GA4's default reports frustrate a lot of analysts. The data is all there: sessions, conversions, engagement rates... but the interface makes it harder than it should be to slice, compare, and share. Connecting Google Analytics 4 to Data Studio fixes that. You get full control over layout, dimensions, and date ranges, and you can share a live report with anyone without giving them access to your GA4 property.
This guide walks you through the connection process, highlights the field-naming quirks that trip people up, and gets you to a working report quickly.
Why bother moving GA4 data into Data Studio?
A few reasons this is worth doing:
- Custom date comparisons. GA4's built-in comparisons are limited. In Data Studio you can set any date range with a report-level date picker that applies across every page at once.
- Blended data sources. Once you're in Data Studio, you can blend GA4 with Search Console, Google Ads, or a Google Sheet in the same chart.
- Shareable, always-live reports. Send a link — no login to GA4 required for viewers.
- Your layout, your metrics. Stop working around Google's fixed report structure. Make it look like a company native data product.
Step 1 — Create a new report and add the GA4 data source
- Go to Data Studio and click Create > Report.
- The Add data to report panel opens automatically. Search for
Google Analyticsand select it. - You'll see a list of your GA4 accounts and properties. Make sure you select a GA4 property — these are labelled with a numeric property ID (e.g.
123456789), not the olderUA-prefix. If you pick a Universal Analytics property by mistake, the available fields will look completely different. - Click Add and then Add to Report to confirm.
Data Studio now has a live connection to your GA4 property. Any chart you create will query GA4 in real time when the report loads.
Step 2 — Understand how GA4 fields are named
This is where most people hit their first wall. GA4 field names in Data Studio do not always match what you see in the GA4 interface.
A few important ones to know:
| GA4 interface label | Looker Studio field name |
|---|---|
| Sessions | Sessions |
| Engaged sessions | Engaged Sessions |
| Engagement rate | Engagement Rate |
| Views (page views) | Views |
| Event count | Event Count |
| Conversions | Conversions |
| Users | Total Users or Active Users — these are different |
The Total Users vs Active Users distinction catches people out. Active Users is what GA4 shows as "Users" in its own interface. Total Users counts anyone who triggered at least one event, including some edge cases. For most marketing reports, use Active Users to stay consistent with what your stakeholders see in GA4 directly.
Step 3 — Build a basic traffic overview
With your data source connected, add a few core components:
Scorecard row
Insert four scorecards along the top of the page (but leave some room for step 4): Active Users, Sessions, Engagement Rate, and Conversions. These give stakeholders the headline numbers at a glance.
Sessions over time
Add a Time Series chart. Set the dimension to Date and the metric to Sessions. Add Active Users as a second metric. This gives you the classic traffic trend line.
Top pages table
Insert a Table chart. Set the dimension to Page Path and Screen Class and add metrics: Views, Active Users, Engagement Rate. Sort by Views descending. This shows which content is actually getting seen.
Channel breakdown
Add a Bar Chart with Session Default Channel Group as the dimension and Sessions as the metric. This tells you where your traffic is coming from without needing to dig into GA4's Acquisition reports.
Step 4 — Add a date range control
Drag a Date Range Control onto the report canvas from the toolbar. By default it will only affect charts on the current page. To make it apply across the whole report, right-click the control and set the scope to Report level. Full instructions are in the date picker guide.
Common mistakes to avoid
Mixing session-scoped and user-scoped metrics in the same chart. Some combinations produce unexpected numbers. For example, pairing Sessions with User Engagement Duration can result in figures that don't match GA4's own interface. Stick to metrics from the same scope unless you know what you're doing.
Using Page Path alone. GA4 sends both web page paths and mobile screen names through the same stream. Use Page Path and Screen Class to capture both, or filter your data source to web only if you don't need app data.
Not setting a default date range. New reports default to the last 28 days, which is fine — but make it explicit. Set a default date range on the report so viewers aren't confused about what period they're looking at.
Want a head start?
Building from scratch is a great way to learn the field names, but if you need a polished report fast, the GA4 Insights template comes pre-built with the metrics marketing teams care about most — traffic trends, engagement, conversions, and channel breakdowns — all formatted and ready for your data. Connect your GA4 property and it's done.
For a broader view that combines GA4 with Search Console, Google Ads, and YouTube, the Complete Website Overview template covers all four data sources in one report.
Quick recap
- Connect GA4 via the Google Analytics connector — confirm you're selecting a GA4 (numeric ID) property, not UA.
- Use
Active Usersto match the Users figure shown in GA4's own interface. - Use
Page Path and Screen Classas your page dimension. - Set your date range control to report level so it applies everywhere.
- Watch out for mixing metrics from different scopes in the same chart.
Once you have the data flowing, Data Studio gives you far more flexibility than GA4's built-in reports. The connection itself takes two minutes — it's the field names that slow people down, and now you know which ones to watch.