Notification

This article is about Looker Studio. For Looker documentation, visit https://cloud.google.com/looker/docs/intro.

Release notes (2020)

Request new features or upvote existing feature requests here.

See older releases

December 10, 2020

Product updates

Google Analytics 4 connector out of Labs

The GA4 connector is now in general availability.

In addition, you can now visualize your custom dimensions and metrics, and custom user properties in Data Studio.

More fields in the Display & Video 360 connector

DV360 data sources now provide the following fields:

  • Line Item Type
  • Inventory Source Type
  • Creative Type
  • CM Post-View Revenue
  • Inventory Delivery Method
  • Insertion Order Status
  • Line Item Status

Improved Google Maps legend position

You can now position the Google Maps legend on the left or right of the chart. If your map uses both size and color legends, both legends must be on the same side.

A Google Maps chart displays legends on either side of the chart.

Deprecating YouTube analytics watch time dimensions postponed

The deprecation of the old watch time dimensions in the YouTube Analytics connector will occur in January 2021. 

December 3, 2020

Product updates

Removing deprecated YouTube watch time fields

On November 12, 2020, we announced the availability of new Average Watch Time and Total Watch Time metrics in the YouTube connector. Starting the week of Dec 7, the old watch time dimensions will be removed from new data sources you create using the YouTube Analytics connector, and also from existing YouTube data sources that you refresh.

Create reference lines based on total metric value

You can now add a reference line to your charts based on the total value of a metric rather than an aggregation of the values in the chart. For example, if a chart plots Bounce Rate for each browser, you can plot the overall bounce rate rather than the average of the bounce rates for the various browsers. Learn more

November 19, 2020

Product updates

Improved management for enterprise Terms of Service

Google Workspace and Cloud Identity administrators can now accept Data Studio’s enterprise Terms of Service on behalf of their organization. Once they do, they can manage data protection contacts centrally, and users in their organization don’t have to agree to the Terms of Service individually.

HIPAA compliance with Data Studio

Customers who are subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and want to use Data Studio to process Protected Health Information (PHI) can now accept a Business Associate Addendum.

To access both the Terms of Service and HIPAA Business Associate Addendum:

  1. Sign in to Data Studio.
  2. At the top right, click Settings Settings.

Learn more

Parameter-based reference lines

You can now create reference lines in your charts that get their value from a parameter. For example, you can bind a parameter to an input box control to let users input a sales target and then see that target represented as a reference line on a chart. Learn more

Search Console search type parameter

You can now configure the default search type in the Search Console connector. Select from Web, Image, or Video search. Learn more

November 12, 2020

Product updates

Color scale conditional formatting on pivot tables

You can now apply color scale conditional formatting to pivot tables. Learn more

Updated YouTube metrics

The YouTube connector now provides Average Watch Time and Total Watch Time metrics. (Previously, this data was available in unaggregated numeric dimensions. These fields have been deprecated but will continue to work as before.)

To use the new metrics in existing data sources, refresh the fields.

Improved field editing in reports

It's now easier to edit data source calculated fields and parameters. While editing your report, hover over the field in the Available fields list and click the Fx or @ icon. You can then edit that field in the data source.

November 5, 2020

Product updates

Campaign Manager is now Campaign Manager 360

We've renamed Campaign Manager to Campaign Manager 360. You'll see the updated name in both Data Studio and the Help Center. Learn more.

More fields from Google Analytics 4

The following fields are now available in Google Analytics 4 data sources:

  • Average purchase revenue
  • Purchase revenue
  • Total ad revenue
  • Total revenue
  • Transactions
  • Audience ID
  • Audience name
  • Operating system with version
  • Signed in with user ID
  • ARPU
  • Operating system
  • OS version

Integer parameter type

You can now specify that a numeric parameter accept only whole numbers (integer) or allow decimal numbers (floating point). This helps with use cases, such as certain database queries, that require integer values.

The Parameter drop-down menu displays the options Text, Number (whole), Number (decimal), and Boolean.

October 29, 2020

Product updates

Google Maps legend

Help your viewers better understand the data in your Google Maps by adding a legend. To configure the legend, edit the map's Style properties. Learn more.

October 15, 2020

Product updates

Improved community visualization management

We've simplified adding community visualizations to a report. Newly created data sources have community visualizations access turned on by default. When you add a community visualization to a report for the first time, you must grant consent to allow the chart to show your data. Learn more.

Documentation updates

Announcing Google Analytics 4 properties

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a new, more intelligent Google Analytics that builds on the foundation of the App + Web property we introduced last year. Read the announcement here.

