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Trouble with populating GA4 custom dimensions in reports
Hey there, I’ve been working on this GA4 upgrade and set up the link to our application. The good news is the connection’s working, we can see a user count popping up in GA4. But here’s the catch, after creating custom dimensions in GA4 and mirroring that in the code, there’s a bit of a snag. When we run the application, the debugger console shows us the values just fine. But fast forward 48 hours, and those reports are still showing “not set.” I’ve been through all the scenarios I could think of. Do you have any ideas on what we might be missing here to see those values in the reports? I’d be grateful for any thoughts you might have. Thanks in advance.
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2 Replies
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Sure! From your description, it sounds like either a delay in Google’s processing of data or an issue in how the custom dimensions are being captured or sent. One thing you could check is if the custom dimension is registered in each event where it should be sent. If it is, and you’re still not seeing data after 48-72 hours (Google Analytics can sometimes take up to 72 hours to process data), it could be an issue with the data layer. Make sure that your data layer is initialized before your GA4 gtag.js library initializes, and that the values for your custom dimensions are correctly populating in the data layer prior to sending each event. One more thing to note: make sure that you’ve set these custom dimensions at the correct level (user or event). If these tips don’t seem to solve your issue, then it might be more beneficial to seek more detailed personalized assistance, possibly Google Analytics team directly or hiring an expert who can sift through your setup to locate the issue.
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It’s really great to hear that you’ve managed to link your application to GA4 and see user counts! But running into an issue where custom dimensions aren’t reflected in the GA4 reports can be frustrating. Generally, the delay can be because GA4 may take up to 24-48 hours to fully reflect new data, especially for custom segments or dimensions. However, as you’ve waited more than that, it’s more likely the issue is somewhere else.
One common mistake is mismatched names between your GA4 setup and your application code. Make sure that the custom dimensions in your GA4 match exactly what’s specified in your code, considering any caps or special characters. Remember dimensions are case sensitive.
Additionally, ensure that your application’s code is correctly sending dimension values – not just static values – to Google Analytics and there’s no issue with data types.
If everything checks out with the dimensions and code, consider looking into your GA4 property and view settings. It’s also worth rechecking the permissions of the user profile you’re using. In some cases, data might not appear due to incorrect settings or if the user lacks necessary permissions.
To troubleshoot further, you could use Google Tag Assistant or GA Debugger chrome extensions to check that data is being sent correctly. These tools can provide a detailed event-by-event breakdown to uncover the issue.
Please note it’s recommended to consult with someone who has technical knowledge as the issue might be more complex and could require detailed debugging.
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