Creating a calculated metric using instant metrics (for data sources)

 

We’re improving the metric creation experience. Our recent redesign lets you preview changes while you create custom and calculated metrics. We’ve also combined raw and modelled data sources into a single object called a data feed.
If you see Data Feeds in the left navigation sidebar, go to this article to learn how to create calculated metrics using instant metrics.
These new features are being released gradually. If you don't see them in your account yet - no worries - they’re coming soon!

 

PowerMetrics includes many instant metrics for several, popular services. Don't see the instant metric you're looking for? Try combining instant metrics to create a calculated metric.

This article describes how to do this using an example where Google Analytics 4 "Users" and "New Users" instant metrics are combined to create a new, calculated metric that measures "Returning Users". 

First, you'll add the instant metrics mentioned above and modify their default metric names. Then you'll use them to create a new, calculated metric.

Adding instant metrics to use in your calculated metric

If this is your first time creating Google Analytics 4 instant metrics, you can go here for more detailed steps.

To add Google Analytics 4 "New Users" and "Users" instant metrics:

  1. In the left navigation sidebar click the + button beside Metrics.
  2. On the Where is your data? page, select Google Analytics 4.
  3. Select the New Users and Users instant metrics. (See below.)
  4. Click Add metrics.
  5. Select the Google Analytics 4 account you want to use and click Next.
  6. Select the account settings you want to use and click Get data.

To see the instant metrics you just added, click Metrics in the left navigation sidebar to open your list of metrics. From here, you can click on a metric to open it. You can also modify the metric's name, change the account the metric's connected to, and change its refresh rate by clicking the 3-dot menu in the upper right and selecting Edit.

Tip: We recommend you always give metrics meaningful names. In the case of calculated metrics it's especially helpful because you'll be entering the instant metric names into the calculation. In this example, we changed the names from "Users" to "GA All Users" and from "New Users" to "GA New Users".

Creating your calculated metric

The GA All Users instant metric you added above is the count of new and returning users to your website.

The GA New Users instant metric you added above is the count of users that visit your website for the first time.

To calculate the number of Returning Users to your website, we'll subtract the number of GA New Users from the number of GA All Users.

To create your calculated metric:

  1. In the left navigation sidebar click the + button beside Metrics.
  2. On the Where is your data? page, select Calculate a new metric.
  3. Under Formula, start typing the name of the GA All Users metric. When it displays in the drop-down list, select it to enter it into the formula. Type the minus (-) symbol. Complete the formula by typing and selecting the name of the GA New Users metric.
    Tip: If, at any time, you're not sure of a metric's name, click the + button to see a list of all of your metrics. Then choose the metric you want from the list.
  4. Click in the field that says Untitled and give the calculated metric a name. (In this example, we named it Returning users - March to May.)
  5. Click Next.
  6. Select display options as desired and then click Save.

To see the calculated metric you just created, click Metrics in the left navigation sidebar to open your list of metrics. Select the calculated metric from the list.

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