Content in the Data Studio Help Center that covers Google Analytics features may distinguish "Universal Analytics" properties from "Google Analytics 4" properties. Universal Analytics refers to the previous generation of Analytics. This was the default property type for websites prior to October 14, 2020. Content that covers features supported in both property types continues to use "Google Analytics."

Developer interview videos

Data Vis Dev Talks are conversations with Data Studio developers and power users. Watch now.

October 8, 2020

Product updates

Compound conditional formatting in pivot tables

You can now create conditional formatting rules with multiple clauses using OR and AND logic in pivot tables. Learn more.

October 1, 2020

Product updates

Conditional formatting Date and Date & Time

You can now add conditional formatting rules to charts based on the new Date and Date & Time fields.

Bug fix: compare metrics in conditional formatting rules for pivot tables

We've fixed a bug that prevented you from building conditional formatting rules comparing one metric to another.

September 24, 2020

Product updates

"Missing data" support in pivot tables

You can now control how missing data in your pivot tables appear. Similar to standard tables, when data is missing from the pivot table, you can choose to show blanks, hyphens, or the words "no data."

September 17, 2020

Product updates

New and improved date and time functions

You now have greater control when working with dates and times. Use new and improved date and time functions in calculated fields to create and format dates and times, get the current date and time, perform date math, extract date parts, convert text to dates, and more.

Learn more.

To support these new and improved functions, we've introduced new Date and Date & Time data types. New data sources you create with datetime data use these new types.

No action required

Your existing date fields and formulas that use them continue to work as before. Your existing date fields appear as "compatibility mode" types in the data source. (Hint: if the date field type includes both the type and format (for example, Date (YYYYMMDD)), then it is a compatibility mode date. The new Date and Date & Time types only show the type.)

Upgrade compatibility mode dates to use the new functions. To use the new functions with your existing data source fields, you can upgrade them to new data types.

Date and time functions you can use:

Create a date
DATE(year, month, day) Creates a date.
DATETIME(year, month, day, hour, minute, second) Creates a date with time.
Get the current date
CURRENT_DATE() TODAY() Returns the current date as of the specified or default timezone.
CURRENT_DATETIME() Returns the current date and time as of the specified or default timezone.
Add and subtract dates
DATETIME_ADD(datetime_expression, INTERVAL integer part) Adds a specified time interval to a date.
DATETIME_SUB(datetime_expression, INTERVAL integer part) Subtracts a specified time interval from a date.
Calculate the difference between dates
DATETIME_DIFF(date_expression, date_expression, part) Returns the number of part boundaries between two dates.
Extract date parts
EXTRACT(part FROM date_expression) Returns part of a date.
YEAR(date_expression) Returns the year of a given date.
QUARTER(date_expression) Returns the quarter of the year for a given date.
MONTH(date_expression) Returns the month of the year for a given date.
WEEK(date_expression) Returns the week number for a given date.
DAY(date_expression) Returns the day of the month on which the specified date falls.
YEARWEEK(date_expression) Returns the year and week number of a given date.
WEEKDAY(date_expression) Returns a number representing the day of the week for a given date.
Convert to dates and time
CAST(field_expression AS type) Converts a field or expression from one type to another type.
PARSE_DATE(format_string, text) Converts text to a date.
PARSE_DATETIME(format_string, text) Converts text to a date with time.
Format dates and times
FORMAT_DATETIME(format_string, datetime_expression) Converts a date to formatted text.
Truncate a date
DATETIME_TRUNC(date_expression, part) Truncates a date to the specified granularity.
Work with Unix dates
DATE_FROM_UNIX_DATE(integer_expression) Interprets an integer as the number of days since 1970-01-01.
UNIX_DATE(date_expression) Returns the number of days since 1970-01-01.

Visualize App + Web data in Data Studio

You can now add data from App + Web to your Data Studio reports and dashboards. You can visualize the fields available in the Google Analytics App+Web reporting API. This API are currently in trusted tester beta (to become a trusted tester, sign up here).

Connecting to App + Web properties is a Labs feature. Learn more.

August 27, 2020

Product updates

Embedded data sources make it easier to copy, share, and collaborate on your reports

New data sources you create while editing a report are now embedded in the report. When you share or copy the report, other report editors can now also edit the data source. You can still create separate, reusable data sources, as always.

Learn more.

Visualize your data using filled areas in Google Maps

You can now choose between 2 types of Google Maps: bubble maps and filled maps. Filled maps show your data as shaded polygons.

Learn more.

