# How to build a Sales Performance report in GA4 {% hint style="success" %} Littledata provides an automatic Google Analytics connection for [Shopify](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/how-it-works-shopify-to-ga4). {% endhint %} GA4 properties have a more flexible approach to reporting, but the downside is you need to build your own reports with a variety of dimensions and metrics. In this article, we'll show you how to build a cohesive Sales Performance report step by step, which was a commonly used standard report in Universal Analytics. ## Create a free-form exploration 1. Open your GA4 account and go to **Explore.** Click **+** on the **Blank** exploration tab and create the report. We will name this report 'Sales Performance': ![Create exploration in GA4](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6ba824354be70496c6924ef2a04481a24e0c65dc%2Fezgif.com-gif-maker-1-.gif?alt=media) 2. Add the **Dimension**. In this case, we'll need the **Transaction ID** dimension. Click + on the Dimensions tab, search for Transaction ID and click **Import**: ![Add dimension to GA4 exploration](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-58cc49b9401432035cfd1f99653c1dbfbda5e41b%2Fezgif.com-gif-maker-2-.gif?alt=media) 3. We will repeat the same steps for our **Metrics**; in this case, add the **Purchase Revenue** and **Item Quantity** metrics: ![Add metrics to GA4 exploration](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-0370a8c10aa0221c159fe2af6c00d23e37ba7ba7%2Fmetrics.gif?alt=media) ## Add custom metrics and dimensions 4. To add the **Shipping** and **Tax** metrics we first need to create them as custom metrics. Open the **Configure** tab on the left and select **Custom Definitions:** ![Configure custom metrics](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e7aca961428284c7894559dee7117037767b5aa3%2Fezgif.com-gif-maker-6-.gif?alt=media) 5. Then hit **Custom metrics** and **Create custom metrics** button\*\*:\*\* ![Create custom metrics in GA4](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-efe406c0d7dd47c8f9d8ad46c37863e8feb23307%2Fezgif.com-gif-maker-5-.gif?alt=media) The configuration for both metrics should look like this: ![Custom metrics definition for shipping](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-670a23d5a3d433fd2cff8d09054785fb492996bd%2Fmetric.png?alt=media) ![Custom metrics definition for tax](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6a45cff0108e08054568ac6d2cec37163f62db3e%2Fmetric2.png?alt=media) 6. After importing the desired dimensions and metrics, simply drag the Dimension(s) to the ROWS tab and your metrics to the VALUES tab to populate the report. In the end, the report configuration should look like this: ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c567732389e74b78e039bc07c1d9fa8b4c90fd92%2Fscreenshot-2022-05-13-at-18.21.18.png?alt=media) {% hint style="warning" %} There's a bug with GA4's **Item Refund** metric which prevents us added refunds column to the report. We hope Google can fix this soon. {% endhint %} ## Alternative - Looker Studio report As an alternative to GA4's Explore reports, we've set up a Sales report template in Looker Studio. It can be found [here](https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/c86ec000-fff6-46b2-8d8c-90f3b11a4bc3/page/AoksC). Do not worry if you are seeing the message "Missing data source". If you will follow the next steps, the table will be populated with data from your GA4 property. {% hint style="info" %} For the Looker Studio report to work properly, you must first add the custom metrics in GA4 (Tax and Shipping) by following the steps previously described previously. {% endhint %} ### Make a copy The first step is to make a copy of our Looker Studio report. This way you will have one of your own which will be editable as you wish: ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-0abcb5394f12c100c58f6dc5774fd5473861a87d%2F1-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) ### Add a data source 1. In your copy, add a data source. The data source will represent the GA4 property that contains the data you want to use for the report" ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-cbc9d1cc0deb794f71a2ada6b983a63dab4f5bb9%2F2-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) 2. Select the Google Analytics connector: ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-35f2a33ef081130285c0823cca746c8ebba939d3%2F3-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) 3. If prompted, press "Authorize" to be able to see the Google Analytics accounts and properties to which you have access (make sure you are logged in with the same account you are using for Google Analytics): ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8b8587fa44e6fef3581992e1483fde76912f977c%2F4-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) 4. Selected the GA4 property and click "Add" which can be found in the bottom-right corner: ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-943eac1174cfafc10f2171f8d4ad39871b883f2f%2F5-data-studio-report-.png?alt=media) ### Add the data source to your table 1. Select the table and the add the data source: ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e9d10861a613dd660cf020c00ca02e226253fa07%2F6-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1fdd159c07c3f60a0ecb0f1ba552a576001b4343%2F7-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) 2. Once you select the data source, the table will be populated with your data: ![](https://3956158252-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F1QhTbrMraNWciQeDvu1b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e93d8264a51dc905e202e17404ffc8268f799563%2F8-data-studio-report.png?alt=media) You're all done! Now you can get the same sales performance reports in GA4 or Looker Studio that you relied on in Universal Analytics. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.littledata.io/google-analytics/conversions/how-to-build-a-sales-performance-report-in-ga4.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. 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