What Does "(not set)" Mean in GA4 and How to Fix It?

Ever come across the cryptic "(not set)" value in your Google Analytics 4 reports?  It's like a ghost in the machine, haunting your data and leaving you wondering what it means.

We’ll learn in this blog post what could be the reason behind the "(not set)" value in Google Analytics 4 reports. However,  it's important to acknowledge the limitations inherent to the platform's current state. As we all know Google Analytics 4 is still under development, and certain features contributing to "(not set)" values remain beyond our immediate control.

Nonetheless, by understanding the causes and exploring available solutions, we can effectively minimize its presence and navigate the unavoidable with grace.  Let’s get into it!

What is (not set) value in Google Analytics 4?

"(not set)" in Google Analytics 4 is a placeholder indicating missing information for a specific dimension. It’s like if Google Analytics 4 can't understand the information you're trying to track in a specific dimension, instead of leaving it blank, it places it as "(not set)" value. This is like when you're playing a sorting game and come across an item that doesn't fit neatly into any of the existing boxes, so you put it in a "miscellaneous" box.

And this happens because data collection isn't working quite right, like a leaky faucet in your analytics pipeline. Or maybe it's missing a vital definition, like a recipe without ingredients. And let's be honest, sometimes it's just a limitation of the platform itself, like a still-growing toolbox.

Let’s see how we can try to decode each of the reporting sections in GA4 where this usually happens. 

Landing Page Dimension is (not set)

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If you see (not set) in your Landing page report, it means a session does not have a page_view event (associated with the page_location). This may seem paradoxical, how can a landing page exist without a page view? This could happen and there are a few examples, which we will discuss soon in detail in another blog post. But one possible cause is that the user_engagement event is firing before the page_view event. 

Okay, you might be thinking of switching this off through the Enhanced Measurement section in the GA4 UI, but it's not the best approach. Instead, let's prioritize firing the page_view event before user_engagement to address this issue. Interestingly, Server-Side Tagging presents one of the best solutions to this issue. We'll be sharing more details about this approach soon.

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Session source / medium dimension is (not set)

In this report, if session_start is missing, this will lead to the session source / medium to report as (not set).  Again, it leaves us the question: how can a session fail to trigger or pass the critical "session_start" event?

Occasionally, technical issues  with the Analytics implementation (might be because of server-side tracking) or tracking code can prevent the session_start event from being recorded accurately.  We are still working to provide a  comprehensive solution on this as we need to dive deeper in how to properly set up server-side tracking. We will share it with you soon. On the other hand, digital marketer out there are also struggling on finding other reasons why GA4 still occasionally misses the session_start event. But if we find other reasons, we will make sure to update this blog. 

 Another possible reason of (not set) in session source / medium report  is incomplete or invalid UTM parameters: If you manually tag your website URLs with UTM parameters (eg. utm_source, utm_medium, etc.), incomplete or invalid parameters will confuse Google Analytics 4, resulting in "(not set)" values. Note that when it comes to custom campaign parameters (UTM) utm_medium and utm_source are required and it’s fine if you don’t set any values on other UTM parameters. However, you’ll expect (not set) values on these if it’s time to analyze the data in your GA4 reporting.

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Content group dimension is (not set)

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Here are some of the reasons why this dimension value occasionally or mostly shows (not set) value:

You might not be sending the dimension value correctly to GA4, and this needs to be configured via GTAG or GTM. Also, we don’t need to just transmit the data, but it’s crucial to configure it correctly. Google Analytics has provided a guide on how to set this up here. 

Combining this dimension with automatically collected events (e.g., session_start and first_visit) will result in the content group appearing as (not set). For now, there’s no solution to that. 

Custom defined User ID dimension is (not set)

This is pretty straightforward,  it is recommended that you do not register a user ID as a custom dimension. If you use a custom defined User ID dimension, (not set) can appear. 

Custom parameters is (not set)

If you register a custom parameter for an event, you might not see the parameter value immediately and will be placed as (not set) value temporarily. It may take up to 24 hours for the parameter value to appear. After 24 hours, you should see the expected parameter values.

Custom parameters won't work with the automatic "session_start" or "first_visit" events. When you try to send a custom parameter with these events, it will show up as "(not set)" in your reports.

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Google Ads dimensions is (not set)

One of the most important things when analyzing your campaign effectiveness is when checking your Google Ads campaign report. There are several supported dimensions, but if you see them (not set), here are the reasons: 

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Google Ads account and Google Analytics 4 property are not linked. So ensure that these accounts are connected by following the step-by-step guide here.  Also, check if there are any other Google Ads accounts running ads for your website that aren't connected to your GA4 account. Traffic from these unconnected accounts will show up as "(not set)" in your Google Ads reports. This is because GA4 can't match these conversions to specific clicks.

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Google Ads data isn't automatically being added to GA4 because a feature called "auto-tagging" is not enabled. Enabling this feature is important so GA4 can see and track your Google Ads data properly.

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Page title is (not set)

If you see Page title and screen class (or Page title and screen name) as (not set) in your Pages and screens report. You need to collaborate with your developer team to ensure that the <title></title> tag is added to those pages where you’ve identified them as (not set)

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To provide further insight, here are some of the possible main reasons why (not set) could occur in your reports: 

Measurement Protocol (MP) 

Well some said that this is the second most common reason for (not set) data seen in GA4 report. Let me explain this in the simplest way here, but I will definitely post something more comprehensive. But first, what is this feature? Measurement protocol  is a way to send your offline data (e.g. CRM) to GA4 to enrich the data you collected on your website. So if you’re not sending certain data, such as session source  or medium your MP request, GA4 will bucket it as (not set) in your reports. 

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Data processing delay causing (not set)

When you encounter "(not set)" in GA4 reports, consider if the relevant setting was configured or modified within the last 48 hours. If so, give it some more time to update. Otherwise, you can consider checking the above section again to identify the specific reason behind the "(not set)" value.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Analytics 4 actively working on addressing platform limitations that contribute to "(not set)"?

Google actively invests in improving GA4 and resolving platform limitations.

Stay updated on official announcements and release notes for information on "(not set)" improvements.

Provide feedback directly through the Google Analytics Help Center to suggest further platform enhancements.

How can I still gain insights from my data even with the presence of "(not set)" values?

Focus on analyzing dimensions with complete data sets to extract valuable insights.

Look for trends and patterns within available data, even with missing information.

Segment your data to analyze specific user groups and mitigate the impact of "(not set)".

Final Words

We've peeled back the curtain on the confusing "(not set)" value in your Google Analytics 4 reports. Yes, it can be like a pesky puzzle! While some reasons behind it are still tricky to untangle because GA4 is still growing, we've uncovered ways to deal with it.

Knowing what makes "(not set)" appear helps us keep it in check. It's like learning its secret language! And even though we can't completely silence it yet, we can still gather valuable information from our data.

So, don't let "(not set)" spook you away from GA4. Remember these tips:

• Keep an eye out for updates that might solve some "(not set)" mysteries.
• Share your experiences with others using GA4 – together, we can outsmart the "(not set)" puzzle!
• Focus on the bigger picture – even with "(not set)", GA4 can tell you a lot about how people use your website or app.

With a little patience and these helpful tricks, you can turn "(not set)" from a confusing mystery into a manageable piece of your data puzzle. 

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Thank you for reading!

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