Overview

The tracking process consists of the following steps:

  1. Setup the datalayer
  2. Read the datalayer and enrich it
  3. Use the enriched datalayer to setting tool configurations
  4. Distribute and execute the configured tools
../../_images/tracking-process.png

The whole process of enriching the datalayer and setting tool configurations is quite complex. We have documentation about these processes.

For more information about what the datalayer is, read our datalayer documentation.

At the end of step 3, we have a complete data object that is ready to be distributed or used for execution. We will use the tool configurations to decide how the data should be distributed or used for execution.

For example, on a certain domain “https://www.websiteA.com” we have put a pageview in the datalayer. (Step 1: datalayer).

This pageview is interpreted by Harvest Collect and will be enriched. We have decided that the variable “domainGroup” needs to have the value “Example domains” whenever an event is tracked on “https://www.websiteA.com” or “https://www.websiteB.com”. On the other hand, when an event is triggered on “https://www.shoes.com” the “domainGroup” variable needs to have the value “Selling domains”. (Step 2: Enrichment)

Furthermore, we want to use Google Analytics to track our website behaviour. We have decided that when we are on “https://www.websiteA.com” that the UA-code of Google Analytics should be “UA-12345-6”. We have also configured that “custom dimension 1” should have the value of the variable “domainGroup”. (Step 3: Tool configurations).

Finally, in step 4 we detect that an UA-code is given (UA-12345-6) and that we need to sent the pageview and domainGroup (as custom dimension 1) to Google Analytics. (Step 4: Distribute and execute the configured tools).