P › P.2 How to set up GA4 for GetServerSide

GA4 stands for Google Analytics 4. In this guide, GA4 is where you create the Browser and Server properties used during the setup and validation flow.

GA4 is the current Google Analytics product used to collect site and app measurement data.

For this setup, GA4 access is needed so the assistant can scan your existing setup. During shadow validation, a temporary test GA4 property is created to validate the server-side path without touching your production data.

For this setup, you should have or prepare:

• Google Analytics account access
• Your existing GA4 property with its production web data stream and measurement ID
• A temporary shadow GA4 property (created during setup for validation, then removed after cutover)

Walkthrough: Create a GA4 property and web data stream

This walkthrough covers creating a property and adding a web data stream. The screenshots show creating the Server property (with the Browser property already done), but the process is identical for both. This is an abbreviated walkthrough since you should already be familiar with GA4 setup. It does not correspond exactly to the detailed steps below.

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Create a New Property

In GA4 Admin, click the Property selector to create a new property. This screenshot shows that the Browser property has already been created.

Create a new property

Name it clearly, for example 'mywebsite - Server'. Then go through the steps to create it.

Create the Data Stream

After creating the property, create the data stream. It should be a Web data stream.

Complete the stream setup

Finish the stream configuration. Take note of the measurement IDs, you'll need them when configuring the GA4 tags in GTM.

Property and stream created

The property is now created with one web data stream. This should be done for both the Browser and Server properties. You'll have two properties, one for direct browser capture and one for server capture.

1. 1

   Create or confirm access to a Google Analytics account

   Before the assistant can scan your setup, you need access to the correct Google Analytics account. Make sure the Google account you will use in the app has admin-level access there.

   To confirm your Analytics access:

   1. Open analytics.google.com and sign in with the Google account you plan to use for setup.
   2. Switch to the correct account and confirm you can open Admin and view properties.
   3. If your access is limited, get admin access before you continue.
2. 2

   Confirm your existing GA4 property and web data stream

   The assistant scans your existing GA4 property to understand your current setup. Make sure you can identify the correct production property and its web data stream.

   Record the measurement ID (format G-XXXXXXX) — the assistant uses this to identify which property to scan.

   To confirm your existing property:

   1. In GA4, open Admin.
   2. Select the production property for this site.
   3. Open Data Streams and confirm there is a web data stream.
   4. Record the measurement ID.
3. 3

   Temporary shadow property (created during setup)

   The shadow property is used only during setup to validate the server-side path without touching your production data. The assistant guides you through creating it when you reach the shadow validation phase.

   After cutover, the shadow property is retired. It is not a permanent second property.

4. 4

   Ensure your production GA4 settings are stable

   The assistant uses your property settings as a baseline during setup. Make sure these are intentionally set before you start, especially timezone and currency.

Done when

Your GA4 setup is ready when:

• you can sign in to the correct Google Analytics account and open Admin
• you can identify your existing production GA4 property
• the production property has a web data stream with a recorded measurement ID
• your property settings (timezone, currency, retention) are stable

In GA4, you can verify each of those items like this:

• Open Admin and confirm the production property appears in the correct Analytics account.
• Open Data Streams in the production property and confirm there is a web data stream.
• Record the measurement ID from the production web data stream.
• Review property settings to confirm timezone, currency, and retention are set intentionally.

From there, go back to P.4 Settings in the Platform Setup Guide.