Proper user management in Google Analytics 4 is crucial for maintaining data security, ensuring appropriate access, and preventing accidental configuration changes. This guide will help you implement role-based access control tailored to your organization’s size and needs.
Understanding GA4 Access Levels
GA4 offers four primary access levels, each with specific permissions:
1. Admin (Highest Access)
Permissions include:
- Full control over the account, properties, and data streams
- Manage users and their access levels
- Configure all settings and integrations
- Delete properties or the entire account
- Access all reports and create explorations
Risk level: High – Admins can make irreversible changes, including property deletion.
2. Editor
Permissions include:
- Create and edit audiences, conversions, and custom dimensions
- Configure data streams and measurement settings
- Link to Google Ads and other Google products
- Create and share explorations
- Cannot manage user access or delete properties
Risk level: Medium – Editors can change configurations that affect data collection.
3. Analyst
Permissions include:
- Create and share explorations and reports
- Create audiences for analysis purposes
- View all data and reports
- Cannot change property settings or data collection
Risk level: Low – Analysts can view data but cannot alter configurations.
4. Viewer (Lowest Access)
Permissions include:
- View reports and dashboards
- View (but not create) explorations shared with them
- Cannot modify any settings or create resources
- Access to read-only data
Risk level: Minimal – Viewers can only consume information.
User Role Implementations by Business Size
For Solopreneurs (1 person)
When you’re a team of one, role management is straightforward, but still important for security.
Recommended Structure:
- Admin Role (1 account): Your primary Google account
- Editor Role (optional): A separate account for day-to-day work to prevent accidental changes
Example Setup:
Admin: your-primary-email@gmail.com (used rarely, for major changes only)
Editor: your-work-email@gmail.com (used for regular analytics work)
Best Practices:
- Use different browsers or incognito mode when accessing Admin vs. Editor accounts
- Enable 2-factor authentication on your Admin account
- Document your configuration decisions in a secure location
- Consider giving a trusted advisor Viewer access for consultation
Time Investment: 30 minutes to set up
For Small Businesses (2-10 people)
With a small team, clear role delineation becomes important to prevent configuration issues.
Recommended Structure:
- Admin Role (1-2 people): Owner/digital marketing manager
- Editor Role (1-2 people): Marketing specialist, webmaster
- Analyst/Viewer Role (remainder): Other marketing team members, executives
Example Setup:
Admin: marketing-director@company.com, webmaster@company.com
Editor: marketing-specialist@company.com
Analyst: content-creator@company.com
Viewer: ceo@company.com, sales-director@company.com
Best Practices:
- Create a simple documentation sheet tracking who has what access
- Hold a brief training session for Editors on what they can and should change
- Schedule quarterly reviews of who needs access
- Consider using Google Groups for easier management (e.g., “Company-Analytics-Viewers”)
Time Investment: 1-2 hours initial setup, 30 minutes quarterly maintenance
For Mid-Sized Organizations (10-100 people)
At this scale, department-based access and formal governance become necessary.
Recommended Structure:
- Admin Role (2-3 people): Analytics manager, senior digital marketer, IT support
- Editor Role (3-5 people): Marketing team members responsible for campaigns, web team
- Analyst Role (5-10 people): Marketing specialists, content team, PPC specialists
- Viewer Role (10-20 people): Executives, department heads, sales team
Example Setup:
Admin Group: analytics-admins@company.com (includes the analytics manager, senior digital marketer)
Editor Group: analytics-editors@company.com (includes campaign managers, webmaster)
Analyst Group: marketing-analysts@company.com (includes content team, SEO specialists)
Viewer Group: analytics-viewers@company.com (includes executives, sales managers)
Best Practices:
- Implement Google Groups for each access level
- Create a formal governance document outlining who gets what access
- Require approval for Editor access and above
- Conduct training sessions for each access level
- Implement change logs for all configuration changes
- Review access quarterly and during employee role changes
- Create specific measurement and tagging guidelines for Editors
Time Investment: 4-8 hours initial setup, 2 hours monthly maintenance
For Enterprise Organizations (100+ people)
Enterprise implementations require formal governance structures and complex role management.
