Is visitor data merged into user data after login?

fulstadev · January 22, 2024, 4:43pm

Dear support team,

So according to this link:

github.com/matomo-org/matomo

UserID overwrites VisitorID, but doesn't claim existing Visit

opened 08:45AM - 28 Oct 22 UTC

SeverinEventfrog

Major worksforme c: Tracking Can't reproduce (yet) c: Data Integrity & Accuracy

We run a webshop. Users can put items in their basket and stroll around, but onl…y need to login with a userId when starting the checkout proceedure. We want to have all actions pre-login also assigned to the userId. However, when enable_userid_overwrites_visitorid = 1 is set (is by default), then Matomo will not find the existing visit pre-login and instead create a new visit for the userId. Thereby loosing a lot of user interactions, like looking at products and not buying them. ## Expected Behavior enable_userid_overwrites_visitorid = 1 Navigate to the home page 1 visit with 1 action with unknown user Navigate to the login screen 1 visit with 2 actions with unknow user Login and call setUserId function 1 visit with 3 actions with known user (merging all pass actions) Logout 1 visit with 4 actions with know user (it continues to put actions in the same visit) ## Current Behavior enable_userid_overwrites_visitorid = 1 Navigate to the home page without any Cookie 1 visit with 1 action with unknown user Navigate to the login screen 1 visit with 2 actions with unknow user Login and call setUserId function 1 visit with 2 actions with unknown user 1 visit with 1 action with known user (it didn't merged the pass actions) Logout and no longer use setUserId 1 visit with 3 actions with unknow user 1 visit with 1 action with known user ## Possible Solution When userId overwrites visitorId, the check for existing visits should also check for visits of the visitorId, if that one is supplied. As when the visitorId is supplied, the trackingrequest clearly states to be from that visitor. So claiming the visit with the newly supplied userID is expected behaviour and even documented here: https://matomo.org/faq/general/how-are-requests-with-a-user-id-tracked/ "When a user logs in, Matomo counts all actions before and after logging in as one user, one visit, and one unique visitor." Inuitively, this check could be done only, if no active visit for the userId is found. However, I would suggest claiming the given visit even if another already assigned to the userId exists, as they might be from different devices within 20 minutes and just adding to the older one would disconnect the newer visits's previous actions from the userId. Pseudocode: get_existing_visit(visitorId, userId){ visits.add(get_visits_by_visitorId(visitorId)) # make sure, that visitorId has not already been overwriten by userId! visits.add(get_visits_by_userId(userId)) visits.sort_by_last_action_time() return visits.pop() } ## Steps to Reproduce (for Bugs) See Behavior, we use JavaScript Tracking and the _paq.push(['setUserId', 'USER_ID_HERE']); ## Context In our Webshop, we want to know what a user has looked at and done during one sitting. If they happen to log in, we want all their actions to be mapped to their userID. We want this mapping to work, even if the user deletes their Cookies. We also want to be able to use the Matomo UI to click on Visitor-Profile and see all past actions of that User ( not only Visitor!). We are aware of this option: enable_userid_overwrites_visitorid = 0 Navigate to the home page 1 visit with 1 action with unknown user Navigate to the login screen 1 visit with 2 actions with unknow user Login and call setUserId function 1 visit with 3 actions with known user (just setting userID, vistorID unchanged) Logout 1 visit with 4 actions with know user (it continued to put actions in the same visit) But then, should the user ever delete their Cookie or much more likely just use another device, they would get another visitorID. The userID link is our active workaround but is slow for DB SELECTS and the Matomo Admin UI will only show all actions of the same VisitorID and not userID. ## Your Environment * Matomo Version: 4.10.0 * PHP Version: 7.3 * Server Operating System: Debian 4.19.x * Additionally installed plugins: ** FormAnalytics ** GoogleAnalyticsImporter ** HeatmapSessionRecording ** MediaAnalytics For information: Matomo 4.1.0 on Windows Edge 87 without adblocker

Is there something we’re not getting? How are you supposed to associate an existing visitor ID with a thus newly (upon login) generate user ID?