FUNDAMENTALS

How does Upshot count and define a user?

A user in Upshot is a install in a device. For example, if a user opens the same app on two separate devices- a mobile phone and a tablet - in Upshot this is noted as two distinct users. If a user opens the app on one device, but does so multiple times, this is noted as one user. If a user installs more that one app on the same device, each install will be counted as a unique user.

Upshot also exposes contextual information about users, such as whether they are new or returning. A user is considered new during their first session and returning during all subsequent sessions.

Read about users counts and new vs. returning splits

How does Upshot track downloads?

Upshot logs users once they open the app for the first time. This means that Upshot measures app usage, not app downloads. If a person downloads your app but never opens it, Upshot will not count this person as a new user. If you are comparing Upshot data to data from other sources, remember that Upshot measures app usage, not app downloads.

How do I find information on individual users within my app?

Upshot has a report that will display user specific data. Read more about this report here. . Note that the fields in the user profile will have data only if those parameter are being captured by the SDK. For e.g. if age and gender are not being captured in your app then these two will show “no data available” for all users in the app.

How is user location tracked?

The Upshot SDK collects country information by default and will default to the most reliable data when it exists.

The logic is based on a waterfall approach:

1. Latitude/Longitude: Upshot will use when available. This information does not appear in the dashboard but can be available in raw data. You can report on GPS with Upshot if your app is collecting it. Upshot will not (and cannot) collect GPS information unless your app is both (a) authorized by the OS to collect this and (b) configured to hand it off to Upshot.
2. IP Address Based: If the above is not possible in your application then Upshot can use IP address and track down the user’s country and state. The dashboard does not support region/state level reports but you can get it from the Upshot team in raw format. Contact Support for region level information.
3. Registration: If your application lets the user enter location information manually during sign-up, you can create a custom report with this. Read more about custom reporting panel here.

How do I limit reports data based on location ?

You will have to go to each report’s filter by box and choose the selected country. There is no way this can be done at once for all the reports.

What is a cohort of users?

A cohort is simply a group of users. In Upshot, we group users into cohorts based on the date that they had their first session in your app, or the date they performed an event. For example, we use cohorts in our retention reports to show how often users that were acquired on a particular day return to your app. This allows you to gauge user loyalty over time and see which behaviors are best at promoting repeat engagement. Retention is also great for comparing the stickiness of users from different acquisition campaigns, app versions, product releases, etc.

Why do my event or user counts in Upshot not match my internal database or App Store Developer analytics?

Upshot typically measures unique users who download your app and have a session. Some other data sources (e.g. App Store Developer analytics) count either the number of downloads or the number of unique user-installs. There will usually be differences in user counts because some users will download your app but never launch it, or download then uninstall and reinstall.