How to Create Custom Reports in Google Analytics 4: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

How to create custom reports in Google Analytics 4 is an essential skill for any marketer who wants to stop drowning in data and start finding actionable insights. Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 doesn’t come with pre-built reports for everything — you have to build your own. That’s intimidating at first, but it’s actually more powerful.

Standard reports give you the same view as everyone else. Custom reports give you answers to your specific business questions: “Which traffic source brings the highest value customers?” “What do users who convert have in common?” “Where are people dropping off in my funnel?”

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to create custom reports in Google Analytics 4 — from basic explorations to advanced segments — so you can stop guessing and start making data-driven decisions.

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External Resources (Bookmark These)

• Google — GA4 Explore Guide
• Google — Analytics Academy (Free)
• Neil Patel — GA4 Custom Reports
• Search Engine Land — GA4 Report Guide
• SEJ — GA4 Exploration Tutorial
• Loves Data — GA4 Report Builder
• Analytics Mania — GA4 Tutorials
• Optimize Smart — GA4 Guides
• Measure School — GA4 Video Tutorials
• Google Analytics — Official YouTube Channel

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Internal Rafirit Station Resources

• Web Analytics Services — GA4 setup and reporting
• Full-Service Digital Marketing — Data-driven strategies
• Case Studies — Analytics-driven results
• CRO Services — Data-backed optimization
• Contact Rafirit Station — Free analytics audit

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GA4 vs Universal Analytics: What Changed?

If you’re coming from Universal Analytics (UA), GA4 feels completely different. Here’s what you need to know:

• Reports are now “Explorations”: The old “Custom Reports” are now called “Explorations” in GA4. More flexible, but different interface.
• Event-based, not session-based: UA tracked pageviews and sessions. GA4 tracks every user interaction (clicks, scrolls, video plays) as events.
• No more “Views”: UA had filtered views. GA4 uses data filters instead.
• Built-in exploration templates: GA4 comes with 6 exploration templates to start from.
• More powerful segmentation: You can compare up to 5 segments side by side.

The good news: Once you learn GA4’s exploration interface, you can answer questions that were impossible in UA. Custom reports are actually easier to build — once you know where to click.

Rafirit Station sets up GA4 and custom reports for 50+ businesses.

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The 6 Types of GA4 Explorations (And When to Use Each)

GA4 offers 6 exploration templates. Start with these before building from scratch.

1. Free Form (Most Common — Start Here)

What it does: Pivot table-style report. Rows, columns, values, filters — like a spreadsheet.

Use for: Traffic source performance, top pages, conversion breakdowns, channel comparisons.

2. Funnel Exploration

What it does: Shows drop-off between steps in a user journey.

Use for: Checkout funnel, signup flow, onboarding steps, multi-page sequences.

3. Path Exploration

What it does: Shows the sequence of pages/events users take.

Use for: Understanding user flow, finding unexpected navigation paths, identifying where users go after key pages.

4. Segment Overlap

What it does: Shows how different user segments overlap.

Use for: Understanding audience cross-sections (e.g., “mobile users who also come from social media”).

5. Cohort Exploration

What it does: Groups users by acquisition date and tracks their behavior over time.

Use for: Retention analysis, understanding if newer customers behave differently than older ones.

6. User Lifetime

What it does: Shows metrics per user (LTV, engagement, revenue).

Use for: Customer lifetime value analysis, identifying your most valuable user segments.

Pro tip: For 90% of your custom reporting needs, start with Free Form. It’s the most flexible and familiar for people coming from spreadsheets.

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Step-by-Step: Create Your First Custom Report (Free Form)

Let’s build a practical custom report: Traffic source performance by conversion goal — which channels bring the most conversions?

Step 1: Open Explorations

1. Log into GA4 → On the left menu, click “Explore” (looks like a compass icon)
2. Click “Blank” (or “Free Form” template)
3. Name your report (e.g., “Channel Conversion Performance”)

Step 2: Add Variables (Dimensions and Metrics)

Variables are the data building blocks. Dimensions = attributes (source, page, device). Metrics = numbers (sessions, conversions, revenue).

1. In the “Variables” column, click the “+” next to “Dimensions”
2. Search for and check these dimensions: “Session source / medium”, “Session campaign”, “Device category”, “Country”
3. Click “Apply”
4. Next to “Metrics”, click “+” and add: “Sessions”, “Conversions”, “Total revenue”, “Engagement rate”

Tip: You can also create custom metrics if you’ve set up specific events (e.g., “purchase_complete”).

Step 3: Configure Your Report (Drag and Drop)

1. In the “Rows” section, click “+ Add dimension” and select “Session source / medium”
2. In the “Values” section (these are your metrics), click “+ Add metric” and add “Sessions”, then “Conversions”, then “Total revenue”
3. In the “Columns” section, you can optionally add a dimension to compare (e.g., “Device category” to see desktop vs mobile)

Your report now shows each traffic source row with sessions, conversions, and revenue columns.

