---
title: Manage dimensions on custom metadata
slug: '1522'
canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/1522/
collection: coveo-analytics
source_format: adoc
---
# Manage dimensions on custom metadata

This article shows you how to create and manage custom [dimensions](https://docs.coveo.com/en/258.md) in the [Coveo Administration Console](https://docs.coveo.com/en/183.md) to track additional [metadata](https://docs.coveo.com/en/218.md).
Your [Coveo organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185.md) includes standard dimensions by default.
The [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page lets you extend analytics to track the metrics that matter most to your use case.

Custom dimensions help you capture specific information from your search interfaces that aligns with your business needs, enabling more detailed reporting and analysis.
This capability helps track custom user interactions, A/B test variations, or any application-specific data that helps you understand search behavior in your unique context.

![Dimensions page in the Coveo Administration Console](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/coveo-analytics/dimensions-page.png)

**Examples**

* As a support manager, you've noticed that a lot of customers are submitting support tickets for issues that are already addressed in your knowledge base.

  You decide to track the usage of your case deflection component.
  To do so, you create a new dimension that you name `Case Deflection Usage` to track user interactions with the component.

  After a month, you create a report including the new dimension and realize that the component isn't as interactive as you hoped.
  You then apply a few changes, such as making the case deflection component more prominent on your support page.

  As a result, your ticket submissions drop as users can now find answers faster.

* You learn that third-party cookies are being deprecated, and you want to make sure that all your search hubs are compliant.

  To find out whether any of your search hubs are still leveraging third-party cookies, you want to create a custom report, but first, you must create a custom dimension specifically for this purpose.

  You create a new dimension named `Third-party cookies`, and then include it in your report.
  After assessing the report, you discover two hubs are indeed still using third-party cookies, and you update them to ensure that they're leveraging the client ID instead.

  As a result, your search hubs are now compliant with the new regulations.
  ## Prerequisites

* You must have the [required privileges](#required-privileges).

* Your implementation must already [send custom metadata](https://docs.coveo.com/en/365.md#modify-the-metadata-to-send-with-coveo-analytics-events).

> **Note**
>
> Custom metadata can only be leveraged when using the UA Protocol.
> If your Coveo implementation uses the [Event Protocol](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o3r90189.md), custom metadata shouldn't be added to a report since they won't function as expected.

## Add dimensions on custom metadata

1. On the [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page, click **Add dimension**.

1. In the **Display name** field, enter a name for the dimension, for example, `Generated answer`.

   ![Add a dimension panel example | Coveo](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/leverage-machine-learning/search-agent-answergenerated-dimension.png)

1. (Optional) To create a [semi-structured dimension](https://docs.coveo.com/en/l8vd0068.md), select the **Semi-structured dimension** checkbox.

.. In the **Step** field that appears, enter the applicable path step.
To add another step, click **Add step**.
+
![Dimension panel showing option for semi-structured dimension | Coveo](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/coveo-analytics/semi-structured-dimension-checkbox.png)

1. Click the **API name** field and do one of the following:

* Select one of the API names that have no associated dimensions.

* Start writing, and then select one of the suggested values as you type.

* Enter one of the [available API names](https://docs.coveo.com/en/pb6e0011.md) or create a new one by typing it in.

* Enter a custom API name as instructed by Coveo documentation for a specific purpose.
For example, enter `c_answergenerated` to create the [dimension used for Search Agent reports](https://docs.coveo.com/en/q3ob0404.md#add-custom-dimensions).
+
> **Note**
>
> If you selected the **Semi-structured dimension** checkbox and then entered one or several path steps, those steps will be automatically added to the **API name** dropdown menu.
> In this case, select the API name that matches the path steps instead of modifying it manually.

1. Under **Type**, select the desired value type.

   > **Note**
   >
   > Custom dimensions of the **Date** type support epoch timestamp values in milliseconds (13-digit format), for example, `1685557608944`.

1. Under **Related events**, select at least one of the available category checkboxes.

   > **Note**
   >
   > [[Global]]When the dimension you create is global (for example, **Country**), select all three event categories.
   > This way, you won't have to create a dimension for each type.

1. Click **Add dimension**.

   > **Leading practices**
   >
   > * For every dimension you create, you can review the number of unique dimension values with the **Unique** [**Dimension Name**] [metric](https://docs.coveo.com/en/2041.md) that's automatically created.
   > 
   > * For every numeric dimension you create, you can measure the dimension value total and average value as well the minimum and maximum values using the following metrics that are automatically created: **Average** [**Dimension Name**], [**Dimension Name**] Maximum, [**Dimension Name**] Minimum, and [**Dimension Name**] Sum.
   > 
   > * After a dimension is created, only the display name can be [edited](#edit-a-user-defined-dimension-name).
   > To further define a custom dimension that you've already created (for example, adding the [semi-structured dimension](https://docs.coveo.com/en/l8vd0068.md) option), create a new dimension with the desired configuration and then [delete](#delete-a-user-defined-dimension) the initial one.

## Edit a user-defined dimension name

1. On the [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page, click the user-defined dimension that you want to edit, and then **Edit** in the Action bar.

1. In the **Edit a dimension** panel, click the **Display name** box and then change the display name.

1. Click **Save**.

## View dimensions

View the details of a user-defined dimension.

1. On the [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page, click the user-defined dimension that you want to view.

1. In the **View a dimension** panel that appears, review the dimension details.

## Review dimension management activities

As part of your duties, you may need to review [activities](https://docs.coveo.com/en/173.md) related to dimensions for investigation or troubleshooting purposes.
To do so, in the upper-right corner of the [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page, click [clock].

See [Review resource activity](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1969.md) for details on activities and alternative ways to access this information.

## Delete a user-defined dimension

1. On the [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page, click the user-defined dimension that you want to remove, and then click **Delete** in the Action bar.

1. In the confirmation prompt that appears, click **Delete**.

## Required privileges

The following table indicates the required [privileges](https://docs.coveo.com/en/228.md) to view and edit elements of the [**Dimensions**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/usage/dimensions/)) page and associated panels (see [Manage privileges](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3151.md) and [Privilege reference](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1707.md)).

| Action | Service | Domain | Required access level | View dimensions | Analytics | Analytics data | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | View |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Organization | Organization | View |  |  |  |  |  |
| Edit dimensions | Analytics | Analytics data | View |  |  |  |  |
| Dimensions | Edit |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Organization | Organization | View |  |  |  |  |  |
| [Access the Activity Browser and view all organization activities](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1969.md) | Organization | Activity | View |  |  |  |  |
| Organization | View |  |  |  |  |  |  |

> **Important**
>
> A member with the **View** access level on the **Activities** domain can access the [Activity Browser](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1969.md).
> This member can therefore see all activities taking place in the organization, including those from Coveo Administration Console pages that they can't access.

## What's next

[Create reports](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1899.md) using your new dimensions to analyze search behavior.