[GA4] About key event counting method

  Gradual feature rollout: This feature is not yet available for all Google Analytics properties.

You can choose how many times you want Google Analytics to count a key event if the key event is triggered more than once in a session.

About the counting methods

You can choose from these counting method options for a key event:

• Once per event (Recommended): Counts a key event every time it's triggered. This option is recommended because it reflects the behavior of users on your site or app, and allows you to distinguish between sessions where multiple key events occurred and sessions where only one key event occurred.
  Example

  A user completes 5 key events in one session. This setting counts 5 key events.
• Once per session (Legacy): Counts a key event only once within a particular session.
  Example

  A user completes 5 key events in one session. This setting counts 1 key event.

Note: Default counting method

If you don't make a choice, Google Analytics will automatically use the default counting method. The default depends on how key events were created.

• Once per session is the default counting method for all key events that were created from Universal Analytics goals:
  • in an automatically created Google Analytics 4 property
  • using the goals migration tool in the Setup Assistant after April 2023
• Once per event is the default counting method for all other key events

Choose a counting method

You can change this setting at any time for any of your key events.

1. In Admin, under Data display, click Key events.
   Note: The previous link opens to the last Analytics property you accessed. You can change the property using the property selector. You must be a Marketer or above at the property level to choose a counting method.
2. In the Key events table, click to the far right of a row.
3. Click Change counting method.
4. Select your preferred counting method.
   Note: If you can't select an option, you don't have the necessary permissions.
5. Click Save.

Note: Any changes to the counting method apply to future key events only, and won't apply to a key event's past data.

Identify the counting method that each key event uses

You can tell which counting method each key event uses by going to the Key events table in Admin > Key events. Any key event with next to it has the Once per session counting method. If there’s no icon in the Key event name column, then the key event uses the Once per event counting method.