gh-henkisdabro-wookstar-claude-code-plugins-ga-suite/skills/ga4-setup/references/data-streams-configuration.md

Data Streams Configuration Guide

Complete reference for configuring GA4 data streams for web, iOS, and Android platforms.

Overview

Data streams are platform-specific tracking configurations that collect and send data to your GA4 property. Each data stream receives a unique Measurement ID used in implementation.

Data Stream Types

Web Data Stream

• Platform: Websites
• Measurement ID Format: G-XXXXXXXXXX
• Installation Methods: gtag.js, GTM, CMS plugins
• Enhanced Measurement: Available

iOS Data Stream

• Platform: Apple iOS applications
• Measurement ID Format: G-XXXXXXXXXX
• Installation Methods: Firebase SDK
• Additional Setup: Firebase project integration

Android Data Stream

• Platform: Android applications
• Measurement ID Format: G-XXXXXXXXXX
• Installation Methods: Firebase SDK
• Additional Setup: Firebase project integration

Creating a Web Data Stream

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Navigate to Data Streams

1. GA4 Property → Admin
2. Under "Property" column → Data Streams
3. Click "Add Stream"
4. Select "Web"

Step 2: Configure Stream Details

Website URL:

• Enter primary domain: example.com
• Do not include https:// or www
• Example: example.com not https://www.example.com

Stream Name:

• Descriptive identifier for internal use
• Example: "Main Website" or "E-commerce Site"
• Shows in Data Streams list

Step 3: Enhanced Measurement

Toggle Enhanced Measurement:

• Recommended: ON (enabled)
• Automatically tracks common interactions
• Can customize which events to collect

Enhanced Measurement Events:

• Page views (cannot disable)
• Scrolls (90% depth)
• Outbound clicks
• Site search
• Video engagement (YouTube)
• File downloads
• Form interactions

Step 4: Create Stream

Click "Create stream" button

Result:

• Data stream created
• Unique Measurement ID generated (G-XXXXXXXXXX)
• Installation instructions available

Web Data Stream Settings

After creation, access stream settings:

Navigate: Admin → Data Streams → Click your web stream

Available Settings:

1. Stream Details

• Stream name (editable)
• Stream ID (read-only)
• Measurement ID (read-only, copy for installation)
• Website URL (editable)
• Enhanced Measurement toggle

2. Enhanced Measurement Configuration

Click gear icon to customize:

Page views:

• Always collected (cannot disable)
• Triggers on: Page load, history changes
• Parameters: page_location, page_referrer, page_title

Scrolls:

• Toggle: ON/OFF
• Trigger: 90% vertical scroll depth (first time only)
• Event name: scroll

Outbound clicks:

• Toggle: ON/OFF
• Trigger: Click to different domain
• Event name: click
• Parameters: link_url, link_domain, outbound=true

Site search:

• Toggle: ON/OFF
• Auto-detects common query parameters (q, s, search, query)
• Event name: view_search_results
• Parameters: search_term

Video engagement:

• Toggle: ON/OFF
• Platform: YouTube embedded videos only
• Events: video_start, video_progress, video_complete
• Parameters: video_title, video_url, video_duration, video_percent

File downloads:

• Toggle: ON/OFF
• Auto-detects: .pdf, .xlsx, .docx, .txt, .csv, .zip, etc.
• Event name: file_download
• Parameters: file_name, file_extension, link_url

Form interactions:

• Toggle: ON/OFF
• Events: form_start (first interaction), form_submit
• Parameters: form_id, form_name, form_destination

3. Tagging Instructions

View tag instructions button provides:

• Installation code snippets
• GTM setup guidance
• Platform-specific instructions

4. Configure Tag Settings

Advanced gtag.js configuration options

5. More Tagging Settings

Cross-domain Measurement:

• Configure domains for cross-domain tracking
• List all domains to track as single session
• Format: example.com,shop.example.com

Ignore Internal Traffic:

• Define IP ranges for internal traffic
• Create rules to filter office/test traffic
• Traffic tagged as "internal" in reports

List Unwanted Referrals:

• Exclude payment processors, login pages
• Prevents session breaks from expected referrals
• Example: paypal.com,stripe.com

6. Measurement Protocol API Secrets

Generate API secrets for:

• Server-side event tracking
• Measurement Protocol implementations
• Secure server-to-server communication

Create API Secret:

1. Click "Create"
2. Enter secret nickname
3. Copy secret value (shown once only)
4. Store securely

Creating an iOS Data Stream

Prerequisites

Required:

• Apple Developer account
• iOS app published or in development
• Firebase project (auto-created if needed)

Setup Process

Step 1: Add Stream

1. Admin → Data Streams
2. Click "Add Stream"
3. Select "iOS app"

Step 2: Configure App Details

Bundle ID:

• Format: com.company.appname
• Must match Xcode project bundle identifier
• Example: com.acme.myapp

App Store ID (Optional):

• Found in App Store Connect
• Format: Numeric ID
• Example: 1234567890

App Name:

• Descriptive name for internal use
• Example: "Acme Mobile App (iOS)"

Step 3: Register App

Click "Register app"

Result:

• Firebase project created (if didn't exist)
• Data stream created
• Measurement ID assigned

iOS Firebase Configuration

Step 4: Download Config File

1. Download GoogleService-Info.plist
2. Add to Xcode project root
3. Ensure file included in app target

Step 5: Add Firebase SDK

Using CocoaPods:

# Podfile
pod 'Firebase/Analytics'

Using Swift Package Manager:

