Menu
How to Create Custom Funnel Reports in Google Analytics 4
Learn how to create and analyze custom funnel reports in Google Analytics 4. Track user journeys, measure drop-off rates, and optimize for conversions with GA4’s latest funnel reporting features.
Napkyn
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) now offers custom funnel reporting, empowering you to track user journeys with precision. This new feature lets you build tailored funnels that align with your business goals, offering insights into drop-off rates at each stage. Use this powerful tool to understand and optimize user interactions within your website or app.
You can use these insights to optimize your website or app by identifying and addressing areas where users may experience inefficiencies or abandon their journeys.
How custom funnels work
Creating custom funnel reports in GA4 starts with building a funnel exploration. This exploration functions as the foundation for your report, which you can save to your report library for easy access. Once saved, the custom funnel report allows you to examine user journeys, identify trends, and optimize engagement at each stage.
Prerequisites
To create and save a custom funnel report in GA4, you’ll need Editor or Administrator permissions, allowing you to add it directly to your navigation menu for convenient access.
How to Create a Funnel Report
From the left-hand menu, navigate to Explore.
Open or create a FUNNEL EXPLORATION.
Click Save in the top right corner to store the exploration as a report.
Add a name and description, then click Save again.
Your saved report will include settings such as applied filters, funnel steps, funnel type (open or closed), and dimension breakdown.
The applied filters
The step definitions
The type of funnel (that is, open or closed)
The dimension breakdown
Note: Some advanced settings—like elapsed time between steps and next action insights—aren't retained in the saved report. For detailed analysis, refer back to the original funnel exploration.
Add the report to your navigation
To make the report easier to find, you can add it to your navigation:
Click View Report in Library below your saved exploration, or access the Report Library from the left menu.
In the Collections section, select Edit Collection for the collection you want.
Drag and drop your funnel report under the desired topic, then click Save.
If the collection isn’t published, click More > Publish in the report library to make it visible.
Re-create a funnel exploration from the report
If the original exploration that created the funnel report is deleted, no need to worry. You can still recover it by opening the funnel report in Explore.
To open the report as an exploration:
In the funnel report, click Add comparison above the report.
On the right, click Explore.
Analyzing the funnel
Abandonment rate
Abandonment rate is a crucial metric that measures the percentage of users who drop off between the current step and the next step in your funnel. This rate is displayed below each bar that signifies the next step in the funnel. For instance, if there are 100 users who engage in a session (current step) and only 48 users view a product (next step), then the abandonment rate beneath the current step would be 48 (48%). It’s important to keep track of your abandonment rate to identify and address bottlenecks in your funnel and improve your user retention.
Completion rate
Completion rate is the percentage of users who successfully completed a step, and it’s the inverse of the abandonment rate. In other words, it measures how many users moved on to the next step after completing the previous one. You can easily check the completion rate by looking at the header of the next step, which shows this information. For instance, if the completion rate is 52%, the header of the next step would display this figure.
To get more detailed information about user behavior, you can hover over each step in the report. This will reveal the number of users who completed (or didn’t complete) the step. For example, if you hover over the current step, you will see that 100 users completed it. If you hover over the next step, you will see that only 52 users made it that far. By analyzing completion rates for each step, you can identify where users drop off and optimize your conversion funnel.
View the funnel steps
To preview the steps comprising your funnel in a read-only mode, simply click “View funnel steps.” Note that you will not be able to alter the steps or conditions of the funnel from this perspective.
Open and closed funnels
GA4 supports both Open and Closed funnels:
Open Funnels include users who enter at any stage, allowing for flexible analysis of segmented user paths.
Closed Funnels restrict entry to the first step, useful for linear journeys where tracking starts from a specific action."
In open funnels, stacked bars represent the number of users entering at each step compared to those moving from the previous one.
Examine your data using the table
The bar chart offers a visual summary of user behavior, while the table below provides deeper insights. Use the Dimension Picker to segment data by factors like location, time, or user demographics. The table highlights metrics such as active users at each stage, enabling data-driven decisions for funnel optimization.
Adjust the size of the chart
Easily adjust the size of each bar on the chart by using the plus and minus buttons in the bottom right corner. Zooming in allows for a closer examination of each individual bar, revealing even greater levels of detail. Please note that if you adjust the zoom level to the point where a bar’s height exceeds that of the graph, a curve will be added to indicate that the bar is not drawn to scale.
Adjust the date range
The report shows data for the last 28 days by default. You can adjust the date range using the drop-down menu in the top right of the report.
Limits
You can create up to 200 custom reports per property.
