Google Data Studio > Configuration Guide > 10 Reasons You Should Be Using Data Studio

10 Reasons You Should Be Using Data Studio

Those days are over when you have to spend hours exporting, cleaning, and formatting data in Excel. Good news, in Google Data Studio, you can create a beautiful live-report report and supercharge your analytics

In case you're curious about Google Data Studio: it's a web-based dashboard tool from Google, and It's absolutely free!

1. Full customization controls

It provides a blank canvas to design your report from scratch or import it from Google Data Studio Gallery to kick-start your development. There is no fixed columns or widgets sizes, and you can develop a single page report or page-based report just like Google Slide or Microsoft PowerPoint

2. Real-time reporting

Once created, you have a real-time report available and up to date anytime, and you can even schedule exporting as PDF, delivered to you or your clients.

3. Combine multiple data sources onto one report

Google Data Studio can combine multiple sources in real-time and doesn’t require scheduling data refresh. As of Sept 2020, there are 18 data connectors available by Google and 280 connectors by Google Partners.

4. Advanced sharing and collaboration

It’s effortless sharing a Google Data Studio report, and you have two ways to share reports. One for individual reporting and others for community reporting.

  1. Report Sharing – Must have a Gmail account to view or edit

  • Can view

  • Can edit

  1. Link sharing – Doesn’t require a Gmail account to view or edit

  • Anyone on the Internet can find and view

  • Anyone on the Internet can find edit

  • Anyone with the link can view

  • Anyone with the link can edit

  • Off – only specific people can access

5. Advanced filters and advanced formulas such as calculated metrics and calculated fields

The advance formula is created within the calculated field, and it helps you create custom formulas such as New Users vs. Returning Users

6. Blend data to bring a KPI from different data sources

Blending lets you create a report/chart based on multiple data sources. For example, you can combine the Impression from Google Ads and Facebook Ads

7. Ready-made theme to kick start your development

Besides amazing Google Data Gallery, there are 19 pre-made templates that you can choose and customize.

8. Embed external content

It’s a great way to bring an existing report or doc or even a live webpage to your Google Data Studio.

9. PDF download

As I mentioned earlier, you can download the Google Data Studio report in PDF or schedule exporting to your clients or yourself

10. It's free

It’s completely free, and if you own data, you can create an amazing report

Enjoy reading the guide? I have explained every chart available in the new Data Studio Book here. Visual explanations for graphs configurations, style, format, and recommendations. So you can also see how the final result will look and why one design is better than others for the same chart.