Sampling tab

The Sampling tab shows behavior analytics on a property from a sample of sessions. Sampling is more efficient than viewing data from all sessions and can help you to save money and resources.

Configuring sampling on a property

  1. On the navigation bar, go to Settings button settings > Account Settings > Properties.

  2. On the table, in the Actions column, click Edit button Edit for the property you want to sample.

    The Property tab opens.

  3. Click the Sampling tab.

The sampling settings appear. The settings available depend on whether you're currently on a pageview-based DXA subscription model or a newer streamlined session-based subscription model. The image below shows the sampling settings for an account on a pageview-based subscription model.

Sampling settings for a pageview-based subscription

On a pageview-based subscription model

  1. Under Sample Rate, enter the percentage of sessions for DXA to sample in the Experience Data bucket. For example, in the image below, DXA will sample 20% of all sessions on the property in the Experience Data bucket.

    Sample Rate column

    DXA will then processes 100% of experience data sessions in the Analysis Data and Replay Data buckets.

    Note: The sample rates for Analysis Data and Replay Data are set as part of your subscription model and can't be changed in DXA. If you'd like to increase or decrease these sample rates, contact your Customer Success Manager or Commercial Lead.

  2. Under Sample Method, select how you want DXA to sample Experience Data, Analysis Data, and Replay Data. The following sample methods are available:

    • Random — Sessions have an equal chance of being sampled. For example, if the sample rate is 20%, every 2 in 10 sessions will be sampled.

      Note: For more information about each sample method, see Sample methods.

    • Weighted — Sessions with previously flagged attributes, like the user clicking the checkout button, are prioritized.

      Note: Weighted sampling requires client-side configuration. If you need help setting this up, contact Support.

  3. Under Limit, enter the maximum number of sessions to be sampled within a recurring period selected in the Limit Frequency dropdown menu.

  4. Under Limit Frequency, Select how often you want DXA to sample sessions. For example, in the image below, DXA will sample up to 10 sessions every hour.

    Sample Limit and Limit Frequency settings

    The following periods are available:

    • Daily — DXA checks your limit daily.
    • Monthly — DXA checks your limit monthly.
    • Hourly — DXA checks your limit hourly.

  5. Click Save.

Sampling is now configured on the property. You can now analyze data from a sample of sessions.

Note: For more information on how sampling works in Decibel accounts on pageview-based subscription models, see How does sampling work in pageview-based DXA subscription models?.

On a session-based subscription model

  1. Under Sample Rate, enter the percentage of sessions for DXA to sample. For example, in the image below, DXA will sample 80% of all sessions on the property.

    Sampling settings for a session-based subscription

  2. Under Sample Method, select how you want DXA to sample Experience Data, Analysis Data, and Replay Data. The following sample methods are available:

    • Random — Sessions have an equal chance of being sampled. For example, if the sample rate is 20%, every 2 in 10 sessions will be sampled.

    • Weighted — Sessions with previously flagged attributes, like the user clicking the checkout button, are prioritized.

      Note: Weighted sampling requires client-side configuration. If you need help setting this up, contact Support.

  3. Click Save.

Sampling is now configured on the property. You can now analyze data from a sample of sessions.

Sample methods

Random sampling

Random sampling gives sessions an equal chance of being sampled based on your Experience, Analysis, and Replay data sample rates.

For example, if you set your Experience sample rate to 10%, every 1 in 10 sessions will be sampled. The image below illustrates this process, with each box representing a session:

Illustration of random sampling

In the image above, the dark blue box in each row of 10 boxes represents the randomly selected session to be sampled out of every 10 sessions.

Weighted sampling

Weighted sampling allows you to prioritize sessions with previously flagged attributes for sampling based on your Experience, Analysis, and Replay data sample rates. A session selected for weighted sampling takes the place of a randomly selected session.
Note: Weighted sampling requires client-side configuration. If you need help setting this up, contact Support.
For example, if you're interested in sessions where users add an item to the basket, you can use weighted sampling to prioritize sessions where this action is detected.

Weighted sampling counts towards your Experience data sample rate. Ordinarily, if your Experience sample rate is 10%, every 1 in 10 sessions would be sampled. But, with weighted sampling, if DXA detects two sessions with flagged attributes, the second of these two sessions is sampled from the next 10 sessions.

The image below illustrates this process, with the green boxes representing sessions with flagged attributes:

Illustration of weighted sampling

In the first row in the image above, the second session with flagged attributes takes the place of the session that would ordinarily be sampled from the second row. As a result, the second row has no sampled sessions.