When an event fires, it is recorded in the report database with the dimensional values at the time the event fired. When you drill into a hit-based report, a search is run to return relevant results, which can return session counts that do not match expectations that are based on the report data for the following reasons.
This explanation applies to hit-based reports by using dimension value filters and how to match up report results with search results. Session-based report data must match search results.
Reports
For some reports, depending on the type of drill-down that is run, the And on Same Page search capability can be used to return correct matches. In some cases, however, it is not possible for the Portal application to use this search method, and the reported counts do differ.
Search
Text searching is session-based. When a search is run, any session that contains the dimensional value and the event is returned, even if the dimensional value on the hit where the event fired is different from the value in the search. For this reason, a higher number of sessions can be displayed when drilling into the initial session list.
Example
For example, suppose that you have two 4-page sessions:
- Session 1 has page 1 with dimension value
App1. On page 4, the value isApp2whenEvent 1fires. - Session 2 has page 1 with dimension value
App2. On page 4, the dimension value isApp1whenEvent 1fires.
Suppose that you are viewing a report that identifies the occurrence of App2 on
the first page of the session. When you click the drill-down link, the Portal essentially specifies
this search:
Event=Event 1 and Application=App2
Since search is session-based, the logical and is applied to the entire session,
not to the individual hit. When this search is run, both of Session 1 and Session 2 are returned, as
Event 1 and App2 can be displayed somewhere in the session.
The report data displays a count of 1 for Event 1 with dimension value
App2. However, when you drill down, two sessions are returned, because both
sessions have dimension value App2 and Event 1.
To continue the example, you might generate search results that are consistent with the report data by specifying the search terms and these conditions:
- Apply a logical
AND - Specify the data/time range appropriately
- Apply
And on same pagein the search specification, if filtering a dimension value other than Path. By default,And on same pageis applied to searches by using the Path filter.
Counts in Event Activity Report
The event counts in the Event Activity report reflects counts in both the Short-Term Canister and Long-Term Canister.
However, when you drill down on any of these counts, the search is run through search indexes, which are created for Completed sessions that are only stored in the LTC.
For this reason, event counts can differ between the Event Activity report and the drill-down searches within that report.