Nigh Data Import

Go a unified view of your information

Information Import lets you upload data from external sources and combine it with data you collect via Analytics. You can then use Analytics to organize and clarify all of your data in ways that better reflect your business.

In this article :

  • Why utilize Data Import
  • Types of data you can import
  • Where is Information Import?
  • How Data Import works
  • Next steps
  • Related resources

Why use Data Import?

If you utilize a diverseness of systems and tools to run your business, you can employ Analytics to join and analyze that data in ane place. For example, you lot tin can turn divide CRM data, ecommerce data, and Analytics information into a single comprehensive view of your concern.

Each business organisation system you use generates its own data store. Your CRM might incorporate information like client-loyalty rating, lifetime value and production preferences. If y'all are a web publisher, your content direction tool probably stores data dimensions such equally author and article category. If you are an ecommerce business, you might create catalogs that describe your products according to prices, fashion, size, etc. And (since you're reading this), you lot most likely utilise Analytics to track traffic and performance for your websites, mobile apps or appliances. Typically, this data exists in its own "data silo," unaffected and uninformed by the data in other silos.

Information Import lets you bring together the data generated by your offline business systems with the online information collected by Analytics. This tin help you organize, analyze and deed upon this unified data view in ways that are meliorate aligned with your specific and unique business needs. For example, as a web publisher, you could join hits nerveless past Analytics with data dimensions exported from your CMS and CRM systems to clarify the relative contributions of authors to your site.

Types of data you can import

Data Import lets y'all upload and integrate information with your Analytics account at iii different points in the data collection and processing chain.

Striking-data import

Hitting-data import lets yous send hitting information directly into Analytics. This provides an alternative to using the tracking code, Collection API, the Mobile SDKs, or the Measurement Protocol. Imported hits are added to your Analytics property prior to whatever processing; therefore, your imported data may be afflicted by processing-time actions, such as filters. Considering you are importing hits, this data tin be seen by all reporting views for that property (unless you specifically filter them from selected views).

This blazon of import supports uploading the following types of data:

  • Refund Data—align your internal ecommerce reporting with Analytics past importing ecommerce refund data.

Extended-data import

Extended-information import adds to (extends) the data already nerveless and processed, or being processed, for the selected reporting views. Typically, this extended information is stored in a custom dimension or metric, though in some cases you might want to overwrite the default information already gathered (for example, importing a campaign's Source or Medium dimension).

You can upload the following data types:

  • User Information—create segments and remarketing lists that incorporate imported user metadata, such every bit a loyalty rating or lifetime customer value.
  • Campaign Data—expand and reuse your existing non-Google campaign codes by importing ad entrada-related dimensions, such as source.
  • Geographical Information—create custom geographical regions, allowing you lot to report on and analyze Analytics information in ways that are better aligned with your business' system.
  • Content Data—group content using imported content metadata, such as writer, engagement published, and article category.
  • Product Data—gain meliorate merchandising insights by importing production metadata, such as size, color, style, or other product-related dimensions.
  • Custom Information—provides support for importing custom information sets.

Summary-data import

Summary-data import lets you sum uploaded metrics. Imported summary data is practical to the selected reporting views afterward all processing and assemblage of collected data. This tin exist useful when you lot receive information in batches some time post-obit striking collection, as summary data import lets you add together to or update your information as it becomes available.

Currently, summary data import supports the post-obit import blazon:

  • Toll Data—include 3rd party (non-Google) advertizing network clicks, cost and impression information to gain a more complete picture of your ad spend.

Where is Information Import?

Data import steps: select your account, then property, then click Data Import.
Accessing Information Import.

To access Data Import:

  1. Sign in to Google Analytics.
  2. Click Admin, and navigate to the property to which you want to upload the data.
  3. In the PROPERTY column, click Information Import. This displays the Data Sets page.
  4. Select an existing Information Set or create a new one to hold your imported data.

How Information Import works

Data Import works by uploading text files containing external data to an Analytics belongings. This information is typically exported from an offline business concern tool (for example, your CRM or CMS organisation). For smaller amounts of data, yous might create the upload file manually, using a text editor or spreadsheet.

Data Import joins the offline information yous've uploaded with the default hit data being collected by Analytics from your websites, mobile apps or other devices. Imported data can exist used to raise your reports, segments and remarketing audiences in means that reflect your own business needs and system. The result is a much fuller, more complete picture of your users' on- and offline activity.

How you upload data

You lot can upload information by one of two methods:

  • From the Analytics user interface, using the Admin > (Holding) > Data Import selection
  • Using the Analytics Management API

The uploaded information is added to or modifies data already collected for that Property by the Javascript tracking lawmaking, mobile SDK or measurement protocol.

How Data Import joins on- and offline data

When you configure Data Import, you create a Data Prepare, which defines one or more than dimensions to use as a cardinal. Information Import uses this central to friction match values in the uploaded information to values in your collected hit data. The rest of your imported information you upload is stored in the dimensions or metrics you define in the Data Fix. Imported information can utilize either default or custom dimensions and metrics. Imported data can be used in reports, remarketing audiences and other Analytics tools alongside standard information collected past the website tracking code, mobile SDK or Measurement Protocol.

Import vs. collection

Aggrandize the section below to learn some reasons why you might desire to import data rather than rely on collecting hit data. Advantages of Data Import over striking collection

Analytics has essentially two means of gathering information:

  • by sending hits collected past the JavaScript tracking lawmaking, mobile SDK or the Measurement protocol,
  • using Data Import.

While you can broaden the hitting data with custom information by passing parameters in the page URL or using the Analytics API, there are a number of reasons why this may not be the best approach, such as:

  • Augmenting hitting data requires a knowledgable developer to write custom code.
  • The data is sensitive, e.g., user data, then yous don't want to send it in clear text.
  • The corporeality of data is large so y'all don't want to suspend it to each hit.
  • The information might not be available when the hitting occurs.

Importing data in asynchronous batches resolves these issues.

Next steps

  • Learn more about Information Sets.
  • Acquire about the types of data you tin import.
  • Fix up Data Import.
  • Meet the upload examples for footstep by step import instructions.
  • View the limits of Data Import.
  • google-developers-svg Information Import - Developer Guide

Was this helpful?

How can nosotros improve information technology?