1. What is the Universal Analytics Backup solution? #
Our Universal Analytics (UA) Backup solution allows you to seamlessly back up your Google UA data in view of its impending sunset on June 30th. We offer both a free and a paid solution, ensuring that your data remains accessible and usable.
2. How does the backup process work? #
The process is straightforward. We set up a connection between your UA account and a BigQuery dataset, where your data will be stored. Our extensive experience shows that storing data in your own organization’s cloud infrastructure is optimal. This approach ensures the integrity of your data and reporting without relying on third parties. Additionally, safety concerns are minimized as you are the sole proprietor of your data, and your data stores will live indefinitely.
Furthermore, you will receive your own Power BI data model containing ready-made visualizations to see insights from your data.
3. What will the ongoing cost be? #
3.1 What are the costs associated with BigQuery? #
Google’s BigQuery pricing is split into storage and analysis costs. Since our solution uses Power BI for local visualizations and queries, you only incur storage costs:
- Active Storage: $0.02 per GiB per month for data modified within 90 days, with the first 10 GiB free each month.
- Long-term Storage: $0.01 per GiB per month for data not modified for 90 consecutive days, with the first 10 GiB free each month.
Since the UA backup-related tables will be static (i.e., they won’t be processed again after the initial import), the ongoing cost will fall under long-term storage and will be virtually zero. Our solution handles visualizations and queries locally through Power BI, which avoids BigQuery querying costs altogether. Thus, the only cost associated with using BigQuery for this solution is related to storage.
3.2 What are the Power BI costs? #
Power BI offers two primary options:
- Power BI Desktop: Free, for connecting to BigQuery and creating visualizations locally.
- Power BI Pro: $10/user/month, necessary for sharing reports and dashboards.
- Power BI Premium: $20/user/month, recommended for larger teams needing enhanced performance and features.
Note that the full functionality of PowerBi desktop will be available through our .pbix deliverable for free with the local semantic data model you receive.
4. How do I pay and what happens when I pay? #
Inside the Maya Insights app, you may use the main navigation menu in the left-hand panel to visit the ‘Marketplace’. There, you may see the option to ‘Buy UA Backup’.
5. How do we set up BigQuery? #
It is a simple process. We have created the following instructional blog post: How to Setup BigQuery Data Destination and a short video to run you through the process: Watch Video
6. What data dimensions and metrics are included in the free solution? #
Report Name | Dimensions | Metrics |
| country_channel | date country channelGrouping | sessions users bounces transactions transactionRevenue newUsers pageViews sessionDuration |
| campaign_source_medium | date campaign source medium sourceMedium | sessions users bounces transactions transactionRevenue newUsers pageViews sessionDuration adClicks adCost |
| country_device | date country deviceCategory | sessions users bounces transactions transactionRevenue newUsers pageViews sessionDuration |
| landing_page_channel | date landingPagePath channelGrouping | sessions users bounces transactions transactionRevenue newUsers pageViews sessionDuration |
| user_type | date userType | sessions users bounces transactions transactionRevenue newUsers pageViews sessionDuration |
| country_language | date country shoppingStage | sessions users transactions transactionRevenue |
| product_sku_name | date productSku productName | revenuePerItem itemQuantity productRefundAmount productRefunds productCheckouts productRemovesFromCart productListViews productAddsToCart productListClicks |
| transaction | date transactionId | transactions transactionRevenue |
| product_category | date productCategoryHierarchy | revenuePerItem itemQuantity productRefundAmount productRefunds productCheckouts productRemovesFromCart productListViews productAddsToCart productListClicks |
| google_analytics_legacy_product_coupon | date productCouponCode | revenuePerItem itemQuantity productRefundAmount productRefunds productCheckouts productRemovesFromCart productListViews productAddsToCart productListClicks |
7. What is the structure of the Power BI data model I will receive? #
The previous table shows a breakdown of the dimensions and metrics available for you to use in each tab of the PowerBI dashboard to drill-down your data and inspect the visualizations. We have distributed dimension-metric combinations in such a way across tabs so that each tab is concerned with a specific aspect of your data. This way, you receive insightful ready-made analysis.
8. Why can’t you back up all dimensions and metrics that existed in UA? #
Unfortunately, Google has imposed limitations on the combinations of dimensions and metrics that we can retrieve from Universal Analytics. Our team conducted extensive research to identify feasible queries to Google’s API, and the table above lists the combinations we can retrieve seamlessly for all organizations.
9. Can we back up additional metrics and dimensions? #
Yes, if you purchase the basic product we can do that upon request, with a cost of 200 EUR (no VAT) per dimension-metric combination. We can retrieve data on those dimensions and safely store it in the database accessed by your data model, but, currently, we do not support the data modeling and visualization of custom dimensions. This means that, in your powerbi, you will be able to inspect only the default dimensions and metrics, and the rest will be safely stored for future analysis in your db, just not visualized.
10. What are the security measures in place for data transfer? #
Your data is transferred securely from UA to BigQuery. During the transit, the data passes through our servers for transformation but is not stored. Our servers are protected with multiple layers of security, including firewalls, VPNs, Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems, and encrypted password vaults.
11. What is the period covered by the UA backup solution? #
The free backup covers a one-year period from 2022-10-01 to 2023-10-01. This period is fixed for the free option.
The paid solution backs up 5 years’ worth of data starting from 2018-01-01.
12. How can we ensure the security of our data? #
If you set up your BigQuery dataset, your organization retains full control over the data. Our security measures ensure that data transfer is safe and secure, with no unauthorized access possible. Furthemore, as an extra measure of precaution, after the data loading process is over, you can delete the service account which authorizes Maya Insights to control the flow, so that no third-parties are involved in your db. Note that this is not recommended to do so until July 1st.
13. How can we book a meeting for further assistance? #
You can book a meeting with our team for personalized assistance through the following link: https://www.mayainsights.com/schedule-meeting/
