Removal of Attribution Models and Introduction of Calculated Metrics in Google Analytics 4

In a follow-up to an earlier announcement, it has been revealed that Google Analytics will discontinue the use of First click, Linear, Time decay, and Position-based attribution models across all properties, effective from mid-October 2023. These models will no longer be accessible in both the Analytics user interface and Admin API. For properties currently relying on these models, they will be automatically transitioned to the Paid and organic data-driven attribution model. Meanwhile, the Paid and organic last click, and Google paid channels last click models will remain available.

Furthermore, calculated metrics have been introduced in Google Analytics 4. These metrics involve the application of mathematical formulas to one or more existing or custom metrics to generate new, potentially more insightful metrics. For instance, users can create a metric like “Item margin” by using the standard “Item price” metric and the custom “Item COGS” metric.

With this update, you have the flexibility to customize metrics to align with your specific business needs or logic. You can adjust the weighting of existing metrics or create entirely new metrics by combining standard and/or custom metrics.

These new metrics tend to be more actionable than the original metrics from which they are derived, as they incorporate additional business logic, enabling direct decision-making and action within Google Analytics.

Learn more here about calculated metrics.