Can another analyst edit a shared GA4 exploration?

Definition: A shared Google Analytics 4 (GA4) exploration is a saved analysis made visible to other users of the same Google Analytics property. Google Help documents shared explorations as viewable by recipients, with editing done by duplicating or copying the shared exploration.

Key facts

• Google's Explorations documentation says that sharing requires at least the Analyst role in the property.
• The same guide says shared explorations can be viewed but not edited by users with the Viewer role.
• Google instructs a user to duplicate or copy a shared exploration in order to edit it.
• Google's access documentation says the Analyst role can share created explorations with other users of the property and includes Viewer permissions.
• The Viewer role can create, edit, and delete explorations that the Viewer created, according to Google's access and data restriction documentation.

What does sharing an exploration allow?

An exploration is an analysis workspace for examining Google Analytics data with techniques, dimensions, metrics, segments, and filters. Google's guide lists sharing explorations with other users of the same property as one of the things Explorations can do.

When an analyst first creates an exploration, only that user can see it. The creator can use Share exploration in the upper right after meeting the property role requirement. Sharing makes the exploration available to other users of that property, but the shared copy has a viewing permission in the documented workflow.

The sharing permission belongs to the property context. It does not turn the exploration into a jointly editable document. The guide describes sharing and editing as separate actions, and it gives duplication or copying as the route to an editable version.

Why does the Analyst role not provide collaborative editing?

Google's access documentation describes Analyst as a property role that can share created explorations to other users. It also says that Analyst includes the permissions of the Viewer role. This makes Analyst sufficient for sharing an exploration, but the role description does not create a shared editing mode.

The same access documentation says that a Viewer can create, edit, and delete created explorations. The Explorations guide separately states that a shared exploration can be viewed but not edited by anyone with the Viewer role. Read together, these instructions distinguish an exploration created by the current user from an exploration shared by someone else.

An analyst who receives a shared exploration can therefore open it and inspect its settings and results. Editing the original shared exploration is not the documented operation for that recipient. The documented operation is to duplicate or copy it first.

How can another analyst make an editable version?

Open the shared exploration, then use the product's duplicate or copy action. Google states that duplication or copying is required in order to edit a shared exploration. The resulting work is separate from the shared item, so changes made while editing the copied exploration are not described as changes to the original shared exploration.

If the analyst cannot access the shared item, a property administrator can check the user's property access. Google places this control under Admin, then Property, then Property access management, and says that assigning property roles requires the Administrator role at the property level. Google's documentation also says effective permissions combine inherited and direct permissions, with the most permissive role applying for the resource.

Related terms

• How do I build a session segment for AI traffic in GA4 Explorations?
• How many segments can be applied to one GA4 exploration?
• GA4 traffic acquisition

FAQ

Can an Analyst share an exploration with another property user?

Yes. Google says the Analyst role can share created explorations with other users of the property. The Explorations guide also requires at least the Analyst role to share an exploration.

Can another Analyst edit the original shared exploration?

The documented sharing workflow gives recipients viewing access to the shared exploration. To edit it, duplicate or copy the shared exploration and edit that version.

Who can change the recipient's property role?

A property-level Administrator can assign roles and data restrictions through Property access management. Google says effective permissions include roles inherited from other resources and direct permissions assigned to the property.

Sources

1. Google Analytics Help, "Get started with Explorations", undated
2. Google Analytics Help, "Access and data-restriction management", undated

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