03-03-2016 12:03 PM - edited 08-03-2021 09:23 AM
Here is an overview of the new GA tool in Alteryx Designer 11.0:
Connecting to Google Analytics is becoming more and more popular and
There are a fewthings you need in order to use the Google Analytics macro:
Step 1: Set up a Google Analytics account
Step 2: Now it is time to set upthe Client ID, Client Secret, and Refresh Token needed for the Google Analytics Macro:
Step 3: Generate your Client ID and Client Secret
Acquire your Refresh Token
Step 4: Lets move to Alteryx!
Tips and Tricks
Click on Spoilerto see all error messages and troubleshooting tips!
Common Issues (Prior to Version 3)
The Refresh token lasts about 1 hour so please remember to refresh the token as this will prompt errors.
‘The Field ‘id’ is not contained in the record…’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
This error message can allude to a number of issues. However, to limit trial and errorI have prioritizedthe solutions below based on prior troubleshooting experience(I know im awesome).
1)
2)
3)
‘Tool #349: Tool #4 Error Transferring data: Failure when receiving data from the peer’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
‘Tool #574: Tool #522: Error creating the file "C:\Program Files|Alteryx\bin\RuntimeData\Macros\Supporting_Macros|GoogleAnalytics.DIMENSIONS.xml": Access is denied.’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
‘Tool #574: Tool #706: Error creating the file "C:\Program Files|Alteryx\bin\RuntimeData\Macros\Supporting_Macros|GoogleAnalytics.PROFILES.xml": Access is denied.’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
‘You have set up the Google Analytics Connector Tool and want to know the # of records is produced in the data output? ‘(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
‘You have got a Client ID, Client Secret and a Refresh Token however you do not return any results. ‘(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
‘Receiving a createRecord: A record was created with no field’s error.’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
‘Unknown Variable’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
Could not find file…’(Upgrade to the latest GA tool)
CONGRATS you have now made it through the worlds longest but most informative Google Analytics Article (in my opinion).
Now go free and play with your Google Analytics Data in Alteryx!
However, if you continue to have problems with the Google Analytics connector please reach out toAlteryx Support
Best,
Jordan Barker
Client Service Representative
Hi
Quick response off phone but will post in more detail.
Yes in short. It’s all about dimension selection.
Select date and that will give you daily. For purchases you need the transaction id.
Sent from my iPhone
Hi @GavinAttard!
I set the dimensions to extract transactions over a period of time alongside with its ID but I ran into an issue as it seems like I'm capped at 10K results.
Is there a way to identify and build off from GA's endpoint pairing it with the Downloads tool?
Hi
I don't believe so, but i stand to be corrected as i haven't ever hit the limit. However a quick look over the google developer documentation, i couldn't' find anything there.
Beet approach is to shorten the date range on the request then blend the data for each load.
Hi @JordanB,
I'm on alteryx 10.6 with the latest GA connector v.7. I'm trying to connect via the "online" credential process. I've selected my account, property and view. However I can't click on the Next button:
I am running into the exact same issue as LoganLugoAnalytics. Getting that same error message after hitting 10,000 records, no go...
Using version 7.0.4 of the connector...
Hi,
Can anyone tell me how to pull out the longterm GA cookie in the GA API?
If you need more background, please read on...
We run online surveys using the Clicktools platform. A colleague exports some survey data from Clicktools to GA where we can look at survey data (demographics, goal achievement etc) alongside behaviour (page views, search exits). I want to pull the combined (survey/GA) data back out to Alteryx and then Tableau (where I will have more flexibility to analyse and report). But to combine with the more comprehensive survey data in Tableau, I need the clientid that is passed from Clicktools to GA
Hi Helen
While google will capture the ClientID, it does not make this available to Google Analytics users as of yet.
The way round is you need to get whoever is responsible for your tag management to pick up the clientID from the cookie and send it as a custom dimension in the google tag.
You will then be able to download the custom dimension as a field in Alteryx and use for stitching as you described.
I also suggest if you are going down that route to add the following dimensions that will be immensely useful:
? User ID (if you have one - remember non personally identifiable)
? Timestamp
? Session ID
Gavin Attard
Yes, google's API has a 10K record return limit. The way round this is to break down your requests into shorter date ranges then union in Alteryx. or if that is still too big limit by hour etc.. using ga filters.
Awesome!
*Logan Lugo*
@HelenL @LoganLugoAnalytics @GavinAttard - there is a 10k limit per query, but the tool has a built in functionality to iterate through queries up to 9999 times. This was broken in the last release, hence the error - it will be fixed in version 7.0.5 of the GA tool, which should be released shortly! (I believe it may actually be up on the Gallery already)
When I drop the GA tool into Alteryx, I only get the following screen in configuration - there is no signon button, no prompt. When I enter the credentials, nothing changes, and when I run the workflow with the credentials entered I get the following error:
While using version 13 of the tool on 2018.1.3 I've run into a problem when a Google Analytics profile uses custom dimensions and metrics and has at least one of those disabled/in-active. It would show a spinning circle after the date selection screen. Enabling/activating the custom dimension or metric would resolve the issue and allow for normal usage of the tool.
Hi,
I've used Jordan's excellent guide successfully in the past.
