How To Fix GA4’s “Property Setup Not Complete” Error

May 18, 2023
Amandeep Singh

Getting the “property setup is not complete” error in GA4? Here’s how to fix it.

Are you struggling with setting up your GA4 property? Do you keep seeing a prompt stating that the property setup is not complete? 

 

Even if you've set up your GA4 property, you might still see this prompt, and it's essential to understand why.

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How to fix GA4 property setup errors

If you're setting up a new GA4 property, it's important to start from scratch and understand your current business goals and website user journey. 

 

While Google may prompt you to link your GA4 property to your existing UA property, it's better to opt out of the automatic setup to ensure your new property is the latest and most updated one. 

Why you should opt out of Google’s automatic GA4 setup

It’s simple: Universal Analytics (UA) - the old system - doesn’t work the same way as GA4. 

 

That means, with the automatic setup, there’s a good chance that the GA4 property you receive won’t be generating the same data that you were receiving from your old UA property, even if it looks like it’s error-free.

 

If you use Google Analytics to track conversions and other vital business metrics, that’s a huge problem, especially if you think you’re receiving accurate and reliable data.

Opt out of GA4’s automatic setup

The first step is to go to your UA property and opt out of the automatic GA4 setup prompt. 

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This will prompt you to complete the recommended Setup Checklist in the Setup Assistant, which is a better prompt than the earlier one. If you're wondering how to tackle this prompt, we have recommended steps below.

 

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Follow the Setup Assistant checklist

Google wants to make sure that your GA4 property is set up correctly, and that it's recording and tracking all the events that you want to monitor. 

 

To help you with this, Google has created a seven-point checklist that outlines all the necessary steps you need to complete to ensure your GA4 property is set up the way it should be.

Check your data collection setup

The first step in the checklist is data collection. 

Screenshot 2023 05 18 at 7.47.29 AMIf you've implemented the G tag through GTM or directly on your website, and data is flowing in, you can mark this step as complete. This ensures that your GA4 property is collecting data correctly.

Configure your property settings

The second step is property settings. You need to turn on Google Signals and set up conversions. 

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Why? By turning on Google Signals, you can collect a lot more demographic data for your users, which you can then use in Google Ads when you decide to run marketing campaigns. 

 

Setting up conversions is also crucial as it allows you to track the most important events on your website. 

 

For example, if you're running an e-commerce website, tracking purchases is an absolute must-have. Likewise, if you're running a blog, tracking newsletter sign-ups could be a crucial conversion. 

 

The bottom line is: without reliable, accurate tracking, you won’t be able to tell how your website is performing.

Link GA4 to Google Ads (optional)

The last three steps are related to Google Ads. If you're not using Google Ads, you’re all set - you can mark these steps as complete.

 

However, if you are working in Google Ads, it's essential to link your Google Ads account to GA4 and set up paid conversions. 

 

I’d also recommend targeting your ads to GA4 audiences to ensure that they’re reaching the right people.

 

Goodbye, GA4 errors

Once you've completed all seven steps, the prompt stating that your property setup is not complete will go away, and your GA4 property will be ready to begin collecting data that you can use to build better strategies and make smarter decisions.

 

Again, it wasn’t there to annoy you - it was just Google's way of ensuring that your GA4 property is working optimally.

Start recording accurate data

Setting up your GA4 property is essential for accurate data collection and analysis. After all, if you can’t count on the data you see, what’s the point of recording it at all?

 

The seven-point checklist created by Google ensures that you don't miss any critical steps in setting up your GA4 property. 

 

By completing all the steps in it, you can be sure that your new GA4 property is: 

  • Working as intended by Google
  • Recording data accurately
  • Tracking all the events you need to monitor 

 

So, if you see a prompt stating that your GA4 property setup is not complete, don't panic! 

 

Instead, just follow the checklist and ensure that you've completed all the necessary steps to optimize your GA4 property.

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