How do I set up a Google Analytics Custom Dimension as a dimension filter in Data Studio report?

Question

Background

I've created a Data Studio report that looks to a Google Analytics property. In this Google Analytics property I've created custom dimensions which are being populated as I need.

I want to set up a dimension filter on the report in Data Studio but CustomDimension1, etc isn't showing as a field in the list.

What I've done so far

I've looked to see if the field exists as a filter dimension. I've tried creating a new field but can't see what the formula for this would be.

I've read the docs behind the filter control here: https://support.google.com/datastudio/answer/6312144?visit_id=637020676101086398-168687373&rd=1

I've watched a number of videos to try and find the answer.

I've looked on stack overflow but all the questions relate more to setting up custom dimensions in Google Analytics rather than pulling this information through to Data Studio.

I've searched Google and can see this question being asked before on website www.en.advertisercommunity.com but the links in the Google search results just take me to the Data Studio support site: https://support.google.com/datastudio/community?hl=en

When I search using the page title of the advertisercommunity.com pages as keywords on the Data Studio page it doesn't come back. It's as though this question was never asked. Neither does anything relevant to my question.

Question

Has anyone achieved this by creating a new field or by using another mechanism I'm not aware of?

Answer 1

Okay, the issue I had was down to timings.

I'd created the Data Studio report first and then added the custom dimensions in Google Analytics after the report had been created.

After running through the data source area, I found the refresh fields button which then detected my GA custom dimensions and added them to the list of fields. I was then able to select the custom dimension as a field on the filter control!

Further info, the GA custom dimensions pull down by their actual GA custom dimension name rather than being Customdimension1, Customdimension2 that I was looking for.

Hope this helps someone else!