Adobe Analytics and Google Analytics terminologies cheat sheet

When going from an Adobe Analytics world to a Google Analytics world or vice versa, you're bound to face terminologies that you're unfamiliar with, mainly because of how both products have evolved in their functionality over time.

But never fear! Here's a handy cheat sheet to help you know what something in Adobe Analytics is similar (but not always equivalent!) to in Google Analytics, or the other way around.

Base Terminologies

Adobe Analytics	Google Analytics	Remarks
Report Suite	Property	Besides data storage, an Adobe Analytics Report Suite provides the primary reporting interface. A Google Analytics Property does not have a reporting interface. Instead, its reporting interface is a View.
Virtual Report Suite	View	An Adobe Analytics Virtual Report Suite is based on applying a segment to a Report Suite. A Google Analytics View is based on applying many filters to a Property.
Visitor ID	Client ID	Modern implementations of Adobe Analytics rely on the Adobe Experience Cloud ID Service to provide the Visitor ID, which is a common visitor ID across all Adobe Experience Platform products.
Unique Visitor	User
Visit	Session	Learn more about the measurement differences.

Traffic Source

Adobe Analytics	Google Analytics	Remarks
Referrer	Source when Medium is "referrer"
Tracking Code (Campaign)	Source / Medium / Campaign / Ad Content / Keyword	Strictly speaking, this is not comparing like-for-like. In Adobe Analytics, Tracking Code is a special kind of Conversion Variable. It does not replace the Traffic Source. In Google Analytics, Source / Medium / Campaign / Ad Content / Keyword are synonymous with Traffic Source.
Marketing Channel	Channel Group

Site Content Pages

Adobe Analytics	Google Analytics	Remarks
Page	Page
Entry Page	Landing Page
Exit Page	Exit Page
Page Not Found	N/A
Server	Hostname
Site Section (Channel)	N/A
Hierarchy	N/A	Google Analytics derives a hierarchy (Content Drilldown) from Page.
N/A	Content Group	In Adobe Analytics, a Traffic Variable can be setup to record this.
Page View	Pageview
N/A	Unique Pageview	In Adobe Analytics, "Visit" can be used in place of this.
Bounce Rate	Bounce Rate

Site Content Links/Events

Adobe Analytics	Google Analytics	Remarks
Custom Link	Event Category/Action/Label	Adobe Analytics provides one field name, whereas Google Analytics provides three field names.
Download Link	Event Category/Action/Label when used to track a download link	Adobe Analytics provides one field name, whereas Google Analytics provides three field names.
Exit Link	Event Category/Action/Label when used to track an exit/outbound link	Adobe Analytics provides one field name, whereas Google Analytics provides three field names.
Custom/Download/Exit Link Instance	Event
N/A	Unique Event	In Adobe Analytics, "Visit" can be used in place of this.
N/A	Event Value	In Adobe Analytics, a "Numeric" Success Event can be setup to record this.

Custom Dimensions and Metrics

Adobe Analytics	Google Analytics	Remarks
Traffic Variable (prop)	Custom Dimension (hit-scoped)
Traffic Variable (prop)	Custom Dimension (hit-scoped)
Traffic List Variable	N/A
Conversion Variable (eVar) with "Most Recent" allocation and "Hit" expiry	Custom Dimension (hit-scoped)
Conversion Variable (eVar) with "Most Recent" allocation and "Visit" expiry	Custom Dimension (session-scoped)
Conversion Variable (eVar) with "Most Recent" allocation and "Never" expiry	Custom Dimension (user-scoped)
Conversion Variable (eVar) with other allocations and/or other expiries	N/A
Merchandising Conversion Variable (eVar) with "Most Recent" allocation and "Hit" expiry	Custom Dimension (product-scoped)
Merchandising Conversion Variable (eVar) with other allocations and/or other expiries	N/A
Success Event of "Counter" type and "Record Once Per Visit"	Goal Conversion	The Adobe Analytics Success Event must be set in the tracking code. Google Analytics' Goals are configured in the Admin interface based on Pages, Events, Page Views per Visit or Time on Site.
Success Event of "Counter" type	Custom Metric (hit-scoped) of "Integer" type with value "1"
Success Event of "Counter" type set with Products	Custom Metric (product-scoped) of "Integer" type with value "1"
Success Event of "Numeric" type	Custom Metric (hit-scoped) of "Integer" type with any value
Success Event of "Numeric" type set with Products	Custom Metric (product-scoped) of "Integer" type with any value
Success Event of "Currency" type	Custom Metric (hit-scoped) of "Currency" type
Success Event of "Currency" type set with Products	Custom Metric (product-scoped) of "Currency" type
N/A	Custom Metric (hit-scoped) of "Time" type	In Adobe Analytics, a "Counter" Success Event can be used in a Calculated Metric with a "Time" format to report this.
N/A	Custom Metric (product-scoped) of "Time" type	In Adobe Analytics, a "Numeric" Success Event can be used in a Calculated Metric with a "Time" format to report this.

E-commerce

Adobe Analytics	Google Analytics	Remarks
Category	Product Category	Google Analytics allows for drilldowns in Product Category (with Enhanced E-commerce only).
Product, if product name is set	Product	Adobe Analytics does not dictate if the "Product" field should be the product's name or SKU. If "Product" is used to record the product name, then a Merchandising Conversion Variable can be setup to record the product SKU.
Product, if product SKU is set	Product SKU	Adobe Analytics does not dictate if the "Product" field should be the product's name or SKU. If "Product" is used to record the product SKU, then a Merchandising Conversion Variable can be setup to record the product name.
N/A	Product Brand	In Adobe Analytics, a Merchandising Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Product Variant	In Adobe Analytics, a Merchandising Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Product Coupon Code	In Adobe Analytics, a Merchandising Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Product List View (Product Impression)	In Adobe Analytics, a "Counter" Success Event can be setup to record this.
N/A	Product List Click (Product Click)	In Adobe Analytics, a "Counter" Success Event can be setup to record this.
Product View	Product Detail View
Cart	N/A	In Google Analytics, a hit-scoped "Integer" Custom Metric can be setup to track this.
Cart Addition	Product Add
Cart Removal	Product Remove
Cart View	N/A	In Google Analytics, a hit-scoped "Integer" Custom Metric can be setup to track this.
Checkout	Product Checkout
Order	Transaction
Unit (when reported with Order)	Quantity
Unit (when reported with Product)	Product Quantity
Revenue (when reported with Order)	Revenue
Revenue (when reported with Product)	Product Revenue
N/A	Average Price	In Adobe Analytics, a Calculated Metric (based on Revenue / Unit) can be setup to report this.
N/A	Tax	In Adobe Analytics, a "Currency" Success Event can be setup to record this.
N/A	Shipping	In Adobe Analytics, a "Currency" Success Event can be setup to record this.
N/A	Transaction ID	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Affiliation	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Order Coupon Code	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Internal Promotion Name	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Internal Promotion ID	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Internal Promotion Creative	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Internal Promotion Position	In Adobe Analytics, a Conversion Variable can be setup to record this.
N/A	Internal Promotion View (Internal Promotion Impression)	In Adobe Analytics, a "Counter" Success Event can be setup to record this.
N/A	Internal Promotion Click	In Adobe Analytics, a "Counter" Success Event can be setup to record this.

Is this list missing something in Adobe Analytics or Google Analytics? Leave a comment to let me know, and I'll do my best to update this list with your suggestion(s).