Upgrading to Google Analytics 4

If you haven't actively switched your analytics to GA4, then you are likely currently using the "classic" Analytics, Universal Analytics. You can check your Google Analytics Account by following these steps:

• Go to your Google Analytics account
• Under the Admin menu select Tracking Info, then Tracking Code.
• Universal Analytics has a tracking ID that follows this pattern "UA-XXXXXXXX-1' , where as the new GA4 ID will start with the letter "G"

Developer involvement will depend on your existing tracking code. You can check your Google Analytics Account tracking code by following these steps:

1. Go to your Google Analytics account
2. Under the Admin menu select Tracking Info, then Tracking Code.
3. Look under the Website Tracking header, if you see Global Site Tag (gtag.js), then the tracking code applied to your site can be used when adding GA4 property without additional developer assistance (see the image that highlights where to find this). 

When setting up GA4 you will have the option to use the existing Google tracking code on your site if it is a Global Site Tag. By selecting this option you can set up GA4 without making change's to your site's code and therefore a developer is not required. However, we recommend getting in touch with your site provider as they should be able to assist with planning for the switch and ensure a smooth experience.

1. Export required reports - we recommend pulling reports within a 12-month view, over the last 1-3 years to account for seasonal shifts in your traffic
2. Plan for any events, user roles, or filters that will need to be checked and configured in your new GA4 property. In some cases, these will automatically be applied, but for quality assurance, cross-checks and monitoring for each are recommended for peace of mind
3. Schedule the addition of GA4 at least 6 months before the sunset date so you have an overlap of tracking with time with your current UA, enough time to adjust your GA4 configurations, and export more reports as needed
4. Set up a monitoring system of manual checks GA4 set-up to ensure you are tracking as expected and are able to obtain the necessary reports and data seamlessly

The transition to GA4 will depend on your current UA account setup. In most cases, the switch could be fairly quick and you will see immediate tracking stats from the date of the switch. If you wish to bring over customizations, dashboards, and unique settings to the new GA4 platform it may be a more complex process. We recommended making this change at least 6 months in advance of the sunset date to allow time to make any configuration adjustments before June 2023.

Shortly after the sunset date (July 2023), Universal Analytics will no longer maintain tracking data, which means historical data will be lost if it is not manually retained. Google says UA will be accessible until later 2023. We recommend exporting your UA data that you may need to refer to in the future. Our recommendation is to compile and export reports within 12-month view (over the last 1-3 years) for the following:

• Overview report for total users, sessions, page views
• Detailed reports for the top 100 pages accessed
• Customized reports or dashboards
• Campaign or Event reports

The new platform will include some new features to provide better privacy and valuable insights. Some of these features include:

• Cross-platform tracking between apps and websites
• Multi-domain tracking
• Roles with optional cost and revenue metric restrictions so the platform matches your internal workflows and permissions
• Reports tracking users' on-page actions (ie. event-based reports) for more user-centric measurements
• Privacy-focused (e.g., does not rely on cookies) to provide a better experience for users
• New metrics such as engaged sessions, average engagement time per session, and engagement rate