API vs Reporting Interface

[#1]

Hello - We are noticing inconsistencies with a few metrics we are pulling via the API when trying to compare them against the same metrics within the Adobe Reporting Interface.  For examples, when I pull Trended Report (dategranularity = Day) the sum for the following metrics for a given day do not match when I try comparing against those same metrics (for the same day) in the Reporting Interface:

For 10/30-10/31 the sum total for Visits shows the following in each

- API = 465,112

- Reporting Interface = 444,112

Is anyone aware of an explanation as to why "Visits" from the API and "Visits" within the Reporting Interface do not match?  I have tried for an earlier date range as well, but my findings are the same.  I am also seeing the same for "Pages/Visit".  However, other non-visit related metrics seem to match perfectly such as PageViews and Bounces.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Yeah, if you're using 4 elements, that would definitely contribute to the inflated count. This KB article has a pretty solid example:

Compare sum of line items to report total

If you're summing line items with dimensions, there's a solid chance there's some overlap in those dimensions. You'll want to trim the API request to only include date so you're comparing apples to apples.

[#3]

Hi -- I'm getting the same issue, and I don't see how the lines-vs-totals applies.

Adobe's built-in reporting for January for a site shows 155K visits.

An API call to the data warehouse gives 127K visits. Page views and unique visitor metrics match - only visits is off. Why would that be?

To clarify - I'm using v.1.4 APIs.

Here's the report description in the Report.Queue call:

                "reportDescription": {

                                "reportSuiteID":"SUITE_NAME",

                                "dateFrom":"2018-01-01",

                                "dateTo":"2018-08-01",

                                "dateGranularity":"month",

                                "metrics":[

{"id":"pageviews"},

{"id":"visits"},

{"id":"uniquevisitors"}

                              ],

"source":"warehouse"

}

[#4]

Also, could the issue be that when performing the API call I am using 4 elements and the "Visits" report within the UI only shows one element which is Date?

[#5]

Hello, thanks for your response!  I am looking at the "Visits" report within the interface for 10/30 - 10/31.  I am taking the sum of Visits showing in the interface for that date range and comparing to the sum of Visits pulled from the API.

[#6]

Thank you.

Considering the 4 elements being used, how and which report are you comparing it with, within the interface?

[#7]

We are queuing the trended report request using the Report.Queue API method and then polling for the completion status using the reported got from the request. Once the report is ready we use the method “Report.Get” to get the report response data.

We are requesting 4 elements in the Trended report as well – searchengine, searchenginekeyword, page, domain. The reportGranularity is set to “day”

[#8]

Visits should exactly match.

If you can share additional details like API Method, Request payload etc., that should help in understanding why visits aren't matching for your environment.