Step 4: Add Filters (Focus on What Matters)

1. In the “Filters” section, click “+ Add filter”
2. Filter on “Session source / medium” → “does not contain” → “direct” (to exclude direct traffic)
3. You can also filter date range in the top-right corner of the report

Step 5: Adjust Visualization (Make It Scannable)

1. In the “Tab Settings” (top right of the report area), change “Visualization” from “Auto” to “Bar chart” or “Table”
2. Sort by “Conversions” descending (click the column header)
3. Save your report (the save icon at the top)

Your report now answers: “Which traffic channels generate the most sessions, conversions, and revenue?” Use this to decide where to invest your marketing budget.

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Essential Custom Reports Every Business Needs

Here are 5 custom reports to build immediately (templates included).

Report 1: Traffic Source Performance (Built Above)

Dimensions: Session source / medium, Session campaign, Device category
Metrics: Sessions, Conversions, Total revenue, Conversion rate
Filter: Exclude direct and internal traffic
Purpose: Which marketing channels are actually driving results?

Report 2: Landing Page Performance

Dimensions: Landing page + query string
Metrics: Sessions, Bounce rate (if tracked), Conversions, Engagement rate
Filter: Exclude pages with < 10 sessions
Purpose: Which pages are failing to convert visitors?

Report 3: Funnel Analysis (Checkout or Signup)

Use the “Funnel Exploration” template:

1. Select “Funnel Exploration” from templates
2. Define steps: Step 1 = “view_item” (product page view), Step 2 = “add_to_cart”, Step 3 = “begin_checkout”, Step 4 = “purchase”
3. Set funnel to “Open” (allows skipping steps) or “Closed” (must follow order)
4. Review drop-off percentages between each step

Purpose: Where are customers abandoning the purchase process?

Report 4: User Behavior by Segment

Use the “Free Form” template with segments:

1. In “Variables” → “Segments”, click “+” and create a segment for “Users who converted” (event = purchase)
2. Create a comparison segment for “Users who did not convert”
3. Add dimensions: Device category, Traffic source, Location
4. Add metrics: Sessions, Pages per session, Time on site

Purpose: What do your converters have in common that non-converters don’t?

Report 5: Ecommerce Product Performance (Shopify/WooCommerce)

Dimensions: Item name, Item category, Item brand
Metrics: Item views, Add to carts, Purchases, Item revenue, Quantity sold
Filter: Last 30 days
Purpose: Which products are your best-sellers? Which are underperforming?

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How to Use Segments in GA4 (The Game Changer)

Segments are filters that isolate specific user groups. They’re more powerful than standard filters because you can compare segments side by side.

Creating a Segment:

1. In any exploration, click “+” next to “Segments” in Variables
2. Choose segment type: User segment (across all sessions) or Session segment (within a single session)
3. Add conditions (e.g., “User who made a purchase in last 30 days”)
4. Name your segment → “Apply”

Essential Segments to Create:

Mobile Users</td;

Device category = “mobile”</td;

Compare mobile vs desktop behavior</td;New vs Returning</td;

User’s first session date = date range</td;

Compare acquisition vs retention metrics</td;Social Media Traffic</td;

Session source / medium contains “social”</td;

Isolate social performance from other channels</td;

Segment Name	Condition	Use Case
Converted Users</td;	Event = “purchase” or “generate_lead” in last 30 days</td;	Analyze what your best customers have in common</td;	High-Value Visitors</td;	Session revenue > ৳5,000</td;	Understand big spenders</td;

Pro tip: Compare segments side by side. Add 2-5 segments to a Free Form report to see differences instantly. For example: Converted Users vs Non-Converters. Which traffic source drives each group?

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Common GA4 Custom Report Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

• Mistake: Report takes forever to load
  Fix: Add date range filters (last 30 days vs all time) and limit metrics to 5-10.
• Mistake: Numbers don’t match standard reports
  Fix: Check your segments and filters. Standard reports include all traffic. Your custom report may exclude something.
• Mistake: Missing key metrics
  Fix: Ensure your events are set up correctly. GA4 only shows metrics you’re tracking. Use “Debug View” to test.
• Mistake: Can’t compare date ranges
  Fix: In the date picker (top right), check “Compare” and select previous period (e.g., last 28 days vs previous 28 days).
• Mistake: Report not saving
  Fix: Click the save icon after every major change. GA4 auto-save isn’t reliable.

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Exporting and Sharing Custom Reports

Once you’ve built a useful report, share it with your team or clients.

Export options:

• CSV: Click the download icon (top right of report) → Download CSV (best for spreadsheets)
• PDF: Download CSV → open in Excel/Sheets → print to PDF (GA4 doesn’t export PDF directly)
• Google Looker Studio (formerly Data Studio): Connect GA4 to Looker Studio (free) → build shareable dashboards with live data.

