How to Export Data from Google Analytics 4 to Google Sheets

Getting your data out of Google Analytics 4 is the first step toward uncovering real insights about your website's performance. The GA4 interface can be clunky for deep analysis, but connecting it to Google Sheets changes the game entirely. This guide will walk you through the best methods for exporting GA4 data into a spreadsheet, from a simple manual download to a fully automated, updating report.

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Why Export GA4 Data to Google Sheets?

You might be wondering why you'd bother to move data from one Google product to another. The standard reports in GA4 are a good starting point, but they often leave you with more questions than answers. The real magic happens when you can get your raw data into a flexible environment like Google Sheets.

Here’s what you gain:

• Deeper Analysis and Customization: In Sheets, you’re not limited by GA4's user interface. You can create pivot tables, write custom formulas, blend your GA4 data with other sources, and organize everything in a way that makes sense for your business. For example, you can easily calculate session-to-lead conversion rates for different channels by combining GA4 traffic data with lead data from your CRM.
• Better Data Visualization: Google Sheets offers more control over charts and graphs than GA4. You can build completely custom dashboards that track your company's unique Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), using the chart types and branding you prefer instead of being stuck with GA4’s default styles.
• Combining Data Sources: Your business data doesn't live in a silo. You have cost data in Facebook Ads, revenue data in Shopify, and lead data in Salesforce. Exporting your GA4 traffic data to Sheets lets you place it alongside these other datasets to see the full picture and calculate metrics like multi-channel Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
• Simplified Reporting and Sharing: Instead of taking screenshots of GA4 or granting access to team members who may not be familiar with it, you can build a clean, easy-to-read report in a Google Sheet. It’s a universally understood format that you can share with stakeholders, clients, or your team with a simple link.

Method 1: The Manual CSV Export

This is the fastest a-to-b route for a one-off data pull. If your boss just asked for last month’s top-performing blog posts and you need an answer in the next five minutes, the manual export is your best friend. It’s straightforward but not scalable for regular reporting. Unfortunately, these regular exports can take a lot of time, which is better spent on other marketing growth activities. Here is your best option when time isn't a factor, and you need that one-off report:

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Navigate to Your Report in GA4: Log into your Google Analytics 4 property. In the left-hand menu, go to the Reports section. For this example, let's open the Traffic acquisition report (under Acquisition).
2. Customize Your Report View: Before exporting, make sure the report shows what you need.
3. Export the Data: In the top-right corner of the report, you'll see a “Share this report” icon (an arrow pointing up from a box). Click it, and a menu will appear. Select Download File.
4. Choose CSV Format: Another menu will pop up. Choose Download CSV. A comma-separated values file will be downloaded to your computer, and it might have more data and a better format than the Google Sheets export option.
5. Import into Google Sheets: Open a new or existing Google Sheet. Go to File > Import > Upload. Drag and drop your downloaded CSV file into the window. Google Sheets will automatically handle the formatting and place the data neatly into a new tab. Remember that even though you are manually pulling these reports with a CSV, we highly recommend you use the automated methods we have written after this section to save your organization reporting hours in the long run.

Pros and Cons of Manual Export

• Pros: It’s incredibly fast for quick data snapshots. There’s zero setup, and it works for any standard or custom report you can build in the GA4 interface.
• Cons: The data is static, it doesn’t update automatically. The process is completely manual, making it a tedious chore for weekly or monthly reporting. A hurdle about manual downloads is they can often contain sampled data, not the full population of the data, due to GA4’s limitations or if you use Google 360, you may incur additional processing fees for reports. If your website has many visitors in the selected time period, this could lead to errors and incomplete reports. To see the full report in an "un-sampled" form requires using method #2, the paid or upgraded version, or using Google's premium analytics 360 product with direct Looker & BigQuery integrations. However, most small organizations cannot afford G.A. 360 monthly subscription payments, so this option is not always practical, though we wanted to mention it just in case.

