How to Fix "(not set)" Backlogs in Your GA4 Reports.

Author

Himanshu Sharma
November 11, 2024

🚦 Here is how you can prevent a (not set) backlog in your GA4 reports to minimize "(not set)" Issues.

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If you want to minimize (not set) values in your GA4 reports, make sure that the values of your custom dimensions are supplied by "logged" event parameters.

Otherwise, you will create the (not set) backlog in your reports.

A logged event parameter is one that is already being tracked and reported by your GA4 property.

For example, the 'page_title' parameter is a logged parameter (check the screenshot below).

You can also create a custom dimension without a logged event parameter, but this is not considered good practice.

When you create a custom dimension without an existing logged event parameter, it will not have anything to populate it with.

This could lead to a high number of (not set) values in your reports, making it difficult to understand user behaviour or trends.

Depending on your website traffic volume, by the time the event parameter is logged, you may already have a significant number of (not set) values in your reports.

When you create a custom dimension without a corresponding event parameter, any data collected before adding the parameter will appear (not set) in your reports. This is called (not set) backlog, which can be substantial for websites with high traffic volume.

To minimize the impact of the (not set) backlog, make sure that the values of your custom dimensions are supplied by "logged" event parameters.