Recommended Structure:
- Admin Role (3-5 people): Analytics team lead, data governance officer, senior marketing technologist, IT security representative
- Editor Role (5-15 people): Digital marketing managers, regional webmasters, marketing operations team
- Analyst Role (15-30 people): Marketing specialists by region/product, agency partners, business analysts
- Viewer Role (30-100+ people): Department leaders, country managers, marketing teams, agency account managers
Example Setup:
Super Admin Group: analytics-governance@enterprise.com (critical changes only)
Admin Group: analytics-admins@enterprise.com (day-to-day administration)
Editor Groups:
- web-analytics-editors@enterprise.com
- mobile-analytics-editors@enterprise.com
- regional-editors-europe@enterprise.com
Analyst Groups:
- marketing-analysts@enterprise.com
- regional-analysts-america@enterprise.com
- partner-analysts@enterprise.com
Viewer Groups:
- executive-viewers@enterprise.com
- marketing-team-viewers@enterprise.com
- sales-viewers@enterprise.com
Best Practices:
- Create a formal analytics governance board that meets monthly
- Implement a ticketing system for access requests
- Develop comprehensive documentation and training for each role
- Require certification/training before granting Editor or Admin access
- Implement audit logs review procedures
- Conduct quarterly access reviews
- Create a center of excellence for analytics knowledge sharing
- Implement emergency access procedures with temporary elevated privileges
- Consider custom roles via the Google Analytics API for specialized needs
- Design workflows for tag and event approval
Time Investment: 20-40 hours initial setup, 8-10 hours monthly maintenance
Implementation Checklist
Regardless of organization size, follow these steps when implementing user roles:
- Audit Existing Access
- [ ] List all current users with access
- [ ] Document their current roles
- [ ] Identify access that is no longer needed
- Define Role Framework
- [ ] Determine who needs Admin access (minimize this number)
- [ ] Identify who needs Editor capabilities
- [ ] List potential Analysts who need to create reports
- [ ] Document which stakeholders need Viewer access
- Create Documentation
- [ ] Build a user access spreadsheet with names, roles, and justification
- [ ] Document the process for requesting access changes
- [ ] Create role-specific training materials
- Implement Access Structure
- [ ] Configure Google Groups (recommended for 5+ users)
- [ ] Assign proper access levels
- [ ] Test access limitations
- Establish Maintenance Procedures
- [ ] Set calendar reminders for access reviews
- [ ] Create an offboarding checklist for departing employees
- [ ] Implement change notification processes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too Many Admins: The most common mistake is granting Admin access to too many users. Limit this to the absolute minimum necessary.
- Using Personal Accounts: Always use work email addresses for access, not personal emails that remain when employees leave.
- Neglecting Regular Audits: Access permissions should be reviewed quarterly at minimum.
- Sharing Login Credentials: Never share login information; always provision individual access.
- No Documentation: Maintain clear records of who has access and why.
- Skipping Training: Users with Editor or Admin access should be trained on the implications of their changes.
- Ignoring Governance: Even small organizations need basic governance rules for analytics.
Role-Specific Training Topics
| Role | Essential Training Topics |
|---|---|
| Admin | Property configuration, data governance, security best practices, advanced troubleshooting, recovery procedures |
| Editor | Event configuration, audience creation, conversion setup, data stream management, Google Ads linking |
| Analyst | Exploration techniques, audience segmentation, report creation, data interpretation, dashboard development |
| Viewer | Report navigation, dashboard interpretation, exploration viewing, asking effective questions about the data |
Conclusion
Proper GA4 user role management is a foundational element of analytics governance. By implementing appropriate access levels based on your organization’s size and needs, you’ll maintain data security while ensuring team members have the access they need to perform their jobs effectively.
Remember that user management is not a one-time setup but an ongoing process that should evolve with your organization. Regular audits and clear documentation will help maintain the integrity of your analytics implementation.
Next Steps: After implementing proper user roles, consider developing a GA4 tracking plan that aligns with your organizational structure and analytics objectives.
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