Your UA Data is About to Expire—Here’s How to Save It

For those who already migrated to GA4, the retrieval of historical UA data might still be a challenge, but one that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The end of UA brings the irrevocable loss of priceless historical data, which is key to understanding performance over time. This loss prevents you from identifying trends or addressing questions about past purchases or campaigns, creating gaps that can impact your bottom line. 

That said, If exporting historical data from UA properties was easy, I wouldn’t be writing about it. To tackle these challenges, Media.Monks has developed our own Universal Analytics Data Export & Archive Tool, a custom tool that helps clients efficiently extract and store their historical data.

A tailored solution designed to solve common challenges.

Unlike off-the-shelf tools, the UA Data Export & Archive Tool offers tailored data extraction, ensuring data is accurately captured and organized according to your specific business needs. On top of that, standard UA users had very limited data export capabilities. But even with an upgraded 360 version, achieving a seamless and comprehensive export is difficult due to backfill limitations.

With a focus on frictionless delivery, the UA Data Export & Archive Tool addresses these limitations to guarantee a smooth transition. “Our data scientists have created a custom script to solve our clients UA export issues, whether your property was upgraded to 360 and linked to BigQuery or not.” says Brianna Mersey, Senior Director, Data. “The tool uses the Google Analytics Reporting API (v4) to export data into BigQuery or any designated data warehouse.”

In other words, UA Data Export & Archive Tool lets you export and own your UA historical data in a first-party environment—even if you don’t have the 360 version. 

Seven steps for a straightforward process.

The UA Data Export & Archive Tool is designed to make the data extraction and archiving process seamless and efficient. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

• Initial Assessment: We begin with a thorough assessment of your current UA setup and data needs. This helps us understand the scope of data to be exported and any specific requirements you may have.
• Custom Python Scripts: Using Python code in Google Colab, our data scientists have developed scripts that automate the data export process. These scripts are customized to create aggregated reporting tables aligned with your desired dimensions and metrics.
• Data Aggregation and Structuring: The exported data is aggregated and organized into structured tables. 
• Data Storage: Once the data is exported and structured, it is securely stored in the data warehouse of your choice, such as BigQuery or any other designated storage solution. This ensures you maintain control over your historical data.
• Custom Reporting: Our solution offers the ability to build up to five custom tables or reports based on your specific requirements, enabling you to access the most relevant insights for your business.
• Expert Support: Throughout the process, our team provides expert support to ensure your data is accurately captured and properly aligned with your new analytics system. This includes assistance in setting up a secure data warehousing solution if desired.
• Privacy and Compliance: The tool adheres to industry best practices for privacy and data security, ensuring that your data remains confidential and compliant with all relevant regulations.

Efficiently organized data turns into capitalized opportunities.

In times of economic uncertainty and in a data era where everything is moving faster, having historical data is essential for adjusting marketing strategies and making predictive and informed business decisions. That’s why the urgency to properly export your UA data cannot be overstated. “If you have even the slightest concern about losing your data, for benchmarking and year on year comparisons, now is the time to act,” says Mersey.

With only weeks left before UA shuts down, every day counts. Don’t risk losing valuable historical data and keep the insights crucial for your business’s success.

If you need to retrieve and store your historical UA data, we're here to help. Fill out the form below to get in touch with one of our data experts.