Add Firebase package:

https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk

Step 6: Initialize Firebase

In AppDelegate.swift:

import Firebase

@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    func application(_ application: UIApplication,
                   didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
        FirebaseApp.configure()
        return true
    }
}

Step 7: Verify Installation

Run app and check:

• Xcode console for Firebase initialization
• GA4 DebugView (enable debug mode in Xcode scheme)
• Realtime reports in GA4

Creating an Android Data Stream

Prerequisites

Required:

• Android Studio
• Android app package name
• Firebase project (auto-created if needed)

Setup Process

Step 1: Add Stream

1. Admin → Data Streams
2. Click "Add Stream"
3. Select "Android app"

Step 2: Configure App Details

Package Name:

• Format: com.company.appname
• Must match AndroidManifest.xml package
• Example: com.acme.myapp

App Name:

• Descriptive name for internal use
• Example: "Acme Mobile App (Android)"

Step 3: Register App

Click "Register app"

Result:

• Firebase project created (if didn't exist)
• Data stream created
• Measurement ID assigned

Android Firebase Configuration

Step 4: Download Config File

1. Download google-services.json
2. Place in app/ directory
3. Ensure file in version control

Step 5: Add Firebase SDK

Project-level build.gradle:

buildscript {
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.15'
    }
}

App-level build.gradle:

plugins {
    id 'com.android.application'
    id 'com.google.gms.google-services'
}

dependencies {
    implementation platform('com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:32.0.0')
    implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics'
}

Step 6: Initialize Firebase

Firebase initializes automatically when app starts (no code needed)

Step 7: Verify Installation

Run app and check:

• Logcat for Firebase initialization
• GA4 DebugView (debug mode enabled via ADB)
• Realtime reports in GA4

Data Stream Management

Viewing All Data Streams

Navigate: Admin → Data Streams

List Shows:

• Stream name
• Platform type (Web, iOS, Android)
• Stream ID
• Status (Active/Inactive)

Editing Data Stream

Click stream name to access settings:

• Modify stream name
• Update website URL (web only)
• Configure Enhanced Measurement (web only)
• Manage cross-domain tracking
• Create API secrets
• View tagging instructions

Deleting Data Stream

Warning: Cannot be undone; historical data retained but no new data collected

Steps:

1. Click stream name
2. Top-right: More (three dots) → Remove this stream
3. Confirm deletion

Use Cases for Deletion:

• Decommissioned website/app
• Test stream no longer needed
• Consolidating tracking

Multiple Data Streams Strategy

When to Use Multiple Streams

Same Property, Multiple Streams:

• Main website + mobile site
• Main website + blog subdomain
• iOS app + Android app
• Different platforms for same business

Benefits:

• Combined reporting
• Shared custom definitions
• Unified conversion tracking
• Cross-platform user journeys

Stream Naming Best Practices

Use clear, descriptive names:

Good Examples:

• "Main Website (example.com)"
• "iOS App (Production)"
• "Android App (Production)"
• "Mobile Site (m.example.com)"

Bad Examples:

• "Website 1"
• "Stream"
• "Test"

Measurement ID Reference

Format & Location

Format: G-XXXXXXXXXX

• G- prefix (identifies GA4)
• 10 alphanumeric characters
• Case-sensitive

Where to Find:

1. Admin → Data Streams
2. Click stream name
3. Top-right: Measurement ID displayed
4. Click copy icon to copy

Using Measurement IDs

gtag.js Installation:

<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>

GTM Configuration:

• Tag Type: Google Tag
• Tag ID: G-XXXXXXXXXX

Measurement Protocol:

• Query parameter: measurement_id=G-XXXXXXXXXX

Common Data Stream Issues

Issue: Wrong Platform Type Selected

Problem: Created web stream but need app stream (or vice versa)

Solution:

• Cannot change platform type
• Delete stream and create correct type
• Historical data from deleted stream retained

Issue: Cannot Find Measurement ID

Solution:

1. Admin → Data Streams
2. Click stream name
3. Top section shows Measurement ID
4. Use copy icon

Issue: Enhanced Measurement Not Working

Checklist:

• Is Enhanced Measurement toggle ON?
• Which specific event not working?
• Check event-specific toggle
• For file downloads: is file extension in default list?
• For site search: are query parameters standard (q, s, search)?
• For video: is video embedded YouTube with JS API enabled?

Issue: Multiple Measurement IDs

Scenario: Have multiple Measurement IDs, unsure which to use

Solution:

• Check Data Streams list
• Match stream name to your platform
• Use correct ID for correct platform
• Don't mix IDs (don't use web ID for app)

Advanced Configuration

Debug Mode for App Streams

iOS Debug Mode:

• Xcode scheme argument: -FIRDebugEnabled
• Events visible in DebugView

Android Debug Mode:

adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app com.example.app

Stream ID vs Measurement ID

Stream ID:

• Numeric identifier
• Format: 1234567890
• Used in APIs
• Internal reference

Measurement ID:

• G-XXXXXXXXXX format
• Used in tracking code
• Public-facing identifier
• Implementation key

Next Steps

After configuring data streams:

1. Install Tracking Code (see installation-methods.md)
2. Verify Installation (see verification-checklist.md)
3. Configure Internal Traffic Filters
4. Set Up Cross-Domain Tracking (if needed)
5. Create Custom Events

Additional Resources

• Official Google: Web Stream Setup
• Official Google: iOS Stream Setup
• Official Google: Android Stream Setup
• Official Google: Enhanced Measurement Events
• Firebase Documentation: iOS SDK
• Firebase Documentation: Android SDK