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I have been reading a bit about Firebase Analytics now, and because it is mostly an event-based data model, I assume one can not do screen tracking directly?

I was wandering whether one should then just pass the screen type/name as part of the event's parameter, or possibly as a user property (which I believe is a simpler way of calling custom dimensions) ? Thus all events that are fired on the 'Home' screen would have: content_type_Home=1 ?

Does someone have an answer for me, as well as a code example please ? Much appreciated :)

d_-
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2 Answers2

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Until Screen Tracking and User Flows become available, the closest alternatives are :

  1. To log a distinct event for each screen (e.g. "welcome_menu") and to use a Funnel to visualize the flow through a sequence of connected screens.
  2. To log a single event (e.g. "screenview") and add a parameter that identifies the screen itself. Note that, since Funnels don't allow you to specify event parameters, you would only be able to view reporting on this through BigQuery at the moment.
Steve Ganem
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  • Great, thanks @Steve! Does this mean if I wanted to log two separate events on the HomeScreen and Listing Screen for instance, the following examples would not work? 1) Event=view_item & content_type Parameter(kParameterContentType, "shop_hp") and 2) Event=view_item: content_type Parameter(kParameterContentType, "shop_listing"). That way I have a more granular view if I wanted to filter on the event's parameter and can re-use the same code, by editing the content_type only. The drill-down will have to be on content_type in BigQuery as you suggested. Would the latter example work?Thanks :) – d_- Jun 20 '16 at 08:29
  • Also, I like your suggestion of logging distinct events for screens (and to then create a funnel thereafter), but if I wanted to add one level deeper insights to some events in our funnel, could my above 'content_type'-code work when applied to the following use case where the 'Add-item' and 'ProceedtoCheckout'-event is on the same "screen"? The funnel would then be: HP ("shop_hp" screen) >> Listing ("shop_listing" screen) >> Shop ("shop_detail" screen) >> Add Item to Cart - event ("shop_detail" screen) >> Proceed to Checkout ("shop_detail" screen) >> Order Success ("shop_order" screen). – d_- Jun 20 '16 at 08:50
  • I have seen a param `firebase_screen_class` in the `user_engagement` event in bigQuery, it contains the name of my activities, I wonder how is `user_engagement` generated to get some useful insights from it. – josue.0 Mar 27 '17 at 19:04
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To add on to Steve's answer: note that since Firebase only provides "open" funnels, this technique only works for a flow where users are forced to go from one screen to the next.

If a screen can be accessed from outside this particular flow, your funnel visualization will be messed up - since the number of users from within that flow and outside of it will be added together, potentially creating a conversion rate of more than 100%.

(That makes open funnels pretty useless IMO, except for very specific use cases.)

antoine
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