Google Analytics - Live versus Test site data

[demalpas]

We have Google Analytics set up and successfully tracking 3 goals - Add to Cart, Checkout and Order Received.

Our test site uses the same domain name as the live site but with the addition of "acatalog/test/ and acatalog/test/acatalog/.

The problem is that Google Analytics counts all the data from both the live and test sites and of course we are at a stage of development where we use the test site extensively.

We considered using a different domain name for the test site but then every time you wanted to upload to either site you would have to change the configurations and passwords etc.

Does anyone know of a solution to this problem please?

[peblaco]

If you only used basic tracking you could un-tick the menu option, however because you have tracking goals you have probably added custom Google code such as in the receipt page so you need an alternative method. You can wrap the Google codes with a blockif which will only show code if the site is not in test mode:

<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22InTestMode%22%20%2f%3e%20%3d%3d%20false" >
CODE FOR LIVE SITE HERE
</actinic:block>

[demalpas]

Google Analytics - Live versus Test site data

I think your internal option of wrapping the GA code in a Blockif statement is probably the best answer. Thank you so much for your swift and full response.

Kind regards,

Mike de Malpas-Finlay