How to Update Tracking Code Classification without losing retroactive data

[ShirleyLin]

Hi,

Our team tries to update our tracking code classification and the processing rules as well, but we also want to keep our retroactive data.

We have two options:

1.Edit the conversion classification in the existing report suites as well as the rule set (concerned about losing retroactive data). 

2.Duplicate both related report suites and tracking code rule set, and make changes to the copies.

My question:

1.Which option would you recommend?

2.If I go with the second method, is it possible to have the new rule set as a second Tracking Code Dimension in workspace. If so, what steps should I follow?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[Jennifer_Dungan · Accepted solution]

This is a hard one.. I am not generally a fan of making copies.. this causes confusion for users (which one do they use), as well as having to rebuild reports that are using the first version to use the second....

But, I also hear you on losing retroactive data... I am pretty sure there is an option in the Classification Rule Builder to only overwrite empty values... so it should leave your previously mapped values untouched:

This should work, but you can test it in a dev/qa suite to be sure... set up a rule... run it, check the values the next day... then change the rules, run it with these settings... confirm that the first values are untouched and that new rules are being applied....

If you are using the Classification Importer, I believe you need to choose to overwrite values on conflict.. so if you don't choose that, then the previous values should stay... again.. test this to be sure.

Currently, I really only use the Classification Rule Builder, and I have always done the overwrite option... but if I needed to preserve previous data (as in I wasn't just making minor tweaks and additions to my rules) I would absolutely test out the non-overwriting options with testing suites to be sure everything is working as expected.

[ShirleyLin]

Thank you so much for the response!

The problem we have is that we need to change our classification schema, and if we keep the old processing rules, they won't fit into the new classification schema.

So that's why I am considering making new ones with the old ones as template, but now we are stuck because we could not find the way to configure dimension even though we have developer access. 

[yuhuisg]

How about option 3?

Rename the existing ones by appending "deprecated" to their names. Create a brand new set of classifications with the existing names.

With this, I think you won't need to change any of your existing rules in Classification Rule Builder. Then, you would only need to add new rules to classify into the new fields.

[ShirleyLin]

Thank you for your suggestion! For testing, we did try to build a new report suite using the existing ones as template and linked it to a duplicated copy of tracking code rule set.

But we can't find the "Customize Dimensions" button to configure the dimension even though we have developer access.

[Jennifer_Dungan]

You mean set up the classifications on the Dimension?

It should be in:
Admin > Report Suites

(choose suite)

Edit Settings > Traffic > Traffic Classifications

OR

Edit Settings > Conversions > Conversion Classifications

If you have the Admin rights to create and modify report suites, you should have access to that.. I am unaware of a specific permission that needs to be applied (I would check the permissions, but admin console isn't available right now, I will try to check again later)

[ShirleyLin]

We are able to edit the Conversion classification, but (for testing) when we duplicated the report suite and linked it to the duplicated rule set (tracking code), we cannot see any data coming in or processed in that new report suite in workspace. So I wonder if that is because we need to configure the dimensions to display the new rule set as a dimension.

[Jennifer_Dungan]

Ohhh, I think I know what the issue is... duplicating the suite doesn't duplicate data... if you site had potentially changed and those rules don't match the values, they won't process.

I think in this case you may need to do a simple proxy test.

Basically, so something simple... take any prop or eVar that you have coming into your test data... create a simple Classification Rule to set some value... run the rules, you may have to collect some new data as well...   check it the next day, make sure those rules are working and note some of the values.

Now, change your processing rules (without overrides), and run them.. Also make sure to send new data into your test suite that should trigger the new rules...  the next day check your classifications... 

You should still see the values from the first rules untouched, and new processed data from your new rules.

[Josh__Stephens]

I agree with @yuhuisg. 

To keep the historic data, I think it might be best to first rename the old dimensions and update your classification rules with the new names.  The create new dimensions (using the old names if you want) and create your new rule set.

I'd test first in a dev or staging report suite to be sure it behaved as I wanted, then you can replicate the new classified dimensions and update the ruleset to apply to other report suites.

Also, I haven't worked with the new classification sets but I believe the option to either overwrite or not overwrite existing data is no longer available.  If you've been converted you may not have that option.

[ShirleyLin]

Thank you so much for the response! I will give it a try and see how it turns out.