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Resolving GA4 Reporting API Data Compatibility Issue with Dimension and Metric Combination
“Hey, I’m switching from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 and I’ve hit a snag. I’m using the reporting API and I keep getting a “[GA4] Data compatibility” error. I’m trying to get new users count by the minute, but the minute dimension and newUsers metrics look like they don’t get along. Has anyone figured a workaround for this issue?”
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2 Replies
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Sure, let me break it down for you a bit more conversationally.
So, you’ve got this handy tool, the GA4 Dimensions & Metrics Explorer, which you can access through this link here: https://ga-dev-tools.web.app/ga4/dimensions-metrics-explorer/. What it does is basically help you determine if the metrics and dimensions you’re working with are compatible or not.
When you go to use it, just make sure to have your account and property ID ready because you’ll need to pop them in – there’s an image here that shows you exactly where you’ll need to do that: https://i.stack.imgur.com/S9qFU.png.
Okay, so once you’ve got that sorted, you can start ticking off dimensions and metrics that you’re interested in – there’s a little checkbox next to their names. And, as you’re doing that, you’ll see them get added to your list.
Now, this is the really cool part – if any of the dimensions and metrics are not quite compatible with each other, they’ll gray out. It’s like a real-time compatibility check. So, this might give you a clearer idea of why you’re running into the “[GA4] Data compatibility” error.
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The issue you’re experiencing may stem from the fact that Google Analytics 4 (GA4) handles dimensions and metrics somewhat differently from Universal Analytics. GA4 doesn’t natively support minute-level granularity. As a workaround you may consider tracking new users manually in the application itself and sending this data as events to GA4. Then, using these custom events, you can create your own custom reports. Please be aware that this might require significant changes in your tracking setup and I recommend consulting with a professional to better understand the implications. Alternatively, you can use Google BigQuery to access raw GA4 data for more in-depth analysis.
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