international trade statistics officially reported by governments worldwide, data published by technology licensors, governmental agencies, statistics bureaus, and international organizations, and mathematical models developed internally by Intratec.
Official government trade statistics are the backbone of our price assessments. Each month, we collect this data during the last week of the month and process it at the start of the following month to produce updated assessments. When official data is delayed, our internal models generate preliminary estimates that are replaced by final values as soon as official statistics become available.
The specific sources used for each commodity and country assessment are treated as trade secrets. We do not share individual source details per assessment, but the methodological framework — how we identify, collect, and process source data — is fully documented in our publicly available methodology guides.
Does Intratec collect data through surveys or interviews?
No. We do not collect pricing data through surveys, interviews, or direct outreach to market participants such as producers, traders, or buyers.
Our assessments are based on official government trade statistics and data from governmental agencies, statistical bureaus, and technology licensors — not on information reported by the parties who buy or sell the commodities. This means our data is not influenced by how any individual company chooses to characterize or report its own transactions.
This distinction matters when using price data in benchmarking or procurement analysis: a survey-based price may reflect what participants say about their deals, while our transaction prices reflect what governments actually recorded as closed international trade. The difference removes a layer of subjectivity from the source itself.
Is Intratec's data independent from producers and traders?
Yes. All our assessments are built on large volumes of official data processed with impartial and auditable methods. We do not receive data from, or have commercial relationships with, the producers, traders, or buyers whose commodities appear in our databases.
Our proprietary computer-based system processes source data without direct input from market participants. This structural independence ensures that no single producer or buyer can influence an assessment outcome — our methodology produces the same result for the same source data, regardless of who requests it.
Independence from market participants is a deliberate design principle, not just a marketing claim. It is why we treat our methods as auditable: any qualified analyst reviewing the same official government trade data, using the same methodology, should arrive at the same conclusions.
Collection and Automation
How is data collected — manually or automatically?
Data collection and processing combines automated systems with expert human oversight.
During the last week of each month, our automated systems collect data from official government sources — international trade statistics, governmental agencies, and statistical bureaus. This data then goes through automated processing using our proprietary computer-based system, which applies our published methodology to produce price assessments.
Human experts review and validate the outputs before publication. This combination of AI-driven automation and structured human review is what allows us to publish updated assessments reliably at the beginning of each month, while maintaining the accuracy standards we track and report over time.
The data collection schedule means our products reflect official monthly trade data, not real-time prices. Monthly data from Intratec should not be used as a reference for real-time price movements.
What quality checks run during data collection?
Our data quality process is built around three main safeguards: multi-source verification, automated processing through a proprietary system, and structured human review before publication.
Multi-source verification means that assessments are cross-referenced across multiple official data sources rather than relying on a single government report. This approach catches inconsistencies and reduces the impact of errors or anomalies in any one source.
Our proprietary computer-based system automates the data processing step, minimizing the scope for human error and ensuring the same methodology is applied consistently across all assessments and time periods. Intratec experts then review the outputs before each monthly release.
Coverage and Gaps
What happens when source data is missing or unavailable?
When official government trade statistics are delayed or temporarily unavailable, we publish a Preliminary (P) value in place of the final figure. Preliminary values are generated by our internal mathematical models, using the best available information at the time of publication.
Preliminary values are placeholders, not estimates intended to remain in the dataset. As soon as the official statistics become available in a subsequent month, the preliminary value is replaced by a Final (Fi) figure — the consolidated data derived from the official source.
Every data point in our databases carries one of three status labels so you always know what you are looking at:
- Final (Fi): Consolidated data based on verified official statistics.
- Preliminary (P): Model-generated estimate; will be revised when official data arrives.
- Forecast (F): Machine-learning-based prediction for upcoming months (available on Pro, Advanced, and Ultimate plans).
This labeling system ensures you can distinguish between confirmed historical data, provisional estimates, and forward-looking projections in a single view.
How often are data sources reviewed or updated?
Our data sources and methodology are subject to continuous review. Model reviews, market analyses, and periodic methodology updates are part of our standard operating practice — not a one-time or annual process.
Every change we make — including improvements to our data collection methods, updates to sources used for specific assessments, and corrections to previously published values — is reported in our monthly Release Notes, published publicly at medium.com/intratec-release-notes. This gives long-term subscribers a transparent record of what changed and when.
In addition, assessments may be retired if a source deteriorates significantly (for example, if a government agency stops publishing the relevant statistics or if data consistency falls below our standards). When that happens, we notify subscribers and, where a material reduction in coverage occurs, we may compensate by adding coverage elsewhere or upgrading the subscription plan at no additional cost.
Methodology Transparency
Are Intratec's methodology documents publicly available?
Yes. Methodology documents for all Intratec subscription products are publicly available — no subscription or login required to access them.
The methodology index covers Primary Commodity Prices, Energy Prices & Markets, Commodity Production Costs, and Industry Economics Worldwide. Each document explains the data sources used, the processing and validation approach, and the rules governing how assessments are produced and labeled.
You can also access individual methodology documents directly from within the product interface, alongside the data they describe.
How does Intratec handle errors in published data?
If you believe a price assessment is incorrect, the process has two stages.
First, contact our Support Team through the contact form. Our team will provide a detailed explanation of how the assessment was produced under our published methodology. Most discrepancies are resolved at this stage, either by clarifying differences in assessment basis (for example, spot vs. transaction price) or by confirming that the assessment is consistent with the source data.
If you still believe the methodology was applied incorrectly after that explanation, you can submit a formal complaint. Use our Contact Form, select "Feedback/Suggestions" as the inquiry type, and begin your message with the title "Assessment Complaint". In your complaint, include:
- The specific assessment(s) in question (commodity, location, date range).
- A description of the discrepancy and the reference you are comparing against.
- The assessment basis of the reference you are using.
Our management team will review the complaint. If a discrepancy in our data is confirmed, we may issue coupons redeemable on the Intratec website or, in exceptional cases, a pro-rata refund.
Periodic updates to previously published values occur as part of normal operations — preliminary (P) values are revised to final (Fi) values when official statistics become available. This is not an error; it is expected behavior documented in our data status labels.