Returning Users from GA4

[YevheniiaB]

Hello! What metric (field) in GA4 corresponds to the "Returning users" in Google Looker Studio or Power BI when I connect data to these tools? I could not find this metric. Could you please explain me how to find this or calculate "Returning users" in Google Looker Studio or Power BI so that it matches the data that the dashboard shows in Google Analytics 4?

[kdimitrof]

Hi YevheniiaB,

in this case you have to use dimension called New /Returning and create a filter for returning. This will display the data you need,

Hope it does help,

Kind regards,
Krassi

[YevheniiaB]

Hello Krassi! Thank you for your answer. But I do not quite understand what Calculated field will be for the column "Returning users"?

[kdimitrof]

Hey YevheniiaB,,

Sure, I will help you,

Previously you had a field for Returning Users and it was okay. But now there is a new field New/Returning (dimension) and when selected it could have a number of values as per the screenshot below. So in order to get Returning Users stats only you need to create a filter.

It is like to have a field called country and its values are US, Canada, Mexico etc, so if you want to get US only you have to filter it,

Let me know if you need some extra help,

Kind regards,

[YevheniiaB]

Could you please explain how to add “Returning users” into the common Looker Studio table between the columns “New users” and “Total users” so that it corresponds the visual created in GA4? As you can see, I need 107 returning users for google and 81 returning users for direct in August 2024.

As I can understand 

Returning users = SUM(CASE WHEN New / returning="returning" THEN 1  ELSE 0 END)

But this formula shows incorrect values. Please help to create the correct formula.

[kdimitrof]

Hey YevheniiaB, 

I have got your point, 

Just create a calculated metric: Total users-New users

Kind regards,
Krassi

[YevheniiaB]

But the SUM of New Users and Returning users is not the number of Total Users (you can see more about it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBNx2N4ligg)
Moreover, as you can see on my data
Returning users IS NOT Total users - New users 

google:  369-309 = 60 NOT 107

direct: 726-704 = 22 NOT 81

[kdimitrof]

Hey YevheniiaB,

Well.. that's the most logical. Way, however it seems that Google has something else in consideration which is difficult the reproduce in GA4 connector. I am using BQ table for GA4 and the number in general matches. Probably some Googler can shed more light on this 😞

I will try on Monday to match the numbers ( I am also curious if this could be achieved :))

Kind regards,
Krassi

[YevheniiaB]

Hello Krassi! I appreciate your assistance.

[kdimitrof]

Hi Yevheniia,

I have spent some time on understanding how to reproduce this number in Looker Studio, but it doesn't seems as an easy task. The closest I got was using Active Users metrics based on the timeframe I have defined.  In my screenshots below the data is based on last 28 days.

So I have made tests with Calculated field  based on the details here: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12253918

Returning users = Active X days - New users:

I agree with you that this metric is important but as it is missing in the API it is missing in the connector as well, so lets finger cross that some Googler would read this topic and help with the exact formula that might match the numbers.

Probably we should invest time in reading the Issue tracker and maybe suggest this metric to be added in the field list: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues?q=returning%20users%20ga4%20connector

Kind regards,
Krassi

[YevheniiaB]

Hello Krassi!
Thank you for your answer!

[siddharth3]

Hey I am also facing this issue did you get any solution ? if yes please share.