This 4 Digit Up/Down Counter has all the features you need. And they are all ON THE PC BOARD.
This project is as old as Methuselah but it's very handy for anyone producing or packaging a product or "counting their chickens."
You don't need any extra relay or buzzer and the up/down switches have  inputs for remote switching as well as a 10-pin connector so the project can be mounted on a cabinet.
It also has a very easy to use PRE-SET using 2 buttons, to quickly load any value.
Simply press SET and the display will show   -  -  -  - 
Use the INC button to increment the units display and press SET. The tens display can now be incremented, then the hundreds and thousands.
Press SET and the display will show 0000 and the buzzer will screech.
Press DOWN and the preset value will appear. When the count reaches 0000 the buzzer will sound and the relay will activate during the time when 0000 in on the display.
The counter will then show the preset value when the DOWN button is pressed and counting can continue until the display is zero.
There is almost nothing else to know as all the "workings" are contained in a micro and if you want to learn about programming this microcontroller, we have separate projects to get to started.
In addition, we show how to create your own PC boards using the simplest software package that "doesn't fall over" and doesn't frustrate. 
Don't even attempt to put this project together unless you have a fine tipped, temperature controlled soldering iron, tweezers, fine solder and a steady hand.
Everyone I have given prototypes to have enjoyed the surface-mount components and I have to admit it is the most rewarding part of construction.
Once you go to surface-mount - you never go back.
Logic Probe Test Points have been added to the latest batch of boards as these should be included so you can check the running of the program and for test purposes. 
All the testing of the project will be covered in future articles after we present two pieces of TEST GEAR - a LED tester and LOGIC PROBE.

The 4-Digit Up/Down Counter Circuit with Pre-set
 
Up/Down can be controlled remotely and the buzzer sounds
when the display is 0000.
All the switches and power can be taken to a control panel via
the pins on the bottom of the board.

The project uses a PIC16F628 chip and the drive-lines are
connected to transistors to produce a bright display.
All the components are on the underside of the board.
The top output has 12v on the left output and the right
output is connected to the BD679 transistor.
You can place a load on these connections
up to 2 amp - the BD679 will carry up to 8 amp if it
has a large heatsink.
The letters on the board refer to the display segments and the
surface-mount transistors driving each segment.
These have been added to assist with servicing.

The underside of the board has all the surface-mount
components for driving the display at high brightness.
We have not relied on the 20mA output of the chip to drive the segments.
The 78L05ACM is a surface-mount regulator:  5v, 100mA