How to backup Universal Analytics: Exporting data from Google Analytics and moving to GA4

Exporting and Importing Data in Google Analytics

It is possible to export data from Universal Analytics.
However, it is not possible to import historical data into GA4.
To export data from Universal Analytics, you can use the built-in options such as exporting as a PDF, Google Sheets, Excel file, or CSV file.
Exporting as a PDF is easy but limits the ability to compare and modify the report later.
Exporting to Google Sheets allows for filtering and manipulating the data.
Exporting to Google Sheets is recommended over exporting as a PDF.
To export to Google Sheets, check the date range and number of rows, then click 'Export' and choose 'Google Sheets'.
The report will load in a new spreadsheet that is automatically saved in Google Sheets.

Exporting Google Sheets allows for basic filtering and visualizations.
Renaming tabs and removing rows can help organize data.
Freezing header rows keeps them visible while scrolling.
Creating filters allows for specific data selection.
Exporting to Google Sheets provides more useful data than exporting to PDF.
Google Sheets can also export to Excel and CSV formats.
The Google Analytics Add-on can be used to pull historical data into Google Sheets.
Connecting Google Sheets with Google Data Studio allows for dynamic reporting.
The Google Analytics Add-on can be installed from the Extensions menu.
Creating a new report within the add-on allows for selecting account and property.
Metrics and dimensions can be added to the report.
The date range and number of rows should be determined based on data size and manageability.

To handle a large number of rows, reduce the date range and export data for separate date ranges.
Change the value for 'Limit' to 100,000 and set the start and end dates accordingly.
Use the Google Analytics add-on in Google Sheets to pull the data into a spreadsheet.
Create a new report in Google Data Studio and connect it to the spreadsheet.
Select the desired sheet and exclude any extra information at the top.
Adjust the metrics in the report to reflect the desired data.
Change the type for the 'Average Time on Page' metric to 'Duration'.
Recreate the 'Percent Exit' metric using the formula: (Sum(Exits) / Sum(Pageviews)).
Add a trendline and a date range control to the report.
Customize the report further by adding comparisons, additional filtering options, etc.
Consider exporting data from Google Analytics to BigQuery for more advanced analysis.

It is recommended to set up GA4 in parallel to Universal Analytics.
Setting up GA4 allows you to build up historical data in the new version of Google Analytics.
It is important to set up GA4 to collect page views, sessions, users, and other important metrics.
Depending on your website platform, it shouldn't take long to get the default GA4 tag on your website.