Setup & Connecting Data Sources
Overview
Each template comes pre-wired to a sample data source. After copying the template you replace the sample with your own. This page covers the most common data sources.
To change a data source: open the Resource menu → Manage added data sources → click Edit next to the source you want to replace.
Google Analytics 4
Requirements
- A GA4 property connected to your website or app
- At least a few weeks of data for trends to be meaningful
- GA4 Viewer or Editor access for your Google account
How to connect
- In the data source editor, click Edit connection
- Under Google Analytics, select your Account, then your Property
- Click Reconnect to confirm
Important: do not change the data source during the copy step
When you first copy the template, leave the default data source in place. Changing it during the copy dialog can remove custom calculated fields. Connect your own source after copying.
Universal Analytics (UA) is not supported
Our GA4 templates connect to GA4 properties only. If you still have a UA property, you will need to migrate to GA4 first.
Google Search Console
Requirements
- Your website must be verified in Google Search Console
- At least a few weeks of data for rankings to be meaningful
- Owner or Full User access for the property in your Google account
How to connect
- In the data source editor, click Edit connection
- Select Search Console as the connector
- Choose your Site and set the Table to "Site Impression" (for the main overview pages)
- Click Reconnect
Some pages use the "URL Impression" table for page-level data. The setup guide included in your purchase email explains which table to use for each page.
Google Ads
Requirements
- An active Google Ads account with campaign data
- Google Ads access (at least Read access) for your Google account
How to connect
- In the data source editor, click Edit connection
- Select Google Ads as the connector
- Choose your Customer ID (account)
- Click Reconnect
Google Sheets
Requirements
- A Google Sheet with data in the format described in the included setup guide
- Editor or Viewer access on the sheet
How to connect
- In the data source editor, click Edit connection
- Select Google Sheets as the connector
- Choose your Spreadsheet and the relevant Sheet/Tab
- Make sure "Use first row as headers" is enabled
- Click Reconnect
For Finance and CRM templates, a pre-formatted Google Sheets data template is included in your purchase email. Fill in your own data and connect to that sheet.
Multiple data sources
Some templates connect to several data sources (e.g. GA4 + Search Console + Google Ads). Repeat the connection steps for each source listed under Manage added data sources.
Troubleshooting connection issues
If a chart shows "No data" or an error after reconnecting:
- Confirm your account has access to the data source
- Check that the date range in Data Studio covers dates when data exists
- Make sure you connected to the correct property or account
See the full Troubleshooting guide for more.