identical Google Analytics created at different time returned different values

[Anonymous]

Hi PBI, I created an extract from Google Analytics in Jan. In March someone said it looks slightly wrong. I created an additional extract in March and found that 2 identical Google Analytics returned different values. I suspect the recent one is accurate. However, I dont can to create a new GA query everytime I want to analyse. Can you help me find a solution to this discrepancy?

[v-qiuyu-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

Power BI Desktop rely on the Google Analytics Core Reporting API to get data from the Google Analytics service, though Power BI desktop attempts to update corresponding to the API changes, we can't guarantee the results when use this connector. See: Google Analytics connector for Power BI Desktop.

According to the document, I would suggest you post a thread in Stack Overflow google-analytics-api forum to get help from Google Analytics.

Best Regards,
Qiuyun Yu

[v-qiuyu-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

Power BI Desktop rely on the Google Analytics Core Reporting API to get data from the Google Analytics service, though Power BI desktop attempts to update corresponding to the API changes, we can't guarantee the results when use this connector. See: Google Analytics connector for Power BI Desktop.

According to the document, I would suggest you post a thread in Stack Overflow google-analytics-api forum to get help from Google Analytics.

Best Regards,
Qiuyun Yu

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

It seems Google Analystics return different values if you select Metrics  from different FOLDERS. Google analytics has basically 3 kind of information 1) Folder 2) Dimension 3) Metrics... In each folder (eg Ecommerce) you have Dimension (product category) AND metrics (Revenue $).. If in PBI Get data, I select more than one Metric from 2 different folders (eg Revenue $ from 'Ecommerce folder' AND Session Duration from 'Session folder'),  I return a different Revenue $. 

My solution (which is cumbersome).. to create 2 queries.  

Query 1: 

Time = Month of Year

Ecommerce = Revenue $ metric

Query 2:

Time = Month of year

Session = Session Duration

I like to hear from Google Anaytics experts - as my approach is cumbersome

[hugoberry]

A long shot but it is worth trying.

Have you checked if the numbers are different because of your Culture?

I've seen the following result producing different rounding outputs

= Currency.From("1.6553920699772E7","en-US")

vs

= Currency.From("1.6553920699772E7","de-DE")

[Anonymous]

a dumb Q - how do I check the culture?

[hugoberry]

In Query Editor type

Culture.Current

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt260940.aspx

[Anonymous]

My apologies.. I am sure where i type in 'culture.current'. I tried typing into the input box and it does not do anything 😞

[hugoberry]

try with equal sign

=Culture.Current 

[Anonymous]

it seems the culture for the different GA queries are the same i.e.  en-AU

so Culture is not the issue.

What other reasons could have caused a different number?

[hugoberry]

Now I looked at the numbers. There is no concitency to the difference so I don't think that there is something wrong with culture or Power BI whatsoever.

I think this is more of a GA question.

For others here are the numers sorted in same order