@friedbotstudio/create-baseline 0.2.0 → 0.3.0

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+# GA4 Data Management and Admin Settings
+
+Expert guidance for GA4 Admin settings including data retention, filters, user access, and property configuration.
+
+## Overview
+
+GA4 Admin settings control data retention, data filters, user permissions, property configuration, and data collection parameters. Proper configuration ensures data quality and team collaboration.
+
+## Accessing Admin Settings
+
+**Path:** GA4 Property -> Admin (bottom-left gear icon)
+
+**Structure:**
+- Account Column: Account-level settings
+- Property Column: Property-level settings
+
+## Data Settings
+
+### Data Retention
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Settings -> Data Retention
+
+| Option | Use Case |
+|--------|----------|
+| 2 months | Privacy-focused, GDPR |
+| 14 months | Year-over-year analysis |
+
+**What's Affected:**
+- User-level data in Explorations
+- Event-level data in Explorations
+- User Explorer report
+
+**Not Affected:**
+- Standard reports (aggregated, kept longer)
+- Conversion data
+- Audience data
+
+**Reset on New Activity:**
+- **ON:** Timer resets when user returns (rolling window)
+- **OFF:** Data deleted at fixed date
+
+**Recommendation:**
+- Standard sites: 2 months
+- Ecommerce/high-value: 14 months
+- Export to BigQuery for unlimited retention
+
+### Data Collection
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Settings -> Data Collection
+
+**Google Signals:**
+- Enable for demographics, interests
+- Enables cross-device tracking
+- Requires user opt-in for personalisation
+- Impacts data thresholds in reports
+
+**User-Provided Data:**
+- Mark if collecting email, address, phone
+- Required for certain Google Ads features
+- Impacts policy compliance
+
+## Data Filters
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Settings -> Data Filters
+
+### Filter Types
+
+| Type | Purpose |
+|------|---------|
+| Internal Traffic | Exclude office/employee traffic |
+| Developer Traffic | Exclude staging/development |
+| Unwanted Referrals | Exclude payment processors |
+
+### Creating Internal Traffic Filter
+
+**Step 1: Define Internal Traffic**
+
+1. Admin -> Data Streams -> Stream settings
+2. Configure tag settings -> Define internal traffic
+3. Add rules:
+   - Rule name: "Office IP"
+   - Match type: IP address equals/begins with
+   - IP address: Enter office IPs
+4. Save
+
+**Step 2: Create Filter**
+
+1. Admin -> Data Settings -> Data Filters
+2. Click "Create Filter"
+3. Configure:
+   - Filter name: "Internal Traffic - Office"
+   - Filter type: Internal Traffic
+   - Filter state: Testing (initially)
+4. Save
+
+**Step 3: Test Filter**
+
+1. Visit website from office IP
+2. Check DebugView: events have `traffic_type = internal`
+3. If correct, set filter to "Active"
+
+### Filter States
+
+| State | Behaviour |
+|-------|-----------|
+| Testing | Tags traffic, doesn't exclude |
+| Active | Excludes from reports |
+| Inactive | Disabled |
+
+## User Management
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Property Access Management
+
+### Roles
+
+| Role | Capabilities |
+|------|--------------|
+| Viewer | View reports, create Explorations |
+| Analyst | + Create audiences, custom dimensions, annotations |
+| Marketer | + Manage audiences, link Google Ads |
+| Editor | + Modify property settings, create events |
+| Administrator | Full access including user management |
+
+### Adding Users
+
+1. Property Access Management -> Add
+2. Enter email address
+3. Select role
+4. Add optional message
+5. Click "Add"
+
+### Best Practices
+
+- Principle of least privilege
+- Regular access audits
+- Remove users when leaving
+- Use service accounts for integrations
+
+## Property Settings
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Property Settings
+
+### Key Settings
+
+| Setting | Description |
+|---------|-------------|
+| Property name | Descriptive name |
+| Property ID | Read-only numeric ID |
+| Reporting Time Zone | Day boundaries in reports |
+| Currency | Default for revenue |
+| Industry Category | Benchmarking |
+
+### Timezone Considerations
+
+- Affects FUTURE data only
+- Historical data keeps old timezone
+- Cannot change retroactively
+- Plan carefully before changing
+
+## Data Streams
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Streams
+
+### Managing Streams
+
+Click stream name to access:
+
+**Stream Details:**
+- Stream name
+- Stream URL
+- Measurement ID
+- Stream ID
+
+**Enhanced Measurement:**
+- Page views (always on)
+- Scrolls
+- Outbound clicks
+- Site search
+- Video engagement
+- File downloads
+- Form interactions
+
+**Toggle individually** to enable/disable each event type.
