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This week, we’ll discuss adding users and changing user access rights in Google Analytics. Here is a step by step guide through this process, followed with a few tips for best practice.

USER TYPES

There are two types of Google Analytics users: administrators and users. Administrators have access to all reports and can modify analytics settings: adding profiles, filters, goals, and other users. Users can only read reports and cannot modify analytics settings on the account.

CHANGING & ADDING USERS TO THE ANALYTICS ACCOUNT

Changes to user rights can be made in the User Manager, within the Analytics Settings page.  
1.    Log in to your Google Analytics Dashboard with an Administrator username and password.
2.    Once logged on, click on the cog shaped Analytics Settings toggle/icon in the top right corner of the Report Suite. This takes you to the Analytics Settings page. (Clicking on Home, Standard Reporting, or Custom reporting will take you back to the report pages at any time.)
3.    Select the profile you wish to make changes for in the profile drop down box.
4.    Click on the “Users” tab to select the User Manager. Here you will see a list of users, with access rights they have assigned to them.

TO CHANGE ACCESS RIGHTS FOR AN EXISTING USER ON THE ANALYTICS ACCOUNT

5.    Click “settings” to the right of the user you want to change. This takes you to the Profile User Settings page.
6.    Select the role required for the email address listed (either user or administrator)
7.    Click on the “Save” button to save changes. (Or click Cancel to cancel and return to the User Manager page.)

TO ADD A NEW USER TO THE ANALYTICS ACCOUNT

8.    Follow steps 1–4, then on the User Manager screen, click the “+ New User” button above the list of email addresses already assigned as users on the analytics account. This takes you to the Add User to Profile page.
9.    To add a new user who does not currently have access to any other part of the Google Account:  Select “Create a new user for the account and grant access to this profile.”
10.    Enter the new user’s email address into the box.
11.    Select the user’s role (user or administrator)
12.    Click on the “Create User” button to confirm. (Or click Cancel to cancel and return to the Users page)
13.    To add a new user who already has access to the Google Account, follow step 8, and then select “Select existing account users to grant access.”
14.    Select the new user’s email address from the available users box.
15.    Click “Add” to move the email address into the selected users box.
16.    Click “Grant Access” to confirm. (Or click Cancel to cancel and return to the Users page)

ADDING AN EMAIL ADDRESS TO THE GOOGLE ACCOUNT

NOTE: This email address will have access to every Google service (such as AdWords, AdSense, Webmaster Tools, Calendars) you have attached to the Google Account.
1.    Log in to your Google Analytics Dashboard with an administrator username and password.
2.    Click “Settings” in the top right menu bar. This takes you to the Edit User Settings page.
3.    Click “Google Account settings” where it says “Visit your Google Account settings to edit your email address, reset your password, or learn about access to other Google services.” This will take you to a new tab for the accounts options, account overview page.
4.    To add an email address to the account, click on “Edit” in the email addresses and usernames section. This takes you to the edit personal information screen.
5.    Type a new email address into the “Add an additional email address” box at the bottom.
6.    Click “Save.”

Finally, best practice tips for managing users on your Google Analytics Account:   

Tip #1:  INITIAL SETUP - When first setting up a Google account for your company, or when adding users, do not use a personal e-mail address. Google Analytics is just one Google service connected to an overall Google account (like mail, calendars, documents, etc.). It is best to use a generic company account when creating your new Google account. Any generic company email can be used for this purpose; it does not have to be a Google/Gmail email address. As long as you can receive and read the account activation email, you can use any e-mail address to create your account.
Tip #2:  ADMINISTRATOR ACCESS - Ensure only authorized people have access to your data. Delete any users who should not have access. Reduce the number of administrators on the account to the bare minimum. Remember that an administrator can change any setting and even delete the account. Reduce the chances of a configuration mistake by limiting administrator access.
Tip # 3:  MANAGING MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS - Remember that an administrator has full administrative access to all profiles within the account. If you manage the analytics services for several websites or organizations, it is best practice to create separate accounts for each organization. Otherwise, any account administrator has access to all the reports for all websites.

Hayley Bruton Web Analyst

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