GA4 Multi-Property Reporting: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Multi-property reporting in GA4 is solvable — it just requires understanding the landscape of options before picking one. This tutorial walks through each method step by step, with enough detail that you can actually implement whichever approach fits your situation.

Understanding GA4's Data Model First

GA4 organizes data in a hierarchy: Account > Property > Data Stream. An account can hold multiple properties (typically representing different websites or apps). Each property collects data independently — there is no native way within the GA4 interface to view data from two properties simultaneously.

The GA4 Data API, however, does allow querying multiple properties programmatically. The runReport endpoint accepts a single property parameter, but you can fire multiple requests in parallel and aggregate the results yourself. This is the foundation that most multi-property tools are built on.

Option A — Looker Studio Multi-Property Report

Step 1: Connect your first GA4 property

In Looker Studio, create a new report. Click Add dataand select the Google Analytics connector. Choose your account, property, and leave the date range as "Auto." This creates your first data source.

Step 2: Add additional properties

Go to Resource > Manage added data sources > Add a data source. Repeat for each additional GA4 property. Each becomes a separate data source named after its property.

Step 3: Build comparison charts

For a side-by-side property view, create a scorecard for each metric (sessions, users, engagement rate) and manually set each scorecard's data source to a different property. Arrange them in columns — one column per property. This creates a manual dashboard that clearly shows each property's numbers.

Step 4: Create a blended view (optional)

For aggregate totals across properties, use Resource > Manage blends > Add a blend. Join your GA4 data sources on the date dimension using a FULL OUTER JOIN. Add the metrics you want to aggregate. This creates one unified data source for charts showing portfolio totals. Note: blended data sources are slower to load and more prone to errors — use them selectively.

Option B — Google Sheets with the GA4 Add-On

Step 1: Install the add-on

In Google Sheets, go to Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-onsand search for "Google Analytics." Install the official Google Analytics add-on by Google.

Step 2: Create reports per property

Go to Extensions > Google Analytics > Create new report. Select your account, property, and the metrics you want (sessions, activeUsers, engagementRate, averageSessionDuration). Set the date range. Repeat this for each property — each gets its own report configuration tab.

Step 3: Build a summary tab

Create a new sheet called "Summary." Use cell references to pull key metrics from each property's output tab. This gives you a single view of all properties. Use conditional formatting to highlight cells that are significantly above or below expected ranges.

Step 4: Schedule automatic refresh

Go to Extensions > Google Analytics > Schedule reports. Set daily refresh at a time before you typically check the data. The sheet will update automatically each morning.

Option C — Purpose-Built Multi-Property Dashboard

For teams that want a monitoring view without a setup project, tools like Perch Analytics handle the API calls, aggregation, and display automatically. Sign in with Google, and every GA4 property you have access to appears in one dashboard with realtime users, sessions, engagement metrics, and Search Console data.

The key advantage over the manual options above: no maintenance. When a client grants you access to a new property, it appears in Perch automatically. When a property's configuration changes, there's nothing to update on your end.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Comparing properties with different date ranges: When building cross-property reports in Looker Studio, make sure all data sources use the same date control. Mismatched date ranges are a common source of confusing-looking data.
• Ignoring sampling: GA4's standard reports can sample data at high traffic volumes. The Data API has its own sampling thresholds. If your clients have high-traffic properties, verify your numbers against the GA4 interface directly.
• Blending on the wrong dimension: When blending multiple GA4 data sources in Looker Studio, always join on Date as the minimum. Adding a second join key (like device category) without understanding the resulting grain will produce incorrect aggregations.
• Not labeling property context: In any cross-property view, every metric should be clearly labeled with its source property. It's easy to forget which number belongs to which client when they're all on one page.

Which Option Is Right for You?

Looker Studio works well if you need custom-designed client reports and have time to invest in the initial build. The Sheets add-on works well if you want full control over the data and are comfortable with spreadsheets. A purpose-built dashboard like Perch Analyticsworks best if you want immediate visibility with no setup overhead and don't need highly customized output.

Many practitioners end up using a combination: a monitoring dashboard for daily checks and Looker Studio for client-facing deliverables. Start with the monitoring layer — once you can see all your properties at a glance, you'll find you spend your analysis time far more effectively.