Conversion Variables - Descriptions
Descriptions of fields used when editing conversion variables.
Element | Description |
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Name | The friendly name of the conversion variable. This name is how the eVar is referred to in general reporting, and will be the name of the report/dimension in the left-hand menu. |
Type (eVar only) |
The type of variable value:
|
Allocation |
Determines how Analytics assigns credit for a success event if a variable receives multiple values before the event. Supported values include:
Note: Switching allocation to or from Linear prevents historical data from displaying. Mixing allocation types in the reporting interface can lead to misstated data in reports. For example, Linear allocation might divide revenue across a number of different eVar values. After changing back to Most Recent allocation, 100% of that revenue would be associated with the most recent single value. This association can lead to incorrect conclusions by users. |
Expire After |
Specifies a time period, or event, after which the eVar value expires (no longer receives credit for success events). If a success event occurs after eVar expiration, the None value receives credit for the event (no eVar was active). If you select an event as an expiration value, the variable expires only if the event occurs. If the event does not occur, the variable never expires. The available expiration options can be classified under four main categories:
|
Status (eVar only) |
Defines the eVar status:
|
Reset | Resets any existing value in the eVar. Use this setting when repurposing an eVar so you do mix an old value into a new report. Resetting does not erase historical data. |
Merchandising (eVar only) |
Merchandising variables can follow one of two syntaxes:
|
Merchandising Binding Event (eVar only) | If Merchandising is set to Conversion Variable Syntax, the selected events bind the current eVar value with a product. To use a Binding Event, set Allocation to Most Recent. If Allocation is set to Original Value, the first eVar product binding remains until the eVar expires. Multiple events can be selected by holding down ctrl (Windows) or cmd (Mac) and clicking on multiple items in the list. You can select an event only when Conversion Variable Syntax is selected. |
Expiration
eVars
expire after a time period you specify. After the eVar expires, it no longer receives credit for success events. eVars can also be configured to expire on success events. For example, if you have an internal promotion that expires at the end of a visit, the internal promotion receives credit only for purchases or registrations that occur during the visit in which they were activated.
There are two ways to expire an eVar:
- You can set the eVar to expire after a specified time period or event.
- You can use force the expiration of an eVar by resetting it, which is useful when repurposing a variable.
For example, if you change the expiration of an eVar from 30 to 90 days, eVar values collected will continue to persist for the duration of the new expiration set (in this case, 90 days). The system simply looks at the current expiration setting and the last set timestamp of the eVar value collected to determine expiration. Only the Reset option expires values and does so immediately.
Another example: If an eVar is used in May to reflect internal promotions and expires after 21 days, and in June it is used to capture internal search keywords, then on June 1, you should force the expiration of, or reset, the variable. Doing so will help keep internal promotion values out of June’s reports.
Case Sensitivity
eVars are not case sensitive. The upper or lower case used in reporting is based on the first value the backend system registers. This value could either be the first instance ever seen or vary by some time period (e.g., monthly), depending on the variety and quantity of data associated with the report suite.
Counters
While eVars are most often used to hold string values, they may also be configured to act as counters. eVars are useful as counters when you are trying to count the number of actions a user takes before an event. For example, you may use an eVar to capture the number of internal searches before purchase. Each time a visitor searches, the eVar should contain a value of ‘+1.’ If a visitor searches four times before a purchase, you will see an instance for each total count: 1.00, 2.00, 3.00, and 4.00. However, only the 4.00 receives credit for the purchase event (Orders and Revenue Metrics). Only positive numbers are allowed as values of an eVar counter.
Add or edit conversion variables
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Click Analytics > Admin > Report Suites.
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Select a report suite.
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Click Edit Settings > Conversion > Conversion Variables.
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On the Conversion Variables page, click the Expand icon [+] next to the conversion variable you want to modify.
Or
Click Add New to add an unused eVar to the report suite.
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Select the conversion variable fields you want to modify.
See Conversion Variables - Descriptions. Some fields let you type directly in the field. Others let you select from a drop-down list of supported values.
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Click Save.