Goal
In this article, we will look at how you can recover your historical data.
As you know, at the end of 2022 we will be permanently stopping Analytics Suite 2. This will result in the deletion of the data available only on this platform.
If you want to prepare for the end of the Analytics Suite 2 and recover your historical data, this article will explain how to make the process as easy as possible.
Before starting
You need to take a few things into consideration before you start exporting your historical data.
Data Privacy and the GDPR
The GDPR requires that all personal data collected must be retained for a specified period of time, which must be made known to the end-user.
By default, in audience measurement solutions, all data attached to a visitor identifier is personal data.
So make sure that before exporting your data, you comply with the retention period you have defined with your users, and not to retrieve data exceeding this period.
Information: Piano Analytics follows this approach by setting a default retention period of 25 months for your audience measurement data!
Data Minimization
The GDPR also includes the principle of data minimization.
This requires those collecting data to consider the impact of gathering and storing data for which they have no particular use.
This concept is part of an eco-sustainable approach to reduce the carbon energy footprint by managing data carefully.
With this in mind, we suggest that you only export data that is directly relevant and useful.
Using Analytics Suite 2
The two data export methods we suggest are based on our legacy tool: Data Query 2.
Even if these tools have made AT Internet what it is today, you will be aware of their limitations due to the technologies they are based on.
Before starting the massive export of your data, we advise you to think about the type of data you want to retrieve, and to focus on aggregated analyses you can easily retrieve, rather than personalized data that may not be essential to your infrastructure.
In other words, it will be far easier to export macro data and trends from the last few years for the perimeters you have tagged!
Aggregated data with API - Data Query 2 and multi-site templates
AT Internet provides more than fifty standard templates accessible directly from this link. By using a standard template, you will be able to perform a multi-site export of macro data to facilitate extraction, over the period of your choice.
Access the multi-site templates (1 and 2):
Select your sites (1), choose your time period (2), remove metrics you don't need (3), access the settings to select the breakdown by site (4 and 5), and download the data through the API or export functions (6).
Please note:
- History available since August 2012
- Multi-site exports possible
- Period limited to 1 year (366 days) at a time
- Fixed templates (you can remove existing metrics, but not add new ones)
- Granularity not modifiable
Accurate data with API Data Query 2 and custom templates
If the multi-site templates are not suitable for your needs, you can create your own templates to extract specific data. You need to perform these exports site by site.
Select the dimensions and metrics of your choice (1), choose your site (2), configure the period (3) and download the data through the API or the export functions (6).
Please note:
- History available since August 2012
- Multi-site export not available
- Number of columns (dimensions + metrics) limited to 50
- The use of some dimensions limits the export to 45 days (list available at the end of this article)
- API timeout of 10min, if the export can't be completed in this time, it will be necessary to launch a pre-calculation via the interface
- Dimensions and metrics are classified by universe, it is not possible to mix dimensions from several universes in the same query
Conclusion
With this guide, you should have been able to recover all your previously identified historical data.
Please contact support if you have any questions.
You are now ready to continue your adventure with Piano Analytics!