Method 2: Using The Official Google Sheets Add-on for GA4 Reports (Free & Automated)

For recurring reports, the manual method is a non-starter. You need an automated way to pull fresh data into your sheets. Fortunately, Google provides a free add-on called "GA4 Reports Builder for Google Analytics" that connects directly to the GA4 API. Once it’s set up, you can create custom reports and schedule them to refresh automatically.

This is the most powerful and scalable free solution for almost everyone.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Install the Add-on

• Open a new Google Sheet.
• From the menu, click Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons.
• Search the Workspace Marketplace for “GA4 Reports Builder for Google Analytics.”
• Find the official one by Google and click Install.
• Follow the prompts to grant the necessary permissions. You’ll need to allow it to connect to your Google Analytics account so you can pull reports across various accounts you have listed in your GA portfolio. It is standard for Google to have you approve and authenticate connections across any Google API, don't worry here, everything is done with your secure account.

2. Create Your First Report

• Once installed, go to Extensions > GA4 Reports Builder for Google Analytics > Create a new report.
• A sidebar will open on the right side of your sheet. This is where you will define exactly what data you want GA to pull for you from the API. The sidebar might seem intimidating due to its sheer configuration power for novice users, here are the core concepts:

3. Schedule Regular Automatic Refreshes

Once you’ve created your template, run it manually to verify it pulls the exact data you planned. You can set up the report to refresh automatically at intervals that match your business's activity cycle.

Why This Reporting & Add-On Rules for any modern marketer today.

This tool is highly valuable, especially because it's free. It allows you to import files automatically with scheduler settings on any report type. The GA4 add-on is a solution that delivers full reports consistently, refreshing your data daily without sampling. It helps you write better instructions or tutorials and improve both business and personal development skills.

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Method 3: Advanced Users Only: Apps Script & The Native GA4 API

For developers and data analysts seeking ultimate control without third-party tools, connecting directly to the GA4 API using Google Apps Script offers full strength. Apps Script is JavaScript-based and works in your browser, allowing you to create full reports without adding any extension. This reduces risk by using no unofficial connectors.

Here's a Conceptual Overview

This approach allows full scripting capabilities for creating reports using code. Once your API is queried, you can retrieve data directly. This approach includes custom business logic not available in pre-built solutions.

Here's an example script to get you started:

function getGa_Data4(){
  const googleAnalytics_PropertyId="YOUR_GA4_PROPERTY_NO",
  // Create the request body in JSON format
  try {
    const requests_GA_Body = AnalyticsData.Properties.runReports(
      `properties/${GA4_Prop_ID}`, {
        "dimensions": [{"name": "pagePaths"}, {"name": "country"}],
        "metrics": [{"name": "sessions"}, {"name": "activeUsers"}],
        "dateRanges": [{"startDate": "2024-08-01", "endDate": "2024-08-31"}],
      }),
    // Get report from the request
    const report = JSON.parse(requests_GA_Body).reports[0],
    const headers = report.dimensionHeaders.map(h => h.name).concat(report.metricHeaders.map(mh => mh.name)),
    const allRows = report.rows.map(row => row.dimensionValues.map(v => v.value).concat(row.metricValues.map(v => v.value))),
    const data = [headers].concat(allRows),
    const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet(),
    const sheetDataRange = sheet.getRange(1, 1, data.length, data[0].length),
    sheetDataRange.setValues(data),
  } catch (e) {
    Logger.log(e.toString()),
  }
}

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This Path Is Perfect For Whom...

This method suits those familiar with coding and scripting. Many tutorials exist to get you started if you're interested in exploring more data science opportunities for small startup organizations and their clients.

Final Thoughts

Moving business data into Sheets allows your organization to gain insights more easily. The best free method remains the automation of reporting templates using the Google marketplace add-on for a fully custom dashboard report. Your whole team will appreciate less busywork and more time for analysis.

Each method has its strengths, and these tools are essential for a comprehensive analytics or marketing approach. For systems that combine data from multiple tools into a single view, I use Graphed. We're building a no-code conversational business intelligence system that streamlines the process of extracting insights, using natural language queries to quickly generate the reports you need.