Common Google Looker Studio Issues and how to fix them
Consider this to be an unofficial manual on how to fix the most frequent issues with Google Looker Studio Dashboard. We’ll first point out that there are three refresh choices available in the report before we get into the problems: Refresh the data will only update the metrics and dimensions within the report’s charts, whereas the lower level refresh fields option will simply refresh the entire report and reload the URL for the report: this option you can find here data source >> pencil – refresh fields which will update fields you have within your data source, this one is the most useful when you use google sheets as data source. You can try to fix any problem by first applying a refresh from top to bottom. The document URL should be refreshed first, followed by the data, and if neither of those approaches proves successful, you can attempt the refresh field. Let’s now go over some of the most specific and frequent mistakes.
The first one is Invalid Configuration: An invalid combination of metrics and dimensions. This issue occurs when you change the data source and the metrics and dimensions you used on the specific charts are not supported in the new data source. To fix this issue you need either to use the same data source which was previously used in the chart, so for example if you previously used a search console source in the specific chart make sure that the same source is used again. OR you can adjust your metrics and dimensions to fit the new data source. If the issue persists, reconnect to the data source and refresh fields.
Next is, Unknown data source or Missing Data Source error: This happens usually to all first-time Google Looker studio users. When you make a copy of the Looker studio template you need to connect it with your own data sources. To fix this issue you need to connect the report with the data source by following Resource >> Manage added data sources and connect it to the same connector which is originally used in the template.
System errors or Looker studio is not available error: This issue appears because of two reasons – User error or because of the glitch in google Looker studio. It is usually because of the second point and the way to solve it in that case is basically to refresh the browser or try to use another browser. Google Looker studio usually works faster with the Firefox web browser rather than Chrome so you can try using that one. As always, clearing browser cache and cookies might help too.
Cannot connect to data source error: this means that you don’t have access to the source used in the report and to fix this issue you need access to the source. If you have access to the data source you need to go to the fields >> refresh fields.
Data formatted wrong: If this issue occurs on the date column when you connect your report with google sheets the way to fix this is to format your date column in the sheet directly. Or if you have a CTR column and you need percentage instead of number you need to format the field within the Looker studio by going to pencil and changing the number typeYou must switch the aggregation to average if you have a list of average locations and you require the total average rather than the sum.
Obtaining a PDF with corrupt charts. This problem arises because your Looker studio report’s data was not fully loaded. I advise you to open the Google Looker Studio report in Firefox first, read every page, and wait for the data to load in each chart before downloading. Following that procedure, you ought to be able to download the report’s charts without any issues.
Google Looker Studio has some flaws and glitches, like any other software platform, but nothing serious or unfixable.