The Custom Insight Conversion Variable (or eVar) is placed in the Adobe code on selected web pages of your site. Its primary purpose is to segment conversion success metrics in custom marketing reports. An eVar can be visit-based and function similarly to cookies. Values passed into eVar variables follow the user for a predetermined period of time.
Analytics > Admin > Report Suites > Edit Settings > Conversion > Conversion Variables
For a video overview of conversion variables, see Introduction to conversion variables in the Analytics tutorials guide.
When an eVar is set to a value for a visitor, Adobe automatically remembers that value until it expires. Any success events that a visitor encounters while the eVar value is active are counted toward the eVar value.
eVars are best used to measure cause and effect, such as:
If traffic measurement or pathing is desired, using traffic variables is recommended.
Only a single value can be stored in an eVar in an image request. If multiple values are desired in an eVar value, we recommend that you implement List variables (list vars).
Descriptions of fields used when editing conversion variables.
Element | Description |
---|---|
Name | The friendly name of the conversion variable. This name is how the eVar is referred to in general reporting, and will be the name of the report/dimension in the left-hand menu. |
Type (eVar only) | The type of variable value:
|
Allocation | Determines how Analytics assigns credit for a success event if a variable receives multiple values before the event. Supported values include:
To avoid the likelihood of confusion in reporting, Adobe Analytics makes the historical data unavailable to the interface. It can be viewed if you decide to change the given eVar back to the initial allocation setting, although you should not change eVar allocation settings simply to access the historical data. Adobe recommends using a new eVar when new allocation settings are desired for data already being recorded, rather than changing allocation settings on an eVar that already has a significant amount of historical data built up. |
Expire After | Specifies a time period, or event, after which the eVar value expires (no longer receives credit for success events). If a success event occurs after eVar expiration, the None value receives credit for the event (no eVar was active). If you select an event as an expiration value, the variable expires only if the event occurs. If the event does not occur, the variable never expires. The available expiration options can be classified under four main categories:
|
Status (eVar only) | Defines the eVar status:
|
Reset | Resets any existing value in the eVar. Use this setting when repurposing an eVar so you do mix an old value into a new report. Resetting does not erase historical data. |
Merchandising (eVar only) | Merchandising variables can follow one of two syntaxes:
|
Merchandising Binding Event (eVar only) | If Merchandising is set to Conversion Variable Syntax, the selected events bind the current eVar value with a product. To use a Binding Event, set Allocation to Most Recent. If Allocation is set to Original Value, the first eVar product binding remains until the eVar expires. Multiple events can be selected by holding down ctrl (Windows) or cmd (Mac) and clicking on multiple items in the list. You can select an event only when Conversion Variable Syntax is selected. |
eVars
expire after a time period you specify. After the eVar expires, it no longer receives credit for success events. eVars can also be configured to expire on success events. For example, if you have an internal promotion that expires at the end of a visit, the internal promotion receives credit only for purchases or registrations that occur during the visit in which they were activated.
There are two ways to expire an eVar:
For example, if you change the expiration of an eVar from 30 to 90 days, eVar values collected will continue to persist for the duration of the new expiration set (in this case, 90 days). The system simply looks at the current expiration setting and the last set timestamp of the eVar value collected to determine expiration. Only the Reset option expires values and does so immediately.
Another example: If an eVar is used in May to reflect internal promotions and expires after 21 days, and in June it is used to capture internal search keywords, then on June 1, you should force the expiration of, or reset, the variable. Doing so will help keep internal promotion values out of June’s reports.
eVars are not case sensitive. The upper or lower case used in reporting is based on the first value the backend system registers. This value could either be the first instance ever seen or vary by some time period (e.g., monthly), depending on the variety and quantity of data associated with the report suite.
While eVars are most often used to hold string values, they may also be configured to act as counters. eVars are useful as counters when you are trying to count the number of actions a user takes before an event. For example, you may use an eVar to capture the number of internal searches before purchase. Each time a visitor searches, the eVar should contain a value of ‘+1.’ If a visitor searches four times before a purchase, you will see an instance for each total count: 1.00, 2.00, 3.00, and 4.00. However, only the 4.00 receives credit for the purchase event (Orders and Revenue Metrics). Only positive numbers are allowed as values of an eVar counter.
Click Analytics > Admin > Report Suites.
Select a report suite.
Click Edit Settings > Conversion > Conversion Variables.
On the Conversion Variables page, click the Expand icon [+] next to the conversion variable you want to modify.
Or
Click Add New to add an unused eVar to the report suite.
Select the conversion variable fields you want to modify.
See Conversion Variables - Descriptions. Some fields let you type directly in the field. Others let you select from a drop-down list of supported values.
Click Save.