Explorations is the analysis workspace inside Google Analytics 4. It lets you build ad hoc reports from dimensions, metrics and segments with techniques that standard reports do not offer, such as funnels, path analysis and cohort tables. Explorations are powerful but come with limits: they read from event-level data that is subject to your data retention setting, and large queries can be sampled.
Exploration techniques
Each technique answers a different kind of question.
- Free form: crosstab tables and charts from any dimensions and metrics
- Funnel exploration: step-by-step completion and drop-off
- Path exploration: what users did before or after an event or page
- Segment overlap: how audience segments intersect
- Cohort exploration: behavior of groups who started in the same period
- User lifetime: value and behavior across the full time a user has been known
- User explorer: the event stream for an individual pseudonymous user
Limits to know
Explorations only reach back as far as your data retention setting, which defaults to two months on standard properties. If you need longer history for ad hoc analysis, raise the retention setting early or use the BigQuery export.
Large queries can be sampled, and the interface shows an indicator when they are. Data thresholds can also hide rows when Google signals or demographics are involved.
Example
Finding what happens after the pricing page
Suppose Gravelmint, an expense tool, runs a path exploration starting from the pricing page. Many visitors go next to a security FAQ rather than to sign-up. The team adds a short security summary to the pricing page and links it, then tracks whether the path shortens.
Common mistakes
Leaving retention at two months
The default limits explorations to recent data. Change it to the longer option on day one if you will need history.
Ignoring the sampling indicator
Sampled results are estimates. Shorten the date range or use BigQuery for exact numbers.
Questions
No. They are views over collected data. Deleting or editing an exploration does not affect collection or standard reports.
