This article answers the most common questions from users who analyze calls in the Google Analytics 4 interface.
Session
Let's start with a very important concept in Analytics that is used in many features, reports, and metrics.
A session is a sequence of user actions on a website within a certain period of time.
A single user can have multiple sessions in one day, week, month, or year.
It is important to note that all calls made within a single session will be attributed to the same traffic source. That is, if a user came from an ad and made several calls, all of them will be attributed to that source in GA4.
When does a session end in GA4
A new session starts after the previous one ends. In Google Analytics 4, a session ends in only one case — after 30 minutes of inactivity on the site (by default; can be configured from 5 minutes to 7 hours 55 minutes). This makes GA4 data more accurate and closer to real user behavior.
Important!
Direct traffic does not replace existing source information — search engine, referral, or campaign. If a visitor comes to the site directly within 30 minutes of the last interaction, the active session will be extended rather than a new one started. This is important for call analysis: such a repeat call will still be attributed to the original traffic source, not to direct.
Events
While on the site during a session, the user interacts with its content and generates events. Each visitor call (manually dialed number or via Callback form) is sent by Ringostat to your Google Analytics 4 as an event.
You can track these calls (events, their total count, and types) in the standard Google Analytics 4 report:
Reports → Engagement → Events
You can also view calls in real time: Reports → Realtime Overview. Here you will see calls happening right now (data for the last 30 minutes).
What parameters does Ringostat send along with a call event
In addition to the call itself, Ringostat sends additional parameters (dimensions) to GA4, including:
Call status — for example, PROPER, NO ANSWER, BUSY
Call duration
Call type — inbound or Callback
These parameters can be used for more detailed analysis in reports or in the Explorations section.
Key Events (Conversions) in GA4
Google Analytics 4 uses the concept of key events to track important user actions. This is what was previously called "goals" in Universal Analytics.
A key event is an important user action that you want to track as a conversion. In the case of calls, these can be:
All calls
Only target calls (PROPER)
Only answered calls
How to set up a key event for calls
Go to Administration (gear icon at the bottom left)
In the "Data display" section, select "Events"
Find the required call event (for example, Ringostat_calls)
Click the star next to the event name to mark it as a key event.
After this, you will be able to track calls as conversions in various GA4 reports.
How to analyze calls by traffic channel
For detailed analysis of call sources, you can add additional parameters to the report:
In the Interaction → Events, click + (plus) next to the "Event name" header. Select "Traffic source" → "Multiple channels" → "Session source / medium."
Now you will see:
How many calls are generated by paid search ads
How many calls come from organic search
Which channels generate the most calls
How to compare data in Ringostat and GA4
The key principle: the number of calls in the Ringostat journal = the number of events in GA4.
Each inbound call is sent by Ringostat as a separate event to Google Analytics 4.
Important nuances
During a single session, a user can make multiple calls:
User called twice — the Ringostat journal will show 2 calls, GA4 will show 2 events.
User called three times with different statuses — the journal shows 3 calls, GA4 shows 3 events.
Each call is counted separately, regardless of its status (PROPER, NO ANSWER, BUSY, etc.).
Why discrepancies may occur
Невеликі розбіжності (1-3%) між даними Ringostat та GA4 можливі через:
Ad blockers — may block event transmission to GA4
Processing delay — GA4 may process events with a slight delay (usually up to 24–48 hours)
GA4 filters — if filters are configured that exclude certain traffic
Attribution model — different attribution models may distribute calls across channels differently
Attribution Models in GA4
In Google Analytics 4, only two attribution models are available:
Data-driven (default) — the system automatically determines the contribution of each channel to the conversion
Last click — all value is assigned to the last source before the call
Other attribution models — first interaction, linear, and others — were removed from GA4 in 2023 and are no longer available.
You can change the attribution model in:
Administration → Attribution settings
When comparing data for the same time period in the Ringostat call journal and Google Analytics 4 reports, the following principles should be followed:
The number of calls in the Ringostat journal = the number of events in GA4.
The distribution of calls by traffic channel may differ.
Important!
Always compare data for the same time period
Account for possible data processing delays in GA4 (up to 24–48 hours)
Minor discrepancies (1–3%) are normal
Data in GA4 multi-channel funnel reports is stored for a limited period (usually up to 3 months)
The distribution of calls by traffic channel may differ between Ringostat and GA4 due to different attribution models