Connector Google Analytics

Last modified by jhurst on 2021/04/21 10:01

Prerequisites

  • A Google Analytics account with the authentication information for Digdash (see next point)
  • Follow the configuration document called « google_analytics_config_en.pdf » to get all the necessary identifiers (service account + .p12 file + Google Analytics’ ID account)

Selecting a new datasource

DigDash Enterprise allows you to retrieve information from your Google Analytics account.

Select the type of report you want to work with, in the toolbar at the bottom of the page.

Flèche vers le bas 38

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OR click on New model in the datasource manager tab and choose Google Analytics Report.

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Authentication

Follow the configuration document called “google_analytics_config_en.pdf” and get the information to specify.

Étoile à 8 branches 4 Étoile à 8 branches 4 Étoile à 8 branches 4 Étoile à 8 branches 4 Étoile à 8 branches 4 Étoile à 8 branches 4 Enter this information in the corresponding fields.

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Screenshot: Interface for authentication and loafing Google analytics objects

Étoile à 8 branches 4 Service account: It is the account name in an email address form that you got at the creation of the service account in the Google Cloud console.

Étoile à 8 branches 4 P12 file : It is the secret key in a .p12 file form generated and that you downloaded at the creation of the service account in the Google Cloud console.

Étoile à 8 branches 4 Account ID: It is the Google Analytics’ account ID you want to work with.

Étoile à 8 branches 4 View ID (post- authentification) : A Google Analytics account can have multiple views, Choose the one you want to work with.

Étoile à 8 branches 4 Time range (post- authentification): You can get your data for a given time range.

Étoile à 8 branches 4 Data representation (post-authentication): It is in this view that you will get to visualize your Google Analytics metrics and dimensions.

Once authenticated, click on the button “Load objects” to load information related to you Google Analytics account in Digdash.

After loading the objects, you will get this view:

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Screenshot: Loading objects after authentication

Date range

You can specify a static period of time to get data related to this time range, mentioning two dates.

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Screenshot: Selecting dates to define a static period of time

Note: In Digdash, the end date of a period of time is always excluded. The maximum for the end date is the day after the current day. Example: if you want to get your date from the 1st of January 2016 (included) to the 31st of January 2016 (included), you will need to mention the 1st of January 2016 as start date and the 1st of February 2016 as end date.

Dimensions and measures

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Connecteur droit 48 Connecteur droit 48 Connecteur droit 50 Ellipse 51 Ellipse 52 Ellipse 53 Ellipse 54

Screenshot : Description of the interface for metrics/dimensions selection
 1 : Available measures zone 2 : selected measures zone
 3 : Available dimensions zone 4 : Selected dimensions zone
 

The top side is related to Google Analytics measures/metrics.

Ellipse 55 Measures are on the left side, in categories.

You can filter on the measures’ names (not the categories) in the search bar.

Ellipse 56 You can drag and drop from the left side to the right side to select a measure.

The bottom side is related to Google Analytics dimensions.

Ellipse 58 Dimensions are on the left side, in categories.

You can filter on the dimensions’ names (not the categories) in the search bar.

Ellipse 59 You can drag and drop from the left side to the right side to select a dimension.

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Screenshot: Metrics and dimensions are grouped into categories

Combinations possibilities

It is possible to combine:

metrics and dimensions

only metrics

It is not possible to have only dimensions, though.

Valid combinations

All combinations metrics-dimensions or metrics-metrics are not always valid.

Digdash is able to give you some hints on the valid combinations.

You can still go the Google documentation to make sure the combinations of metrics-dimensions you selected are valid.

https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/reporting/core/dimsmets

When selecting a metric or a dimension on the right side, you can see on the left side the non compatible dimensions and metrics with the selected dimension or metric.

There are three representations for a measure:

google_analytics_connector_en_html_c33b15cb62f719e9.png Selected measure

google_analytics_connector_en_html_a72e9cd82081ca5e.png Available measure
google_analytics_connector_en_html_b81c95a1f64cf43f.png Non compatible measure with one of the selected columns

 

There are three representations for a dimension:
google_analytics_connector_en_html_eb775712396c1bbc.png Selected dimension
google_analytics_connector_en_html_3199d5cb5b6efc55.png Available dimension
google_analytics_connector_en_html_b81c95a1f64cf43f.png Non compatible dimension with one of the selected columns

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Screenshot : When selecting metric 1 Day Active Users :
 Among other metrics, measures like 7 Day Active Users and 14 Day Active Users are not compatible with the selected metric Among other dimensions, dimensions like User Type and Count of Sessions are not compatible with the selected metric
 

Digdash lets you select all the columns you want anyways, even invalid. A status icon exist in the interface letting you know that your query might not be valid.

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Screenshot: Activation of the status icon when Digdash detects incompatibilities between the selected columns

Advanced options

You can configure your Google Analytics data source with more advanced options.

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Screenshot: Advanced options for Google Analytics datasource

Click on « Advanced options… ».

The advanced options dialog shows:

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Screenshot: Advanced options dialog

Dynamic date range

It is possible for you to define dynamic periods of time mentioning a time frame from the current date.

To activate this option, select the checkbox “Dynamic date range”.

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Screenshot: Description of the definition of a dynamic date range

Definition of a dynamic date range:

  • Definition of the initial date: it is the current date to which you are SUBSTRACTING X steps of time.
  • Definition of the end date: it is the initial date previously defined to which you are ADDING Y steps of time.

With:

  • X and Y two positive integers ≥ 0
  • steps of time that can be days, months, years.

Sampling level

When it comes to non Premium Google Analytics accounts (that are not Google Analytics 360 accounts, free), Google applies a sampling level on the retrieved data to get a faster response. This sampling level has a role on the precison of the returned data.

You are suggested three options if you own a non Premium Google Analytics account:

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Screenshot: Description of the different sampling levels

  • Default: returns a response with a sample size that balances speed and accuracy.
  • Faster: returns a fast response with a smaller sample size.
  • Higher precision: returns a more accurate response using a large sample size, but this may result in the response being slower.