Data Import lets you integrate the data from a variety of external business systems with Google Analytics to gain a better understanding of how your customers behave on the web. You can use this imported data for reporting, segmentation and remarketing, giving you a more complete view of your business using Analytics reports.
For example, a web publisher can augment collected user count metrics with data dimensions exported from their CMS and CRM systems to see the relative contributions of authors to their site.
The ‘Data Import’ option in GA gives us the feasibility to add the data set types as listed below:
Data Import lets you upload and integrate information with your Analytics account at 3 different points in the data collection and processing chain.
HIT DATA IMPORT – Hit Data import lets you send hit data directly into Analytics. This provides an alternative to using the tracking code, Collection API, the Mobile SDKs, or the Measurement Protocol
| Refund Data | Align your internal ecommerce reporting with analytics by importing ecommerce refund data |
EXTENDED DATA IMPORT – Extended data import adds to (extends) the data already collected and processed, or being processed, for the selected reporting views
| User Data | Create segments and remarketing lists that incorporate imported user metadata, such as a loyalty rating or lifetime customer value |
| Campaign Data | Expand and Reuse your existing non-Google campaign codes by importing ad campaign-related dimensions, such as source |
| Geographical Data | Custom geographical regions specific data |
| Content Data | Content metadata, such as author, date published, and article categories |
| Product Data | Import product metadata, such as size, color, style, or other product-related dimensions |
| Custom Data | Provides support for importing custom data sets |
SUMMARY DATA IMPORT – Summary data lets you sum uploaded metrics. Useful when you receive data in batches some time following hit collection, as summary data import lets you add to or update your information as it becomes available
| Cost Data | Include 3rd party (non-Google) ad network clicks, cost and impression data to gain a more complete picture of your ad spend |