I haven't used the GA connector for about six months. I've recently updated Alteryx to 2018.4. So before I started, I followed Jordan's link to the gallery to download the latest version. https://gallery.alteryx.com/#!app/Google-Analytics/5898afe9effc2a0bb0a11644/run. However, it is marked version 7. So first question: What is the latest version and where can I download it? mverstrepen is using version 13.
I have access to the Google Analytics for five clients. I'm able to connect to two of them (I reach the Select Metrics and Goals to Include). However for the other three GA properties, I get the spinning circle after the date selection screen. I can access these properties OK through the Google Analytics interface so I do have the necessary permissions.
I'm running Alteryx Admin Designer 2018.4.5.55178. I've working Offline. So second question: Do I need to follow mverstrepen's advice and enable/activate the customer dimension or metric? If so, can you guide me to do this? I don't see a spanner, I see a cog. Thank you!
Regards,
Helen
HI @HelenL
I have to thanks @mverstrepen for bring this to our attention! Unfortunately, he may be able to provide better direction that myself on the config directly in Google Analytics
Regarding version 13, I am not sure where this is from as the latest is version 7.07 from the Alteryx Gallery
Best,
Jordan
Hi,
did you found the reason why you can't select available Accounts when using the offline mode, but you do when you're in the online mode?
Thanks
Dear Alteryx desginers,
I am using this API, and in 2019 I am trying to pull data for 2017. Any knowledge why this is not working. It is pulling fine 2018 onwards.
Best,Sudeep
Is it possible to set the refresh token to automatically refresh after the time limit is up (or stay signed in). I am looking to run this on a daily schedule and don't want to have to sign in every time. (I am sort of assuming the answer is no, but hoping someone has a workaround for me on this!)
Annie
Just wanted to call out that there is more than 1 Google Analytics API that comes up as an option for Step 2. The correct one is called "Google Analytics API". Don't use the one that says "Reporting" because it won't work.
Has anyone got an answer to Annie's query above? i've got the same question. i'd like to setup a GA workflow to run on schedule every day.
@ahaley @am_analyst Yes use Offline method to sign in.
@GavinAttard @am_analyst that's what I did as well. Took me a little bit to figure out how but it's been running well.
Hi @JordanB ,
Thanks for sharing !!
If we are under company firewall, which URLs should be white-list ?
Best Regards,
Samuel
I've returned to this thread after a long break. Many thanks JordanB for keeping the guide up-to-date as I had to go through it all again to get a new token. It's an excellent explanation of every convoluted step. 🙂
So, now I've got as far as "Select an Account, WebProperty and Profile" . I've realised that I see only "free" GA accounts. I don't see accounts for clients who are using Google Analytics 360. Is there a different connector for that?
Regards,
Helen
Hi Team,
I just started using google analytics for extracting data. It works fine but giving me a hard time extracting data with filters using the below template:
I'd really appreciate some help!
Thanks in advance. 🙂
Thanks for really great description of GA connector. I get a message "Sorry, you don't have access to this workflow." When I try to download connector using the link https://gallery.alteryx.com/#!app/Google-Analytics/5898afe9effc2a0bb0a11644 . What is requires to get the access? I use Alteryx Designer version 2019.3.5.17947.
Hello Jordan,
I'm not able to view the macro at all. When I click on the link I see the below access denied message.
I'd appreciate any help I can get 🙂
Kind regards,
Jacquelline
@jacq_antony89 please reach out to Customer Support who can assist! Apologies for the inconvenience!
Does anybody know why the Google Analytics connector is no longer available?
Is there a way to download the latest version? We have a workflow that is broken and the person who created it left the company.
Are there any alternatives to connecting to Google Analytics? I tried clicking on the "Open a Case" button in the support area and nothing happened? How can I contact support?
Hi,
I wonder if someone could summarise the reasons why there might be a discrepancy between the results shown in Alteryx and in the GA interface.
To explain what I've done:
I created Segments in GA
In my Alteryx workflow, I configured the Google Analytics connector using the Selected segments. I see results e.g. for Sessions. Data is coming in OK.
Then I wanted to validate the result in the GA interface. So In GA, I opened the Audience / Geo / Location dashboard and used the same segments.
The number of Sessions in Alteryx are less than half those shown in the GA interface*
Back in February, an identical Alteryx workflow (but different config on the GA connector) gave results that agreed (quite closely, but not always exactly) with the GA interface. I did have to break up the time periods to achieve this e.g. bring in January, February and March separately and join them because running January-March did not agree exactly.
So are there some generic factors that lead to a disparity e.g.
"GoogleAnalytics results have been sampled| This report is based on 84.26% of sessions" would result in some difference but not a factor of two
Anything else I should look for?
* P.S. I exported to Excel, ran that through Alteryx and into Tableau. Unintentionally, I had run the download with only 10 rows of 183 shown. So the Excel sheet had the data for the top ten countries and the total. The sum of the top ten countries is suspiciously close to the Alteryx workflow. So, could the GA connector be picking up only the data for the top 10 countries. I don't see anything in the way that I've configured the connector that would cause this.
Regards,
Helen
I have the same issue as @fpinchon and @brajrajsolanki.
Is there any plans on adding filter options to the connector?