Creative asset fields in Google Ads

The Google Ads connector now includes the following ad creative asset-related fields:

  • Final mobile URLs
  • Final URLs
  • Final URL suffix
  • Ad type
  • Ad strength
  • Ad ID
  • Asset ID
  • Asset type
  • Asset performance
  • Asset policy approval status

Conditional formatting in pivot tables

You can now make your pivot tables more meaningful by adding single color conditional formatting rules. Create rules based on row, column, metric, or any value in the table.

Learn more.

Simplified CASE expressions

You can create simpler, easier to read CASE expressions in calculated fields by declaring the field to test once, then writing the matching values.

For example, instead of this:

CASE
WHEN field=value1 THEN result1
WHEN field=value2 THEN result2
WHEN field=value3 THEN result3
END

You can write this:

CASE field
WHEN value1 THEN result1
WHEN value2 THEN result2
WHEN value3 THEN result3
END

Link style settings in themes

You can now use the Themes > Link style settings to set the color of links in your reports.

August 20, 2020

Product updates

Create more dynamic reports using improved controls and parameters

You can now add new and improved controls to your reports. All the controls are available under the new Add a control menu:

The Add a control menu displays the new control options for Input box, Slider, and Checkbox.

In addition to filtering your data, controls can also pass their values to calculated fields and connectors. This lets you create more dynamic reports that can respond to user input. For example, you can construct forecast models that let the viewer enter different values to see how your data responds in different scenarios. Parameter values can also be set in the report URL, which makes it easier to configure reports programmatically.

Learn more about controls and parameters.

Connect to Google Surveys

You can now use Data Studio to see your Google Surveys performance. The Surveys connector lets you visualize your survey questions and responses, filter by demographics such as Age, Gender, and Country, and include response weight metrics.

Learn more.

Data Studio API general availability

The Data Studio API is now generally available. Developers can use the API to search for Data Studio assets accessible to users in their domain and manage permissions at scale.

Learn more.

15 minute data freshness for BigQuery data sources

You can now automatically update your BigQuery data every 15 minutes.

Note: More frequent updates can give you fresher data, but may also slow performance and increase query costs.

Learn more.

Advertising channel subtype in Google Ads connector

You can now include the Advertising channel subtype field in your Google Ads charts.

August 7, 2020

Product updates

Ad group ID in Google Ads connector

You can now include the Ad group ID field in your Google Ads charts.

July 30, 2020

Product updates

Drive migration completed

July 23, 2020

Product updates

Transfer Data Studio assets to other users in your organization

G Suite administrators can now transfer Data Studio assets from one user to another. This makes it easier to transition projects when users leave your organization. Learn more (opens in the G Suite Admin Help Center).

Improved component selection

It's now easier to work with multiple components at once. Report editors can select components on the page by type (e.g. Tables on page, Scorecards on page, Controls on page) or by shared data source (e.g. All components with the same data source). Use the context ("right click") menu, then choose Select to see the available options.

The chart Select menu for a scorecard chart includes the options Scorecards on page, and Charts with this data source on page.

Select menu from a chart.

The canvas Select menu includes the options All components on page, All controls on page, and All charts and controls on page.

Select menu from the canvas.

Improved custom color picker

You'll see a new and improved color picker in the report editor when creating custom component and data colors.

July 16, 2020

Product updates

New Google Ads fields

You'll now see the following fields in new or refreshed Google Ads data sources:

  • Position above rate
  • Keyword Text (Criterion)

New sample data sources

Sample Google Analytics and Google Ads data sources are being updated so they can use new fields launched in the past year. These data sources are used by several of the sample reports in the Data Studio Template Gallery.

If you've made copies of these sample reports and wish to keep using them, we recommend you replace the old data sources with these updated data sources, when they are available.

A new version of the [Sample] Google Analytics data source is now available here.

The [Sample] Google Ads data source will be updated the week of July 20th, 2020. In addition to new Google Ads fields, 2 obsolete fields have been removed: Avg. Position for Auction and Avg. position. Charts that use these fields will display a configuration error, which you can fix by editing the report, selecting any broken charts, and removing or replacing the obsolete fields.

July 10, 2020

Documentation updates

Improve Data Studio performance

Added tips for making faster loading reports and more responsive charts. Go to the article.

June 25, 2020

Product updates

Add reference lines to charts

Highlight values of interest in your charts and visualize progress towards your goals by adding reference lines.

For example, you can use reference lines to visualize daily sales against a target sales figure, or show the average revenue per store and compare each store to that average. Learn more.

A Weekly sales vs. target time series chart displays a Weekly sales target horizontal reference line.