+
+### Measurement Protocol API Secrets
+
+For server-side tracking:
+
+1. Click stream -> Measurement Protocol API secrets
+2. Click "Create"
+3. Enter nickname
+4. Copy secret (shown once)
+5. Store securely
+
+## Events Settings
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Events
+
+### Viewing Events
+
+- List of all collected events
+- Event count over time
+- Parameter details
+
+### Create Event (Modify Existing)
+
+Create new events by modifying existing:
+
+1. Click "Create Event"
+2. Event name: New event name
+3. Matching conditions: Based on existing event
+4. Modifications: Add/change parameters
+5. Save
+
+**Example:**
+```
+Create: important_page_view
+When: event_name = page_view AND page_path = /pricing
+```
+
+### Mark as Key Event
+
+1. Find event in list
+2. Toggle "Mark as key event"
+3. Event appears in conversion reports
+
+**Limits:** Maximum 30 key events per property
+
+## Key Events (Conversions)
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Key Events
+
+### Purpose
+
+- Track important user actions
+- Import to Google Ads for optimisation
+- Appear in conversion reports
+
+### Default Key Events
+
+- purchase (ecommerce)
+- first_visit
+- session_start (if enabled)
+
+### Marking Events
+
+1. Event must have fired at least once
+2. Toggle "Mark as key event"
+3. Affects future data immediately
+
+## Custom Definitions
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Display -> Custom Definitions
+
+### Custom Dimensions
+
+1. Click "Create custom dimension"
+2. Configure:
+   - Dimension name: Display name
+   - Scope: Event, User, or Item
+   - Event/User parameter: Exact parameter name
+3. Save
+4. Wait 24-48 hours for data
+
+### Custom Metrics
+
+1. Click "Create custom metric"
+2. Configure:
+   - Metric name: Display name
+   - Scope: Event
+   - Event parameter: Numeric parameter
+   - Unit: Standard, Currency, Distance, Time
+3. Save
+
+### Limits
+
+| Type | Standard | 360 |
+|------|----------|-----|
+| Event-scoped dimensions | 50 | 125 |
+| User-scoped dimensions | 25 | 100 |
+| Item-scoped dimensions | 10 | 25 |
+| Custom metrics | 50 | 125 |
+
+## Product Links
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Product Links
+
+### Available Links
+
+| Link | Purpose |
+|------|---------|
+| Google Ads Links | Remarketing, conversions |
+| Search Ads 360 | SA360 integration |
+| Display & Video 360 | DV360 integration |
+| BigQuery Links | Raw data export |
+| AdSense Links | AdSense revenue |
+
+### Linking Google Ads
+
+1. Google Ads Links -> Link
+2. Choose Ads account
+3. Enable options:
+   - Personalised advertising
+   - Auto-tagging
+4. Confirm link
+
+## DebugView
+
+**Path:** Admin -> DebugView
+
+### Purpose
+
+- Real-time event debugging
+- View events from debug-enabled devices
+- Check parameters and user properties
+
+### Enable Debug Mode
+
+- Browser extension: Google Analytics Debugger
+- URL parameter: ?debug_mode=true
+- gtag config: debug_mode: true
+- GTM: Add debug_mode parameter
+
+## Channel Groups
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Display -> Channel Groups
+
+### Default Channel Groups
+
+Pre-defined groupings for traffic sources:
+- Direct
+- Organic Search
+- Paid Search
+- Display
+- Social
+- Email
+- Referral
+
+### Custom Channel Groups
+
+Create custom groupings:
+
+1. Click "Create new channel group"
+2. Add channels with rules
+3. Define conditions (source, medium, campaign)
+4. Prioritise channels
+5. Save
+
+## Calculated Metrics
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Data Display -> Custom Definitions
+
+Create derived metrics:
+
+**Examples:**
+- Revenue per User = revenue / users
+- Conversion Rate = conversions / sessions * 100
+- Average Order Value = revenue / purchases
+
+**Process:**
+1. Create custom metric
+2. Type: Calculated
+3. Enter formula
+4. Save (no processing delay)
+
+## Attribution Settings
+
+**Path:** Admin -> Attribution Settings
+
+### Reporting Attribution Model
+
+Choose default model:
+- Data-driven (recommended)
+- Last click
+- First click
+- Linear
+- Time decay
+- Position-based
+
+### Lookback Window
+
+- Acquisition: 30 days
+- Other conversions: 30/60/90 days
+
+## Quick Reference
+
+### Data Retention
+
+- Default: 2 months
+- Max: 14 months
+- For longer: Export to BigQuery
+
+### User Roles
+
+- Viewer: View only
+- Analyst: View + create
+- Marketer: View + create + Ads
+- Editor: All except user management
+- Administrator: Full access
+
+### Custom Definitions Limits
+
+- Event dimensions: 50
+- User dimensions: 25
+- Item dimensions: 10
+- Custom metrics: 50
+
+### Key Events Limit
+
+- Maximum: 30 per property
+
+### Data Filter States
+
+- Testing: Tags but doesn't exclude
+- Active: Excludes from reports
+- Inactive: Disabled