Before getting into Google Data Studio real time reporting, let us talk about Google Data Studio. Data Studio is a business intelligence tool provided by Google along with its cloud platform. It can be used to explore, visualize, and create dashboards based on various data sources. Having access to such tools spare organizations the effort in implementing their own reporting dashboards.
Data studio also comes with granular scheduling capabilities for both reports and data extracts. Since it is built on top of Google applications, it tightly integrates with Google based data sources like Google Analytics, Bigquery, etc. It also inherits the intuitive sharing and access control settings that are part of Google suite.
This post shows you how you can set up Google Data Studio real time reports by using the Data Studio Auto-Refresh extension.
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Understanding Data Freshness in Google Data Studio
Google data studio works using the connectors provided by Google, its partners, and the outside community. Most data connectors support a live connection to its data sources. A live connection means that the data is fetched every time a dashboard or report is loaded. An example of such a data source is the Google Sheets application. Reports based on large data sets results in the Data studio being slow because of this data load.
In cases where a user can sacrifice freshness of data for faster load times, Google provides the option of data extracts. This works based on a snapshot of data from the defined data source and does not maintain a live connection.
The schedule of the extract can be configured up to hour level granularity. Whether you use a live connection or an extract, for the data to be reflected in a report, Data Studio needs to be refreshed using a button in the dashboard. The need for this manual refresh prevents Data Studio from acting as a true real time dashboard.
Steps to Set-up Google Data Studio Real time Reports
In this post, we will set up real time reports in Data Studio using Google Sheets. The reason for selecting Google Sheets is because it is one of the data sources that support live connection allowing for Google Data Studio real time analytics. You will begin by creating a new Google Sheet.
- Login to your Google account and create a new Google Sheet. For now, let us name it ‘report_source’ and fill in data as shown below:
| Date | Top Sales | Region |
| 10 Jan 2020 | 4 | Amsterdam |
| 11 Jan 2020 | 5 | Amsterdam |
| 12 Jan 2020 | 5 | Amsterdam |
| 13 Jan 2020 | 5 | Amsterdam |
- Navigate to Data Studio and create a report by clicking the Report button.
- When it asks for the data source, click on ‘Google Sheets‘ as shown in the below screenshot.
- Once the sheet is selected, Data Studio will automatically recognize dimensions and create an initial report for you. You can change this by dragging and dropping dimensions. For our objective, we will stay with the default one. Pay attention to the refresh button at the top. Any time data in your Google Sheet changes, you will need to use this button for the dashboard to refresh.
- To avoid this manual refresh, install an extension called Data Studio Auto-Refresh in your chrome browser. It is available here. Once installed, manually refresh the page once. Please note you should refresh the page via browser refresh button and not the dashboard refresh button in the above image. Click on the extension button and you should see a panel where you can schedule your refresh interval.
Any changes that you make in the Google Sheet will now reflect in Data Studio at most by a minute. Even though this is not truly real time, it can serve the purpose in most cases where the requirement can actually be managed by having near real time updates.
Challenges
Using the above approach comes with a number of challenges.
- The most critical bit is to have the data updated in real time in one of the data sources for which Google supports the live connection. In this example, you need to get your source data updated in Google Sheets in a real time manner. This will need a custom developed module in itself. A workaround is to use Google Sheets’ App Scripts to pull data from your source based on a trigger or schedule.
- Google Sheets data transformation abilities are limited and hence you will need to execute any transformation before writing to Google Sheets. Such a transformation will require an ETL tool or custom development.
A better option is to use a cloud-based ETL tool like Hevo that can handle such real time loads from most popular data sources to Data Studio.
Why Is Real-Time Data Visualisation in Google Data Studio Necessary?
Although GDS has several options for building live dashboards, it doesn’t give real-time updates. Therefore, in order to get current information and update real-time data, customers must refresh their Google Data Studio SEO reports.
Data Studio real time analytics pulls data from several sources to feed its dashboard widgets, which is why it displays outdated information. Looker Studio real time data, on the other hand, provides a solution to this challenge by offering live updates without the need for manual refreshing.
Because of this, the program maintains a temporary cache of the data and updates it only when the user presses the refresh button—either manual or browser—on the device. You must utilize GDS’s refresh button in order to update static data; otherwise, your report widgets won’t change.
Conclusion
Google Data Studio’s real-time reporting capabilities empower organizations to make faster, data-driven decisions. By integrating real-time data with visually compelling dashboards, teams can monitor key metrics as they evolve, ensuring proactive responses to business changes. Tools like Hevo streamline the process by providing seamless data integration and transformation, enabling you to harness the power of real-time insights effortlessly. Unlock the potential of real-time reporting with Google Data Studio and drive smarter strategies today!
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Share your views on setting up Google Data Studio real time reports in the comments below!
FAQ on Google Data Studio Real Time Reports
1. Is Google Data Studio real-time?
Google Data Studio supports near real-time data updates, depending on the data source and connector used.
2. How to make a dashboard in Google Data Studio?
Create a dashboard in Google Data Studio by connecting your data sources, adding visualizations, customizing the layout, and using filters and controls to make the dashboard interactive.
3. What is the difference between Google Analytics dashboard and Data Studio?
Google Analytics dashboards are built within Google Analytics and provide limited customization. Data Studio offers more flexibility, allowing you to create custom reports and dashboards from multiple data sources.
4. What is a real-time dashboard?
A real-time dashboard displays data that updates continuously or at frequent intervals, providing up-to-date insights into key metrics and performance indicators.
5. What are the disadvantages of Google Data Studio?
Google Data Studio’s disadvantages include limited data source integrations, performance issues with large datasets, and a learning curve for new users.
With over a decade of experience, Sarad has been instrumental in designing and developing Hevo's fundamental components. His expertise lies in building lean solutions for various software challenges. Sarad is passionate about mentoring fellow engineers and continually exploring new technologies to stay at the forefront of the industry. His dedication and innovative approach have made significant contributions to Hevo's success.
