• Google Analytics 4

  How to track custom event occurrences with specific parameters in GA4 using the API?

  Posted by Sawyer on 2 June 2023 at 9:08 pm

  So, I’ve created this custom event called “butt”, right? And I’ve been using the API to check how often the event is triggered, but only when a particular “userId” parameter matches one I provide.

  So, when I record the event, it looks like this:

  `javascript
  gtag(‘event’, ‘butt’, {
  userId: ‘VD5894237597126308723423’
  });
  `
  To count that event, I’ve been checking the API like so:

  `javascript
  const [response] = await analyticsDataClient.runReport({
  property: ‘properties/’+process.env.GA4ID,
  dateRanges: [{
  startDate: ‘2020-03-31’,
  endDate: ‘today’,
  }],
  dimensions: [
  {name: ‘eventName’},
  ],
  dimensionFilter: {
  filter: {
  fieldName: ‘eventName’,
  stringFilter: {value: ‘butt’}
  }
  },
  metrics: [
  {name: ‘eventCount’}
  ],
  });
  `
  The result I usually get is { value: 'butt', oneValue: 'value' } { value: '1', oneValue: 'value' }, but I’m not sure if it’s accurate, especially since I’ve triggered the event multiple times but the number doesn’t seem to change.

  Now, here’s where the problem kicks in. I want to restrict the count to only events where the “userId” parameter matches the value ‘VD5894237597126308723423’. I’m not entirely sure how to go about this.

  I tried using a metricFilter like this:

  `javascript
  metricFilter: {
  filter: {
  fieldName: ‘customEvent:userId?’,
  stringFilter: {value: ‘894237597126308723423’}
  }
  },
  `
  But all I get is an error saying, StringFilter cannot be used as metric filter. I need some guidance on the right way to do this. Any ideas?

  Carter replied 1 year, 4 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  William

  Member

  16 June 2023 at 8:17 am

  You need to use dimensionFilter again, rather than metricFilter, to filter by the “userId”. The “userId” is a dimension (a characteristic of your users), not a metric (a measurement of their behavior). Also, make sure the fieldName value is correct for your user ID.

• 

  Carter

  Member

  6 July 2023 at 4:48 pm

  Your approach is accurate, but you’ve encountered a problem because stringFilter cannot be used with metricFilter. Instead, you should continue to use dimensionFilter. When setting up the event, consider the “userId” as a parameter to your “butt” event, which means it considers to be a part of dimension, not metric.

  Here’s how you should filter events where the “userId” parameter matches a certain value:

  `javascript
  const [response] = await analyticsDataClient.runReport({
  property: ‘properties/’+process.env.GA4ID,
  dateRanges: [{
  startDate: ‘2020-03-31’,
  endDate: ‘today’,
  }],
  dimensions: [
  {name: ‘eventName’},
  {name: ‘customEvent:userId’}
  ],
  dimensionFilter: {
  andGroup: {
  filters: [
  {
  filter: {
  fieldName: ‘eventName’,
  stringFilter: {value: ‘butt’}
  }
  },
  {
  filter: {
  fieldName: ‘customEvent:userId’,
  stringFilter: {value: ‘VD5894237597126308723423’}
  }
  },
  ]
  }
  },
  metrics: [
  {name: ‘eventCount’}
  ],
  });
  `
  This way, you’re checking for two filters: if the event name is ‘butt’ and if the userId matches ‘VD5894237597126308723423’. Now you should get the results filtered for specific userId.

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