-
Discrepancy between GTM and GA4: Missing values in GA4 for DataLayer parameters
So, I’ve been tinkering around with GTM DataLayer on one of our websites. I’ve set up a trigger that fires off a tag stuffed with dataLayer every time a particular button is clicked. Up to this point, everything is breezy – the trigger’s working like a charm.
When I mosey on over to the Preview mode in GTM, it’s all showing up exactly as it should. The data making it to GTM is a mirror image of what’s designed to be sent. Yet, here’s the head-scratcher: when I check out GA Debug View and Real Time, the full list of parameters doesn’t always show up. It happens without rhyme or reason.
Let’s say I’m sending over 10 parameters to GTM. Every single one makes it to GTM, no problems there. But when it’s GA4’s turn – be it in Debugview, Realtime or any report – couple of things happen. Either all parameters are accounted for some events, or some parameters are out for a stroll and didn’t make it to some events in GA4.
The randomness is giving me a headache – it’s never the same parameter that’s missed. Does anyone have any clues to what’s going on here?
Apologies, but I’m in a bit of a pickle and I can’t show any code for the time being.
-
2 Replies
-
It sounds like you’re facing a puzzle where data from your website is uploaded correctly to Google Tag Manager (GTM), but inconsistently shows up in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). You’re seeing cases where some of the information (parameters) you’re sending don’t always appear in GA4, and it’s not the same information that’s missing each time. Unfortunately, without seeing the code, it’s hard to say for sure what’s happening. It could be a range of things such as rate limits on the GA4 side, an issue with how the data is being sent from GTM to GA4, or even some sort of filtration on the GA4 side. You may need to engage with someone familiar with these systems, who can troubleshoot the code or configuration. Without that, it’s hard to diagnose the issue.
-
While it is difficult to provide a specific solution without seeing the code, this kind of inconsistency is typically associated with timing issues, such as the GA tag firing before the dataLayer is fully populated. You may want to check if your tag is set to fire when the dataLayer is fully formed, rather than at page view. It might also be worth checking the structure and integrity of the data you’re sending over to ensure that nothing is getting lost in translation. Another possibility could be data sampling in GA4, where not all events are recorded, especially if you have a high volume of traffic. It’s also important to remember that in preview mode, GTM doesn’t have the same delay in data processing as GA, so data visibility in real-time GA may be delayed. If none of these apply, reaching out to Google’s support team or forums can help you troubleshoot further.
Log in to reply.