To share within GA4: You can’t share explorations directly with non-GA4 users. Create a Looker Studio dashboard instead for client reporting.

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Real Example: How a Dhaka Ecommerce Store Saved ৳1.2 Lakh/Using GA4 Custom Reports

Client: Dhaka-based fashion ecommerce store spending ৳4 lakh/month on Meta and Google Ads. Previous agency reported on sessions and clicks — not revenue or ROAS.

Problem: Client had GA4 installed but no custom reports. Couldn’t tell which ads actually drove sales. Wasting budget on underperforming channels.

Custom reports built:

• Traffic source performance (channel → sessions → revenue → ROAS)
• Landing page performance with conversion rates by source
• Funnel analysis (product view → add to cart → purchase)
• Segment comparison: Converted users vs Non-converters

Findings from reports:

• Facebook Ads drove 60% of traffic but only 30% of revenue (1.2x ROAS)
• Google Shopping drove 15% of traffic but 45% of revenue (5.8x ROAS)
• Mobile users converted at 1.2% vs desktop 3.8% (mobile checkout was broken)
• 70% of drop-off happened between “add to cart” and “begin checkout” (shipping cost shown too late)

Actions taken based on data:

• Shifted ৳60,000/month from Facebook to Google Shopping
• Fixed mobile checkout button (was hidden below the fold)
• Added shipping calculator to product page (transparent pricing)

Results after 60 days:

• Total ad spend: same ৳4 lakh/month
• Revenue from ads: ৳7.2 lakh → ৳12.8 lakh (+78%)
• ROAS: 1.8x → 3.2x
• Monthly savings by reallocating ad spend: ৳1.2 lakh (moved from low-ROAS to high-ROAS channels)
• Custom report build time: 3 hours (one-time)

Key takeaway: Custom reports aren’t just about seeing data — they’re about finding hidden profit. This client saved ৳1.2 lakh/month just by reallocating spend based on GA4 insights. No extra ad budget. No new campaigns. Just better data visibility. See more analytics success stories.

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Custom Report Checklist

Key events (conversions) set up and firing (purchase, lead, signup)</td;

☐</td;Traffic source performance report (sessions, conversions, revenue by channel)</td;

☐</td;Landing page performance report (conversion rate by page)</td;

☐</td;Funnel analysis (checkout or signup flow)</td;

☐</td;Segment comparison (converted vs non-converted users)</td;

☐</td;Ecommerce product performance (if applicable)</td;

☐</td;Date range set to relevant period (last 30 days, compare to previous)</td;

☐</td;Report saved and shared with team (Looker Studio dashboard)</td;

☐</td;Monthly report review schedule in calendar (30 min)</td;

☐</td;

Task	Status
GA4 property properly installed and verified</td;	☐</td;

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I see revenue in my GA4 reports?

Revenue tracking must be set up manually. For ecommerce, enable “Enhanced Ecommerce” in your Shopify/WooCommerce GA4 integration. For lead gen, you’ll need to send “generate_lead” event with value parameter.

How long does data take to appear in GA4?

Real-time reports update within seconds. Standard reports update every 24-48 hours. If you just set up tracking, wait 48 hours before building reports.

What’s the difference between a dimension and a metric?

Dimension = attribute (source, page, device). Metric = measurement (sessions, conversions, revenue). Rows are dimensions, values are metrics.

Can I build reports for clients without giving them GA4 access?

Yes — export data to Google Looker Studio (free) and share the dashboard via link. Set to “view only” so clients can’t change anything.

Can Rafirit Station set up GA4 and custom reports for my business?

Yes — Rafirit Station’s analytics team handles GA4 setup, event tracking, custom report building, and Looker Studio dashboards — plus training your team to use them.

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The Bottom Line

GA4’s exploration interface is different from Universal Analytics — but it’s more powerful. Custom reports let you answer specific business questions that standard reports can’t. Which channel drives revenue? Where do users drop off? What do converters have in common?

Your next step (today):

1. Log into GA4 → Explore → Blank Free Form
2. Add dimensions: Session source/medium, Device category
3. Add metrics: Sessions, Conversions, Total revenue
4. Sort by Conversions descending
5. Answer: Which channel drives the most conversions for your business?

One hour of setup today will save you hours of guessing every week.

👉 Professional GA4 Setup & Reporting →
👉 Data-Driven Marketing Services →
👉 See Analytics Results →
👉 Conversion Optimization →
👉 📊 Book Your Free Analytics Audit on Calendly →

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Want a free GA4 Custom Report Template Pack? Drop “GA4 REPORTS” in the comments — I’ll send you 10 ready-to-import exploration templates for traffic analysis, funnel analysis, cohort analysis, and client reporting dashboards.