You are allowed to use any amount of words you like or need to write to get things done.

If you're asking about the counter, it does not count automatically and will not change according to anything you are linked to. It is only used for November and you need to put in the numbers.

So, if on November 1 you write 2,311 words, you click on the box and write 2,311.

I need to clear mine from last year, as it still states what I wrote last November during NaNoWriMo.