14.13. Creative Use Cases for Extract Data in Looker Studio

Extract Data functionality in Looker Studio can be used for more than just increasing report loading and refreshing speeds. In this lesson, we'll explore a few creative use cases for the Extract Data feature to optimize your reports further.

De-aggregation with Extract Data

One use case for Extract Data is de-aggregating auto-aggregated metrics, like revenue, transactions, and sessions from Google Analytics. Since Looker Studio doesn't have access to row-level data in a scorecard, de-aggregating these metrics can be challenging. By using Extract Data, you can define breakdowns and extract row-level data to show average or maximum revenue per landing page, for example.

Keep in mind that extracting data using this method might cause a delay in the data, as extracts are only updated periodically. You can also use data blending for de-aggregating metrics in real-time, although it might not be as fast as leveraging Extract Data.

Advantages and Considerations

Using Extract Data for de-aggregation offers several advantages:

Faster report loading times.
Access to row-level data for various statistical calculations, such as count, minimum, maximum, standard deviation, and variance.

However, it's essential to understand that using Extract Data for de-aggregation may result in a delay of data, as updates can be up to a day late.

Extract Data in Looker Studio offers creative ways to optimize your reports beyond just improving loading speeds. For example, using this feature allows for de-aggregating auto-aggregated metrics from Google Analytics, providing more in-depth insights and calculations.

Remember the advantages and considerations when using Extract Data for these additional use cases to ensure a balance between optimal performance and data timeliness. Always consider the specific requirements of your reports before leveraging Extract Data for creative uses.