# Difference Between MES Counters and Tag Collectors

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/difference-between-mes-counters-and-tag-collectors/94600>\
**Category:** 3rd Party Modules\
**Tags:** sepasoft, ignition79\
**Created:** [August 13, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/difference-between-mes-counters-and-tag-collectors/94600 "2024-08-13T15:54:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cmaynes](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/cmaynes/32/6852_2.png) [@cmaynes](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/cmaynes)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/difference-between-mes-counters-and-tag-collectors/94600/1 "2024-08-13T15:54:16Z")

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I am not finding this clearly spelled out in the Sepasoft documentation.

What is the difference between [MES Counters](https://docs.sepasoft.com/articles/#!user-manual/MES-Counters) and [Tag Collectors](https://docs.sepasoft.com/articles/#!user-manual/tag-collector-types/q/tag%2520collector/qid/18302/qp/1)?

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**Author:** ![jesse.records](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jesse.records/32/10960_2.png) [@jesse.records](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jesse.records)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/difference-between-mes-counters-and-tag-collectors/94600/2 "2024-08-13T18:36:55Z")

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@cmaynes A counter is a type of tag collector.  
There are other tag collectors like state, mode, product code, etc.

If you are trying to retrieve count values via the tag collector scripts you would use Equipment Count as the type and the name of the counter as the key.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmaynes](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/cmaynes/32/6852_2.png) [@cmaynes](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/cmaynes)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 6:50pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/difference-between-mes-counters-and-tag-collectors/94600/3 "2024-08-13T18:50:26Z")

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Thank you for getting back to me.  
A follow up to the first part of your reply: Why do there seem to be duplicate settings for Tag Collectors and Counters?  
ex: Infeed, Outfeed, Rejects seem to overlap between the two but are also completely independent settings

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/b/6/b60d45e08f3a972c22260a31675eb9f00a6776c1.png)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/1/1/1100224d22c19fe2db033cf07b6421440ce95eb5.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jesse.records](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jesse.records/32/10960_2.png) [@jesse.records](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jesse.records)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/difference-between-mes-counters-and-tag-collectors/94600/4 "2024-08-13T20:45:57Z")

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Hi @cmaynes

Those are the counter units (KB, Lbs, widgets) in the tag collectors.

You don't need to map product code in the tag collector either. It might be best to contact us to look at what you are trying to accomplish so we can point you to the best path.

Thank you,

Jesse