There are circumstance where you can’t save a funnel exploration as a report. Including:
A filter, in the Filters column of Tab Settings, has a condition that is not supported by Reports
More than 5 filters are applied in the Filters column of Tab Settings
Segments are applied in the Segment comparisons column of Tab Settings
The funnel includes dimensions, metrics, or operators that aren’t supported by Reports
You’ve created a trended funnel instead of a standard funnel
Limits for saved reports
To customize your funnel exploration report, you can delete, rename, add, or remove it from report collections. However, to actually edit the report, you’ll need to make changes to the original funnel exploration and then save it as a new report. In other words, you can’t directly modify your report, but you can update the exploration behind it.
Warning: Partial Data Shown for Date Range: If the date range in your funnel report falls outside of the event data retention for your property, a warning will appear. For instance, if your property has a data retention period of 2 months, the warning will appear if your report has a date range of 6 months. To resolve this, adjust the date range accordingly.
Saved Report vs Funnel Exploration: Keep in mind that the saved report reflects the state of the funnel exploration when it was saved and is not linked to it. This means that any changes made to the exploration after the report is saved won’t affect the report. Similarly, altering the report won’t have any impact on the exploration.
Conclusion
Analyzing the behavior of customers while they interact with a brand or product is crucial in making data-driven decisions that optimize advertising campaigns. By identifying the points where customers lose interest, and pinpointing areas for improvement, advertisers can enhance user experience, boost conversion rates, and maximize their return on investment. Understanding these customer paths allows businesses to make informed decisions that lead to success in the competitive world of advertising.
At Napkyn, we keep track of the latest Google Analytics 4 developments and post updates to ensure you are always in the loop regarding new features and how to use them. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to get the latest scoop on Google Analytics 4 as well as useful guides for getting the most out of this platform.
Have questions about transitioning or getting the most out of your GA4 implementation? Contact us.
More Insights
Server-Side Google Tag Manager: Multi-Region vs. Single-Region Deployment
Ketul Dave
Implementation Specialist
Nov 27, 2024
Read More
How to Recreate the 'Page Value' Metric in GA4 with BigQuery
Shreya Banker
Data Scientist
Nov 20, 2024
Read More
Remarketing in a Privacy-Centric World
Jasmine Libert
Head of Data Solutions
Nov 13, 2024
Read More
More Insights
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Napkyn Inc.
204-78 George Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5W1, Canada
Napkyn US
6 East 32nd Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10016, USA
212-247-0800 | info@napkyn.com
How to Create Custom Funnel Reports in Google Analytics 4
Learn how to create and analyze custom funnel reports in Google Analytics 4. Track user journeys, measure drop-off rates, and optimize for conversions with GA4’s latest funnel reporting features.
Napkyn
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) now offers custom funnel reporting, empowering you to track user journeys with precision. This new feature lets you build tailored funnels that align with your business goals, offering insights into drop-off rates at each stage. Use this powerful tool to understand and optimize user interactions within your website or app.
You can use these insights to optimize your website or app by identifying and addressing areas where users may experience inefficiencies or abandon their journeys.
How custom funnels work
Creating custom funnel reports in GA4 starts with building a funnel exploration. This exploration functions as the foundation for your report, which you can save to your report library for easy access. Once saved, the custom funnel report allows you to examine user journeys, identify trends, and optimize engagement at each stage.
Prerequisites
To create and save a custom funnel report in GA4, you’ll need Editor or Administrator permissions, allowing you to add it directly to your navigation menu for convenient access.
How to Create a Funnel Report
From the left-hand menu, navigate to Explore.
Open or create a FUNNEL EXPLORATION.
Click Save in the top right corner to store the exploration as a report.
Add a name and description, then click Save again.
Your saved report will include settings such as applied filters, funnel steps, funnel type (open or closed), and dimension breakdown.
The applied filters
The step definitions
The type of funnel (that is, open or closed)
The dimension breakdown
Note: Some advanced settings—like elapsed time between steps and next action insights—aren't retained in the saved report. For detailed analysis, refer back to the original funnel exploration.
Add the report to your navigation
To make the report easier to find, you can add it to your navigation:
Click View Report in Library below your saved exploration, or access the Report Library from the left menu.
In the Collections section, select Edit Collection for the collection you want.
Drag and drop your funnel report under the desired topic, then click Save.
If the collection isn’t published, click More > Publish in the report library to make it visible.
Re-create a funnel exploration from the report
If the original exploration that created the funnel report is deleted, no need to worry. You can still recover it by opening the funnel report in Explore.
To open the report as an exploration:
In the funnel report, click Add comparison above the report.
On the right, click Explore.
