Adobe Analytics Architect Master key terms

A governing document that records every report suite's variables, their names, allocation, expiry, enabled flags, and the business question each answers. It is the single source of truth implementation and QA teams check against.

A written statement of stakeholder objectives, key performance indicators, reporting needs, and success criteria that the analytics solution must satisfy. Discovery interviews produce it before any variable or tag is configured.

The agreed hierarchy of primary and supporting metrics, with formulas, owners, and reporting cadence, that ties each tracked interaction to a business outcome. It drives which variables and events must exist.

Structured investigation of a client's sites, apps, tag managers, identity systems, and data sources to learn what can be measured, what constraints exist, and what integration work is required before design begins.

The container that stores collected data and defines which variables, events, and processing rules apply to it. A company may run several suites, for example production, staging, and regional splits.

The parent report suite that physically receives and stores hits. Virtual report suites and segments read from it rather than holding their own raw data.

A table pairing each business requirement with the specific eVars, props, events, and list variables assigned to it, including allocation and expiry settings. It prevents duplicate or conflicting variable use.

A success-event-scoped variable that stores values and attributes them to conversions according to its allocation and expiration settings. eVars answer questions about why and how visitors converted.

A hit-level variable that records the value present on each server call without persistence or attribution logic. Props are typically used for page-level and pathing analysis.

The rule deciding which value an eVar receives when several values appear before a success event, such as most recent or first value. Allocation shapes how credit is distributed across campaigns or content.

The rule defining how long an eVar value persists after it is set, such as on visit, on event, or after a number of days. It determines whether later conversions still receive credit.

A counter or numeric variable that records a business action such as an order, lead, or video start. Events trigger conversion attribution and serve as the numerator in most calculated metrics.

A structured JavaScript object on the page that holds page, user, and interaction context independently of the tag manager. It decouples what is measured from how it is transmitted.

A configured condition-and-action pair in a tag management system that decides when a tag fires and what data it sends. Rules read the data layer rather than scraping page markup.

The code snippet, usually a library plus configuration, that assembles and sends a data collection request to Adobe from a page, app, or server.

The HTTP call carrying collected data to Adobe's collection servers, visible in browser developer tools. Inspecting its query parameters is the primary way to confirm what was actually sent.

A free-form key-value pair sent with a request that processing rules or AppMeasurement map into report suite variables. It lets developers send descriptive data without hard-coding variable numbers.

Server-side logic applied to incoming data before it is stored, used to copy, set, or delete values and trigger events. Rules fix or enrich data without requiring a new client-side release.

A server-side, Adobe-managed rule that transforms hit data before storage, used for complex logic that standard processing rules cannot express. Changes require a support request and testing.

A lookup table that attaches descriptive attributes to a variable's collected values, such as product category or marketing channel. Classifications enrich reporting without changing the original captured value.

A tool that assigns classification values automatically using pattern-matching rules on the collected value. It keeps enrichment consistent and reduces manual uploads.

Adobe's interface for importing and exporting classification data in bulk via file upload. It is used for large lookup tables that cannot be maintained by hand.

A reusable set of container-based conditions that filters visitors, visits, or hits for analysis. Segments can be applied across reports, and their container scope changes what is counted.

The level, hit, visit, or visitor, at which a segment's conditions must be satisfied. Choosing the wrong scope is a common cause of inflated or missing segment results.

A metric built from a formula combining existing metrics, such as orders per visit. It is defined once and reused, ensuring consistent math across reports and dashboards.

A reporting view built on a base suite that applies a segment and can customize variable names, time zones, and permissions. It lets one data set serve multiple audiences without duplicating collection.

The policies, roles, and controls that determine who may collect, access, retain, and share analytics data. It covers naming conventions, access approvals, and data retention settings.

The mechanism that records a visitor's tracking preferences and blocks or permits data collection accordingly. It must be honored before tags fire, not after data has already been sent.

Two consent models: opt-in collects data only after explicit permission, while opt-out collects until the visitor declines. The chosen model determines default tag behavior and configuration.

The configured period after which collected data is deleted or anonymized. It must align with contractual obligations and privacy regulations, and it affects long-term trend reporting.

The assignment of user groups, roles, and report suite permissions that limits who can view or change data and settings. It enforces least-privilege access to sensitive reporting.

A browser extension or tool that displays the raw data collection requests a page sends, showing variable values and events in real time. It is the first check when data looks wrong.

A key-value pair appended to a data collection request that carries a variable or metadata value. Reading these parameters reveals exactly what a page sent.

A written set of expected results for each tracked interaction, checked against debugger output and reports after deployment. It converts the solution design into pass-or-fail acceptance criteria.

A systematic review of existing tracking to find duplicate variables, broken events, stale tags, and gaps against the design. Findings feed remediation and redesign decisions.

Training and documentation that help business users read reports, build segments, and interpret metrics correctly. It reduces misinterpretation and support requests after launch.

Data associated with a single server call, as opposed to data aggregated across a visit or visitor. Understanding this distinction is essential for correct segment and metric design.