diff --git a/api.lua b/api.lua
index d7dbbcb..212e294 100644
--- a/api.lua
+++ b/api.lua
@@ -77,6 +77,27 @@ function awards.run_trigger_callbacks(player, data, trigger, table_func)
 	end
 end
 
+function awards.increment_item_counter(data, field, itemname)
+	local name_split = string.split(itemname, ":")
+	if #name_split ~= 2 then
+		return false
+	end
+	local mod = name_split[1]
+	local item = name_split[2]
+
+	if data and field and mod and item then
+		awards.assertPlayer(data)
+		awards.tbv(data, field)
+		awards.tbv(data[field], mod)
+		awards.tbv(data[field][mod], item, 0)
+
+		data[field][mod][item] = data[field][mod][item] + 1
+		return true
+	else
+		return false
+	end
+end
+
 function awards.register_on_unlock(func)
 	table.insert(awards.on_unlock, func)
 end
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index e1b1655..f2f2683 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ old fork in Carbone, under same license.
 	* table_func is called if the trigger is a table - simply return an
 	  award name to unlock it
 	* See triggers.lua for examples
+* awards.increment_item_counter(data, field, itemname)
+	* add to an item's statistic count
+	* for example, (data, "place", "default:stone") will add 1 to the number of
+	  times default:stone has been placed.
+	* data is the player's award data, ie: awards.players[player_name]
+	* returns true on success, false on failure (eg: cannot get modname and item from itemname)
 * awards.register_on_unlock(func(name, def))
 	* name is the player name
 	* def is the award def.
diff --git a/triggers.lua b/triggers.lua
index 241f497..809388c 100644
--- a/triggers.lua
+++ b/triggers.lua
@@ -78,26 +78,10 @@ minetest.register_on_dignode(function(pos, oldnode, digger)
 	if not digger or not pos or not oldnode then
 		return
 	end
-	local nodedug = string.split(oldnode.name, ":")
-	if #nodedug ~= 2 then
-		return
-	end
-	local mod = nodedug[1]
-	local item = nodedug[2]
-	local playern = digger:get_player_name()
-
-	if (not playern or not nodedug or not mod or not item) then
-		return
-	end
-	awards.assertPlayer(playern)
-	awards.tbv(awards.players[playern].count, mod)
-	awards.tbv(awards.players[playern].count[mod], item, 0)
-
-	-- Increment counter
-	awards.players[playern].count[mod][item]=awards.players[playern].count[mod][item] + 1
-
-	-- Run callbacks and triggers
 	local data = awards.players[playern]
+	if not awards.increment_item_counter(data, "count", oldnode.name) then
+		return
+	end
 	awards.run_trigger_callbacks(digger, data, "dig", function(entry)
 		if entry.node and entry.target then
 			local tnodedug = string.split(entry.node, ":")
@@ -116,27 +100,11 @@ minetest.register_on_placenode(function(pos, node, digger)
 	if not digger or not pos or not node or not digger:get_player_name() or digger:get_player_name()=="" then
 		return
 	end
-	local nodedug = string.split(node.name, ":")
-	if #nodedug ~= 2 then
-		return
-	end
-	local mod=nodedug[1]
-	local item=nodedug[2]
-	local playern = digger:get_player_name()
-
-	-- Run checks
-	if (not playern or not nodedug or not mod or not item) then
-		return
-	end
-	awards.assertPlayer(playern)
-	awards.tbv(awards.players[playern].place, mod)
-	awards.tbv(awards.players[playern].place[mod], item, 0)
-
-	-- Increment counter
-	awards.players[playern].place[mod][item] = awards.players[playern].place[mod][item] + 1
-
-	-- Run callbacks and triggers
 	local data = awards.players[playern]
+	if not awards.increment_item_counter(data, "place", node.name) then
+		return
+	end
+
 	awards.run_trigger_callbacks(digger, data, "place", function(entry)
 		if entry.node and entry.target then
 			local tnodedug = string.split(entry.node, ":")
@@ -155,27 +123,12 @@ minetest.register_on_craft(function(itemstack, player, old_craft_grid, craft_inv
 	if not player or not itemstack then
 		return
 	end
-	local itemcrafted = string.split(itemstack:get_name(), ":")
-	if #itemcrafted ~= 2 then
-		--minetest.log("error","Awards mod: "..itemstack:get_name().." is in wrong format!")
-		return
-	end
-	local mod = itemcrafted[1]
-	local item = itemcrafted[2]
-	local playern = player:get_player_name()
 
-	if (not playern or not itemcrafted or not mod or not item) then
-		return
-	end
-	awards.assertPlayer(playern)
-	awards.tbv(awards.players[playern].craft, mod)
-	awards.tbv(awards.players[playern].craft[mod], item, 0)
-
-	-- Increment counter
-	awards.players[playern].craft[mod][item] = awards.players[playern].craft[mod][item] + 1
-
-	-- Run callbacks and triggers
 	local data = awards.players[playern]
+	if not awards.increment_item_counter(data, "craft", itemstack:get_name()) then
+		return
+	end
+
 	awards.run_trigger_callbacks(player, data, "craft", function(entry)
 		if entry.item and entry.target then
 			local titemcrafted = string.split(entry.item, ":")