More data from the Display & Video 360 connector

You now have access to more fields in your Display & Video 360 data sources:

Dimensions

  • Inventory Source
  • Environment
  • Targeted Data Providers

Metrics

  • Active View: Impression Distribution (Not Measurable)
  • Active View: Impression Distribution (Not Viewable)
  • Active View: Impression Distribution (Viewable)
  • Active View: Eligible Impressions
  • Active View: Measurable Impressions
  • Active View: Audible & Fully On-Screen for Half of Duration (15 sec. cap) Rate
  • Active View: % Measurable Impressions
  • Active View: % Viewable Impressions
  • Active View: Not Measurable Impressions
  • Active View: Not Viewable Impressions
  • Active View: Impressions Visible 10 Seconds
  • Data Fees (Advertiser Currency)
  • CM Post-Click Revenue
  • Platform Fee (Advertiser Currency)

Documentation updates

Filter by multiple email addresses per row

Added a solutions article showing how to use data blending to create many-to-many email filters. Learn more.

June 18, 2020

Product updates

Filter charts by metric values

You can now add a metric slider control to your charts. Report viewers can use this to filter a chart by metric value. For example, you can limit the chart to only show Average Orders where the total value is between $100 and $200, or where Levels Completed (in a game) is less than 5. Learn more.

A user selects the metric slider control icon on a column chart and adjusts the Average Order value range to display Average Order values of 16 through 51, and manually enters a new Total maximum value of 200.

Improved data source switching

We've improved how Data Studio handles replacing a data source in your reports. When you switch a data source in your report, Data Studio tries to map the fields in the old data source to the fields in the new data source based on a number of matching criteria, including field ID, field name, and other configuration information from the report itself. Learn more.

June 5, 2020

Product updates

Drive migration for G Suite users

Data Studio is moving off of Google Drive. This migration is complete for non-G Suite users. G Suite users will be migrated in the coming weeks. You don't need to take any action but G Suite administrators can learn more here.

Set sharing permissions for users

As a G Suite or Cloud Identity administrator, you can control how users in your organization share Data Studio assets. This helps ensure that Data Studio usage is secure and complies with your organization's policies. Sharing permissions are being enforced now for Cloud Identity users, and will be enforced for G Suite users after migration. Learn more.

May 14, 2020

Product updates

Data Studio API Developer Preview

The Data Studio API is now available for Developer Preview. Developers can use the API to search for Data Studio assets accessible to users in their domain and manage permissions at scale. Learn more about the Data Studio API Developer Preview.

May 7, 2020

Product updates

Use drag and drop fields to create and append to charts

You can now create charts automatically by dragging a field from the Available fields panel onto the report canvas:

  • Drop a text or number dimension on the canvas to create a table
  • Drop a date dimension to create a time series.
  • Drop a geographic dimension to create a Geo chart.
  • Drop a metric on the canvas to create a scorecard.

You can also add dimensions and metrics to charts by dragging and dropping fields directly onto the chart.

Learn more.

May 1, 2020

Product updates

Google Maps in Data Studio

Adding Google Maps to your reports gives your viewers a familiar interactive environment in which to explore geographic data. Google Maps in Data Studio are highly customizable and integrate with any data source that contains valid geo fields. Learn more.

Google Analytics integration

You can view Google Analytics audiences, acquisition, and behavior data directly from within the Analytics interface with a single click.

This integration has been deprecated. Instead, use the Analytics connector. Learn more.

Google marketing report templates

Use these report templates to help answer some of the most common questions marketers have about their Google marketing data. See the templates here.

Documentation updates

Geo dimension reference

Added a new article to better document the supported geographic fields used by Google Maps and Geo charts.

April 23, 2020

Product updates

Conditional formatting for drill down and optional fields

You can now apply conditional formatting rules to drill down dimensions and optional metrics. However, the rules only take effect when those fields are visible in the chart or table. Learn more about conditional formatting.

Improved management of community visualization resources

You can now remove community visualization resources using the Resource > Manage visualization resources menu. Learn more about community visualizations.

April 2, 2020

Product updates

New Display & Video 360 fields

You can now report on the following fields via the Display & Video 360 connector:

  • App/URL
  • App/URL ID
  • Device Type
  • Exchange
  • Exchange ID

See these fields in action in the Display & Video 360 Performance Dashboard template.

Documentation updates

Updated the Calculated fields tutorial.

March 19, 2020

Product updates

Color scale conditional formatting

You can now apply conditional formatting using a color scale. This lets you add colors to your charts that correspond to minimum, midpoint, and maximum thresholds. Learn more.

New add data workflow

It's now faster and easier to add data to your reports. You'll notice a more streamlined experience when creating a new report. And there is a new Add data button in the report editor. You can see the new flow in this tutorial.

Customize scheduled email subject line and message body

You can now edit the subject line and add a custom message to scheduled emails. In addition, scheduled emails will now show the sender's address "via Google Data Studio."

