Pipeline GA4 Tables - User ID Table
- Table name:
ga4_user_ids - Scoping: User ID Level
- Table Contains: User level dimensions and metrics.
- Each Row Presents: One row per User ID.
- Optional Config Required: Creating a unique ID for each user, which is typically linked to logged in users.
This setup means you are able to track user behaviour across different sessions, devices and platforms unlike Client IDs which are just confined to unique device-browser pairings.
Still confused? See this FAQ page which explains the difference.
Dimensions - Keys
Keys are unique IDs that help track and organise data. They allow GA4 to accurately capture and link user activities across different sessions, devices, and platforms. In this table there are unique identifiers for:
- User ID
- User Ids combined with Client IDs
- The Steam.
Dimensions - Dates
The table contains several date fields based on when the user visited the site.
These date fields come in different formats - both timestamp and date.
If you are unsure of which column to use, use date__pt_dt (Pt Dt) as this is the partition column.
Unsure what a parition column is? See this section.
Dimensions - First Session Attribution
This section provides information on the users first session on the site/ app.
First user dimensions are the most logical way of interacting with user metrics as this is the best way to understand how they came to the site initially.
Example: By looking at the dim__first_source_session we can see the source for the first session for this specific user.
Dimensions - Last Non Direct Attribution
This section provides information on the first user interaction with the site using the Last Non-Direct Click (LNDC) attribution method. This is the GA4 default attribution method.
This method attributes the traffic acquisition to the last channel the user clicked through to the site over the past 90 day period (though you can customise this yourself), excluding direct visits.
Example: By looking at the dim__first_source_lndc we can see the source for the first session for this specific user based on the last interaction that was not direct.
Dimensions - Device
This section provides information on the device which the user used to interact with the site/app on the first user session.
Dimensions - Landing Page
This section provides information about the first Landing Page the user came across, or in other words, the first page that the user came to on the app/ website to start the session.
Dimensions - Location Information
This section provides information on the location of the first user session based on the IP address.
Dimensions - Other
This is a combination of other miscellaneous dimensions.
Metrics
This is all the metrics which can be combined with the dimensions listed above.
There are some metrics such as Users, Active Users and Returning Users, which will need to be calculated using formulas - as these need to be calculated at the final stage of data visualisation. Why is that? See this FAQ.