Analyzing the funnel
Abandonment rate
Abandonment rate is a crucial metric that measures the percentage of users who drop off between the current step and the next step in your funnel. This rate is displayed below each bar that signifies the next step in the funnel. For instance, if there are 100 users who engage in a session (current step) and only 48 users view a product (next step), then the abandonment rate beneath the current step would be 48 (48%). It’s important to keep track of your abandonment rate to identify and address bottlenecks in your funnel and improve your user retention.
Completion rate
Completion rate is the percentage of users who successfully completed a step, and it’s the inverse of the abandonment rate. In other words, it measures how many users moved on to the next step after completing the previous one. You can easily check the completion rate by looking at the header of the next step, which shows this information. For instance, if the completion rate is 52%, the header of the next step would display this figure.
To get more detailed information about user behavior, you can hover over each step in the report. This will reveal the number of users who completed (or didn’t complete) the step. For example, if you hover over the current step, you will see that 100 users completed it. If you hover over the next step, you will see that only 52 users made it that far. By analyzing completion rates for each step, you can identify where users drop off and optimize your conversion funnel.
View the funnel steps
To preview the steps comprising your funnel in a read-only mode, simply click “View funnel steps.” Note that you will not be able to alter the steps or conditions of the funnel from this perspective.
Open and closed funnels
GA4 supports both Open and Closed funnels:
Open Funnels include users who enter at any stage, allowing for flexible analysis of segmented user paths.
Closed Funnels restrict entry to the first step, useful for linear journeys where tracking starts from a specific action."
In open funnels, stacked bars represent the number of users entering at each step compared to those moving from the previous one.
Examine your data using the table
The bar chart offers a visual summary of user behavior, while the table below provides deeper insights. Use the Dimension Picker to segment data by factors like location, time, or user demographics. The table highlights metrics such as active users at each stage, enabling data-driven decisions for funnel optimization.
Adjust the size of the chart
Easily adjust the size of each bar on the chart by using the plus and minus buttons in the bottom right corner. Zooming in allows for a closer examination of each individual bar, revealing even greater levels of detail. Please note that if you adjust the zoom level to the point where a bar’s height exceeds that of the graph, a curve will be added to indicate that the bar is not drawn to scale.
Adjust the date range
The report shows data for the last 28 days by default. You can adjust the date range using the drop-down menu in the top right of the report.
Limits
You can create up to 200 custom reports per property.
There are circumstance where you can’t save a funnel exploration as a report. Including:
A filter, in the Filters column of Tab Settings, has a condition that is not supported by Reports
More than 5 filters are applied in the Filters column of Tab Settings
Segments are applied in the Segment comparisons column of Tab Settings
The funnel includes dimensions, metrics, or operators that aren’t supported by Reports
You’ve created a trended funnel instead of a standard funnel
Limits for saved reports
To customize your funnel exploration report, you can delete, rename, add, or remove it from report collections. However, to actually edit the report, you’ll need to make changes to the original funnel exploration and then save it as a new report. In other words, you can’t directly modify your report, but you can update the exploration behind it.
Warning: Partial Data Shown for Date Range: If the date range in your funnel report falls outside of the event data retention for your property, a warning will appear. For instance, if your property has a data retention period of 2 months, the warning will appear if your report has a date range of 6 months. To resolve this, adjust the date range accordingly.
Saved Report vs Funnel Exploration: Keep in mind that the saved report reflects the state of the funnel exploration when it was saved and is not linked to it. This means that any changes made to the exploration after the report is saved won’t affect the report. Similarly, altering the report won’t have any impact on the exploration.
Conclusion
Analyzing the behavior of customers while they interact with a brand or product is crucial in making data-driven decisions that optimize advertising campaigns. By identifying the points where customers lose interest, and pinpointing areas for improvement, advertisers can enhance user experience, boost conversion rates, and maximize their return on investment. Understanding these customer paths allows businesses to make informed decisions that lead to success in the competitive world of advertising.
At Napkyn, we keep track of the latest Google Analytics 4 developments and post updates to ensure you are always in the loop regarding new features and how to use them. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to get the latest scoop on Google Analytics 4 as well as useful guides for getting the most out of this platform.
Have questions about transitioning or getting the most out of your GA4 implementation? Contact us.
More Insights
November 2024 GA4 & GMP Updates
Napkyn
Dec 4, 2024
Read More
Server-Side Google Tag Manager: Multi-Region vs. Single-Region Deployment
Ketul Dave
Implementation Specialist
Nov 27, 2024
Read More
How to Recreate the 'Page Value' Metric in GA4 with BigQuery
Shreya Banker
Data Scientist
Nov 20, 2024
Read More
More Insights
Sign Up For Our Newsletter