New Ads connector fields

The Google Ads connector now provides better support for Auction Insights and App Install campaigns by providing the following fields:

  • Shopping impression share
  • Shopping outranking share
  • Shopping overlap rate
  • Store display name
  • Installs
  • Cost / install
  • In-app actions
  • Cost / in-app actions

March 5, 2020

Product updates

Local campaign fields in Ads connector

You can now add the following Local campaigns fields to your reports:

  • Store location address line 1
  • Store location address line 2
  • Store location business name
  • Store location city
  • Store location country code
  • Store location phone number
  • Store location postal code
  • Store location province
  • Call clicks
  • Driving directions
  • Menu
  • Orders
  • Other engagements
  • Store visits
  • Website visits
  • Call clicks (view-through)
  • Driving directions (view-through)
  • Menu (view-through)
  • Orders (view-through)
  • Other engagements (view-through)
  • Store visits (view-through)
  • Website visits (view-through)
  • Local reach (impressions)
  • Affiliate store location address line 1
  • Affiliate store location address line 2
  • Affiliate store location business name
  • Affiliate store location city
  • Affiliate store location country code
  • Affiliate store location phone number
  • Affiliate store location postal code
  • Affiliate store location province

Date & time picker in report filters

You'll now see the calendar widget when creating filters based on date and time fields.

February 27, 2020

Product updates

Multiple preview images in report email

Scheduled emails now include a preview image for up to 5 pages of the attached report. If you've selected more than 5 pages, the email displays the first 5, along with a note that additional pages are available in the attached PDF file.

February 20, 2020

Product updates

Select scheduled email pages

You can now select which pages of your report to include in the email. Learn more.

February 13, 2020

Product updates

Filter by the signed-in user's email address

You can now filter a data source to show just the records containing the current signed-in viewer's email address. This provides "row-level security" to the data. Note that your data must contain an email field, and that viewers must consent to allowing Data Studio to pass their email address to the data source.

Learn more.

Improved support for multiple accounts

Do you sign into multiple Google accounts at once? The new account switcher lets you select one of your other signed-in accounts should you try to access a Data Studio asset created by or shared with an account other than your primary account. Your primary account is the first one you signed into in your browser.

Note that you may also see this page if the report or data source you're trying to access doesn't exist.

Support for Hotel campaigns in Google Ads

You can now see your Hotel ads campaign data in Data Studio reports. This data automatically appears in your Ads-connected reports. There is no need to refresh the data source.

 

February 6, 2020

Product updates

Additional fields in Ads data

Google Ads data sources now include App, Local, and Smart campaign data. Use the Advertising channel type field to see the campaign type. This data is automatically available in new data sources. To add these to existing data sources, just refresh the data source fields.

January 30, 2020

Product updates

Return NULL from CASE

CASE statements can now return the NULL literal from THEN and ELSE clauses. Learn more.

January 23, 2020

Product updates

Smart guides in the report editor

The report editor now offers smart guides to help you align, resize, and space components on the canvas. This can help make creating attractive, well-crafted reports even easier. Learn more.

Extract a report theme from an image

You can now automatically generate a custom theme for your reports based on the colors in an image. This makes it easy to coordinate the text and data colors with an image in your report, such as a logo or product photo. You can also create themes from images you upload or can access on the web. Learn more.

January 16, 2020

Product updates

Additional fields in Search Ads 360 data

The Search Ads 360 connector now provides additional fields to help you visualize your impression metrics:

  • Impr (abs top) %
  • Impr share (abs top) %
  • Impr (top) %
  • Impr share (top) %
  • Lost abs top IS (budget)
  • Lost abs top IS (rank)
  • Lost top IS (budget)
  • Lost top IS (rank)

You can learn more about these fields in the Search Ads 360 Help Center.

Add community visualizations from the Community Gallery to your reports

You can now add data visualizations built by the Data Studio developer community by selecting them from the Community Gallery. Learn more.

January 9, 2020

Product updates

Custom email schedules

You can now email your reports via a custom schedule. For example, you can send the report every Tuesday and Thursday, or every 2 weeks on Friday. Learn more about scheduled email delivery.

Additional data freshness options for *SQL and Cloud* connectors

You can now refresh the data every hour, every 4 hours, or every 12 hours for data sources based on the following connectors:

  • Cloud SQL
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL
  • Cloud Spanner
  • Cloud Storage

Learn more about database connectors.

 

Was this helpful?

How can we improve it?
Search
Clear search
Close search
Google apps
Main menu
6771984864943054658
true
Search Help Center
true
true
true
true
true
102097
false
false