Playing with Google Analytics Report Charts

Google Analytics charts can be viewed in multiple formats. Clicking one of the tiny icons next to the view link under the chart of any report will change the visual format of the chart. You can also specify how much information to see on a chart. The default visual for most reports is a line graph displaying one item. Clicking on the date above the graph will display additional choices, including comparing multiple metric items against each other. Analytics calls this reporting feature "Graph Mode".

When you have your graphical report set up the way you want, you can dive deeper into the display by clicking or hovering your cursor over any point on the chart. You can change the date range displayed by editing the date range at the top of the report.

Want to see a report on your main dashboard when you first login? Click the "add to dashboard" button. Once the report is on the main dashboard, it can be rearranged with other reports by dragging and dropping.

Email a report to yourself and others while you sleep. Click on the email feature at the top of a report. Fill out the "Setup to run automatically" tab of the email report form. The report will be emailed out in the format you choose on the date you specified.

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