Create and edit custom dimensions and metrics

URL: 

https://helpdesk.napkyn.com/support/solutions/articles/43000516707-create-and-edit-custom-dimensions-and-metrics

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers robust capabilities to track and analyze user interactions with your website or app. While GA4 automatically tracks a wealth of data, custom dimensions and metrics allow you to capture and analyze data specific to your unique business needs. Think of them as extensions of the default data, providing deeper insights into what matters most to your organization.

What are Custom Dimensions and Metrics?

• Custom Dimensions: These are attributes or characteristics that describe your users, events, or items. They add context to your data, enabling you to segment and analyze your reports based on specific criteria. For example a custom dimension can be a video title, blog author, or shoe color.

• Custom Metrics: These are numerical measurements related to your events. They quantify specific aspects of user behavior or event performance, providing a way to track custom KPIs.

Creating Custom Dimensions in GA4

1. Access the Admin Panel: Sign in to your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) account.

2. Navigate to Custom Definitions: In the left-hand navigation, click "Admin" and then, in the "Property" column, click "Custom Definitions."

3. Create a New Dimension: Select the "Custom Dimensions" tab and click "Create custom dimension."

4. Configure the Dimension:

   • Dimension Name: Give your custom dimension a descriptive name. Use something unique to avoid confusion with other dimensions or metrics.

   • Scope: Select the appropriate scope for your dimension:

     • Event: The dimension applies to a specific event.

     • User: The dimension applies to a user. User-scoped dimensions persist across events and sessions.

     • Item: The dimension applies to an item (e.g., a product in an e-commerce transaction).

   • Event parameter: This is the name of the event parameter that will populate the custom dimension.

   • Description: Add a clear description of what the dimension represents.

5. Activate the Dimension: Ensure the "Active" checkbox is selected to start collecting data immediately.

6. Click "Save": Save your new custom dimension.

Note: When sending data to Google Analytics, any value in a custom dimension that resembles a number will be treated as a number, even if it was originally formatted as text.

Examples:

If you send "9343.324234" (as text), GA4 will interpret it as the number 9343.32.

If you send "94E40" (as text), GA4 will interpret it as the number 9.4e+41 (scientific notation).

Creating Custom Metrics in GA4

1. Access the Admin Panel: Sign in to your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) account.

2. Navigate to Custom Definitions: In the left-hand navigation, click "Admin" and then, in the "Property" column, click "Custom Definitions."

3. Create a New Metric: Select the "Custom Metrics" tab and click "Create custom metric."

4. Configure the Metric:

   • Metric Name: Give your custom metric a descriptive name. Use something unique to avoid confusion.

   • Description: Add a clear description of what the metric represents.

   • Event parameter: This is the name of the event parameter that will populate the custom metric.

   • Unit of measurement: Choose the appropriate formatting type:

     • Standard: A simple number.

     • Currency: Represents monetary values.

     • Feet: Represents distance in feet.

     • Meters: Represents distance in meters.

     • Kilometers: Represents distance in kilometers.

     • Miles: Represents distance in miles.

     • Milliseconds: Represents time in milliseconds.

     • Seconds: Represents time in seconds.

     • Minutes: Represents time in minutes.

     • Hours: Represents time in hours.

5. Activate the Metric: Ensure the "Active" checkbox is selected to start collecting data immediately.

6. Click "Save": Save your new custom metric.

Important Considerations

• Permissions: You must have "Edit" permission on the GA4 property to create or edit custom dimensions and metrics.

• GA4 Event Structure: Custom dimensions and metrics rely on properly implemented event tracking. Ensure your events are firing correctly and include the necessary parameters before creating your custom definitions.

• Data Limits: Free GA4 properties have a limit of 50 custom dimensions and 50 custom metrics. Enterprise properties have a higher limit. Plan your custom definitions carefully.

• Historical Data: Custom dimensions and metrics only apply to data collected after they are created. They do not retroactively apply to historical data.

• Exploration Reports: Custom dimensions and metrics are particularly powerful when used in GA4's Exploration reports, allowing you to perform in-depth analysis.

• Cardinality: Creating a custom dimension with a high number of unique values may negatively impact your reports and cause data to be condensed under the (other) row. . Be sure to follow best practices when creating custom dimensions.

By leveraging custom dimensions and metrics effectively, you can unlock the full potential of GA4 and gain actionable insights that drive business growth.