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Maintenance & Troubleshooting

Keep your server-side tracking system running smoothly with regular maintenance and effective troubleshooting.

Regular Maintenance Tasks​

Daily​

  • Monitor event flow
  • Check error logs
  • Verify data in BigQuery
  • Review platform integrations

Weekly​

  • Review data quality
  • Check for discrepancies
  • Monitor costs
  • Review performance

Monthly​

  • Update GTM containers
  • Review access controls
  • Optimize queries
  • Review retention policies

Quarterly​

  • Security audit
  • Performance review
  • Cost optimization
  • Documentation update

Monitoring​

What to Monitor​

  • Event volume
  • Error rates
  • Data quality
  • Platform integrations
  • Costs
  • Performance

Monitoring Tools​

  • GTM preview mode
  • BigQuery dashboards
  • Platform analytics
  • Server logs
  • Error tracking

Best Practices​

1. Data Quality​

  • Validate events before sending
  • Clean data on server
  • Handle errors gracefully
  • Monitor data quality

2. Performance​

  • Optimize event processing
  • Use efficient queries
  • Monitor server resources
  • Scale as needed

3. Security​

  • Keep API keys secure
  • Rotate credentials regularly
  • Monitor access logs
  • Update software

4. Privacy​

  • Respect user consent
  • Anonymize data
  • Limit data collection
  • Comply with regulations

5. Documentation​

  • Document configuration
  • Update runbooks
  • Track changes
  • Maintain knowledge base

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

  • Events not reaching server
  • Data not in BigQuery
  • Platform discrepancies
  • Consent issues
  • Performance problems

Troubleshooting Steps​

  1. Check logs
  2. Verify configuration
  3. Test event flow
  4. Review recent changes
  5. Consult documentation

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

Event Flow Issues​

Problem: Events Not Reaching Server

  • Check: GTM web container configuration
  • Check: Server URL is correct
  • Check: Network requests in browser
  • Fix: Update server URL in GTM

Problem: Events Not in BigQuery

  • Check: BigQuery destination configuration
  • Check: Service account permissions
  • Check: BigQuery API enabled
  • Fix: Reconfigure BigQuery destination

Problem: Events Not in Platforms

  • Check: Platform destination configuration
  • Check: API credentials
  • Check: Event mapping
  • Fix: Reconfigure platform destinations

Data Quality Issues​

Problem: Missing User IDs

  • Check: User ID generation code
  • Check: Cookie settings
  • Check: Consent management
  • Fix: Update user ID generation

Problem: Missing UTM Parameters

  • Check: UTM capture code
  • Check: Cookie persistence
  • Check: Event data
  • Fix: Update UTM capture

Problem: Incorrect Event Data

  • Check: Event mapping
  • Check: Data transformation
  • Check: Platform requirements
  • Fix: Update event mapping

Platform Discrepancies​

Problem: GA4 vs. BigQuery Differences

  • Check: Event mapping
  • Check: Sampling in GA4
  • Check: Data processing
  • Fix: Align event mapping

Problem: Meta vs. BigQuery Differences

  • Check: User matching
  • Check: Event parameters
  • Check: Match rates
  • Fix: Improve user matching

Performance Issues​

Problem: Slow Event Processing

  • Check: Server resources
  • Check: Query performance
  • Check: Network latency
  • Fix: Optimize or scale server

Problem: High BigQuery Costs

  • Check: Query patterns
  • Check: Data partitioning
  • Check: Retention policies
  • Fix: Optimize queries and retention

Privacy & Compliance Issues​

Problem: Consent Not Respected

  • Check: Consent management setup
  • Check: Consent mode configuration
  • Check: Event processing logic
  • Fix: Update consent handling

Problem: GDPR Compliance Concerns

  • Check: Data anonymization
  • Check: Retention policies
  • Check: Access controls
  • Fix: Update privacy settings

Next Step: Read the Case Study to see a real-world implementation with actual results.