# Common Metric Names

> The correct GA4 Data API names for fields models most often get wrong. Use these before calling `get_ga4_data` — wrong names return a hard error.

- Skill: `surendranb/common-metric-names` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add surendranb/common-metric-names`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/surendranb/common-metric-names/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Integrations & APIs
- Author: surendranb (https://skillmd.com/u/surendranb)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/surendranb/common-metric-names

---

# Common Metric & Dimension Names

The correct GA4 Data API names for fields models most often get wrong.
Use these before calling `get_ga4_data` — wrong names return a hard error.

> ⚠️ **YOUR TRAINING DATA IS OUTDATED**: Universal Analytics was sunset
> 2023-07-01, and on 2024-05-06 Google Analytics 4 renamed all conversion metrics to **"key events"**
> (`conversions` → `keyEvents`, `conversionRate` → `sessionKeyEventRate`).
> Querying `conversions` will fail with an `Invalid metric` error. Always use `keyEvents`.

## Metrics — correct API names

| What you mean | Wrong (will fail) | Correct API name |
|---|---|---|
| Goal completions / conversions (RENAMED 2024) | `conversions`, `goals`, `conversion` | `keyEvents` |
| Total users | `users`, `totalVisitors` | `totalUsers` |
| Active users (rolling 30-day ≈ MAU) | `MAU`, `monthlyActiveUsers`, `activeVisitors` | `active28DayUsers` |
| Active users (rolling 7-day ≈ WAU) | `WAU`, `weeklyActiveUsers` | `active7DayUsers` |
| Active users (rolling 1-day ≈ DAU) | `DAU`, `dailyActiveUsers` | `active1DayUsers` |
| Distinct users in the queried range | `uniqueUsers` | `activeUsers` |
| Page views | `pageViews`, `pageviews`, `page_views` | `screenPageViews` |
| E-commerce purchases | `purchases`, `transactions` | `ecommercePurchases` |
| Product views | `itemViews`, `productViews` | `itemsViewed` |
| Items added to cart | `addToCarts`, `cartAdds` | `itemsAddedToCart` |
| Revenue | `revenue`, `ecommerceRevenue` | `purchaseRevenue` |
| Avg session duration | `avgSessionDuration`, `avgTimeOnSite` | `averageSessionDuration` |
| Total engagement time | `engagementDuration`, `timeOnSite` | `userEngagementDuration` |
| Session key event rate (was "conversion rate", renamed 2024) | `conversionRate`, `goalConversionRate`, `sessionConversionRate` | `sessionKeyEventRate` |
| User key event rate | `userConversionRate` | `userKeyEventRate` |
| Engaged sessions | `qualifiedSessions`, `validSessions` | `engagedSessions` |
| Pages per session | `pagesPerSession`, `pageDepth` | `screenPageViewsPerSession` |

## Dimensions — correct API names

| What you mean | Wrong (will fail) | Correct API name |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic channel group | `sessionDefaultChannelGrouping`, `channelGrouping` | `sessionDefaultChannelGroup` |
| Landing page + query | `landingPage` (often wrong scope) | `landingPagePlusQueryString` |
| Page path | `pagePath`, `page` | `pagePath` |
| Page path + query | `pagePathPlusQueryString` | `unifiedPagePathScreen` |
| Session source | `source` (wrong scope — see attribution-scope skill) | `sessionSource` |
| Session medium | `medium` (wrong scope) | `sessionMedium` |
| Device type | `device`, `deviceType` | `deviceCategory` |
| Operating system | `os` | `operatingSystem` |
| Browser | `userAgent` | `browser` |
| Week of year | `week`, `weekNumber` | `week` (this one IS correct) |

## Note on active users (MAU / WAU / DAU)

GA4 has no `MAU`, `WAU`, `DAU`, `monthlyActiveUsers`, or `dailyActiveUsers` metric —
these hard-error. Use the rolling n-day metrics: `active1DayUsers` (≈ DAU),
`active7DayUsers` (≈ WAU), `active28DayUsers` (≈ MAU). Each counts distinct users
active in the N days *ending on that date* (a rolling window, not a calendar bucket).
`activeUsers` = distinct users in the queried range. Never sum daily `activeUsers`
across rows to get a period total — it double-counts users active on multiple days.
For a monthly total, query `activeUsers` once over the whole range (no date dimension),
or use `active28DayUsers` for a rolling month. Stickiness ratios `dauPerMau`,
`dauPerWau`, `wauPerMau` are also available as metrics.

## Note on bounce rate

GA4 bounce rate = sessions with NO engaged session (opposite of GA3 logic).
A bounce rate of 60% means 60% of sessions had no engagement — that is high.
In GA3, bounce rate meant single-page sessions. Do not compare GA3 and GA4 bounce rates.

## When you hit a schema error

If `get_ga4_data` returns "Invalid dimension" or "Invalid metric", do not guess
alternatives. Use `search_schema` with a keyword to find the correct name, or
check this skill's table above.