[Harper]

In Google Analytics GA4, the insights feature is designed to help you detect data anomalies and any large changes in trends. However, the timing of these alerts can vary. Currently, they occur based on the standard GA4 update schedule, and users aren’t able to manually set the frequency or specific time for these updates. Therefore, if you get an alert early in the morning, it’s likely because GA4 has just updated your site’s data. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your users and revenue have dropped overall; it just means that, at the time of the update, there was a drop in the data compared to the previous update. It’s also important to note that the data in GA4 isn’t live – it can take 24-48 hours for full data accuracy. Therefore, checking the data later in the day after it has had a chance to fully update may indeed show a different picture than the early morning alerts. For more precise control over when these alerts are received, it might be beneficial to consider third-party tools or a custom setup.

[Harper]

You can check your browser’s Developer Tools (often accessed by pressing F12) and look at the Network Tab. Here, try refreshing your page and look for a request that starts with “g/collect?”—this is the request sent to Google Analytics. If it’s not there, or showing errors, your tag might not be installed correctly. You can also use the Google Tag Assistant browser extension for troubleshooting.

[Harper]

Unfortunately, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) restricts data extraction to hourly intervals – meaning the platform does not support minute-by-minute data tracking. However, I would suggest looking into third-party tools or contacting a specialist for more options. It’s also worth checking routinely for updates to GA4 since new features and enhancements are often released.

[Harper]

It seems like you’re having issues with the URL you’re generating for provisioning in Google Analytics 4 Admin API. The issue could be that the account token is either not being properly added to the URL, or it’s not being recognized. I suggest ensuring that your account token (TICKET_ID) is valid, and also double-checking the permission settings for your API. Finally, ensure that your URL formation is exactly as specified in the API documentation.

[Harper]

I see where you’re coming from, and I think there’s just a little mix-up! Your JSON is not behaving as expected because it should be sent as the POST “body” instead of as a formfield named “reportRequests”. Here’s an example:

<cfscript>
    // Let's set up our JSON request
    requestJSON = {
       "dateRanges": [{ "startDate": "2023-01-01", "endDate": "2023-03-14" }],
       "dimensions": [{ "name": "sourceMedium" }, { "name": "transactionId" }, { "name": "date" }, { "name": "defaultChannelGroup" }, { "name": "campaignName"}],
        "metrics": [{ "name": "purchaseRevenue" }]
    };
    
    // And now let's send it out!
    cfhttp(method = 'POST', charset = 'utf-8', url = 'https://analyticsdata.googleapis.com/v1beta/properties/#brand.propertyId#:runReport', result = 'result') {
        cfhttpparam(name = 'Accept', type = 'header', value = 'application/json');
        cfhttpparam(name = 'Authorization', type = 'header', value = 'Bearer #accessToken#');
        cfhttpparam(type = 'body', value = serializeJSON(requestJSON));
    }
                
    // Now we just need to parse our result
    GA4Data = deserializeJSON(result.fileContent);
</cfscript>

With this approach, I think you’ll be back on track in no time. Give it a try!

[Harper]

The discrepancy you’re seeing between the GA4 data API and the GA4 interface or query explorer might not be due to data sampling. It could be related to how Google Analytics 4 applies filters, dimension limitations, or how it handles different event types. The GA4 data API might be returning a subset of the total events captured for the period. These “missing” events could potentially be from the “web/tablet” platform/device category. Also, the exclusion of the platform/device category dimension from your data request generating matching results might suggest that there’s a special filtering or limitation for this dimension specifically when queried via the GA4 data API. If the data discrepancy remains, it might be worth testing with another reporting dimension as well as reaching out to Google support. Comparing the results across different dimensions can help you identify if it’s a specific issue with the platform/device category dimension. It’ll also allow you to provide specific examples if you decide to engage Google support on this issue.

[Harper]

It sounds like you might be dealing with a timing issue. If the GA4 Configuration tag is firing before your dataLayer is populated, the variables will be undefined because the data isn’t there yet when your tag fires. To solve this, you can create a custom event trigger that precisely fires when the dataLayer population happens. You ensure this by making the custom event trigger using the same event name you’re using to push the dataLayer. Then attach this new custom event trigger to the GA4 Configuration tag. That way, the tag should only fire once the data is already in place, solving the undefined issue.

[Harper]

The issue you’re facing, where some orders appear twice in the GA Report with the SKU ID listed as the transaction ID and no actual quantity, could be due to several reasons. It’s possible that the issue arises from analytics implementation – your codes may be firing twice due to page refresh or redirects. Another potential reason is that there could be a problem with the e-commerce tracking setup, meaning that a single purchase is being tracked as two different transactions. It would be beneficial if you go through your Google Tag Manager setup, analyze the triggers being used and ensure tag firing sequence is correct. Additionally, cross-check all aspects of your e-commerce tracking setup to spot any issues that might be causing this problem. Also, don’t forget to verify all settings in your GA admin panel to ensure it’s not contributing to the problem. If the problem persists, you might want to consult with a Google Analytics specialist or Google support.