A data element in Adobe Analytics is a variable or a piece of data that you want to capture and use for analysis or reporting purposes. It can be any information related to your website or application, such as page URLs, form field values, JavaScript variables, or custom data points.
Explanation
Data elements are building blocks of Adobe Analytics implementation. They allow you to define and reference specific data points that you want to track and analyze. By creating data elements, you can easily map them to various Adobe Analytics variables, such as eVars, props, or events, without having to hardcode the values in your implementation code.
Use Cases
Data elements can be used to capture a wide range of information, including:
- Page URLs or page titles
- Form field values (e.g., name, email, product selections)
- JavaScript variables or object properties
- Custom data points (e.g., user IDs, product SKUs, campaign information)
- Browser or device information (e.g., screen resolution, operating system, device type)
Creating and Using Data Elements
To create a data element in Adobe Analytics, follow these steps:
- From a Property page, open the Data Elements tab, then select Create New Data Element.
- Name the data element.
- Select an extension and type.
- The available data element types are determined by the extension. For information about the types available with the Core tag extension, refer to Types of data elements.
- Provide any requested information about the chosen type in the fields provided.
- (Optional) Enter a default value.
- If you do not select this option, there is no default value. Most users leave this in its default state. Different systems deal with an empty variable differently. Some people choose to enter something like “none” or “n/a” so they can create consistency in reporting when the data element does not return a value.
- Select whether to force a lowercase value and whether to remove line breaks and spaces.
- Select a duration.
- Select Save.
Once you have created a data element, you can use it in your Adobe Analytics implementation by mapping it to the desired variable or event. This can be done through the Adobe Experience Platform Launch (formerly Adobe Launch) or by directly modifying your implementation code.
Benefits of Using Data Elements
Using data elements in Adobe Analytics offers several benefits, including:
- Centralized data management: Data elements allow you to define and manage your data points in a centralized location, making it easier to maintain and update your implementation.
- Reusability: Once a data element is created, it can be reused across multiple rules, reducing duplication and improving consistency.
- Flexibility: Data elements can be easily mapped to different Adobe Analytics variables or events, providing flexibility in your implementation.
- Separation of concerns: By separating data capture from data mapping, data elements promote a cleaner and more maintainable implementation.
Overall, data elements are a powerful feature in Adobe Analytics that simplify data capture and management, enabling you to create more robust and scalable implementations.
