Run GA4 realtime reports with HireOtto

Use HireOtto’s GA4 realtime reporting when you need to see what has happened in the last 30 minutes—for example, after a campaign launch, website release, event deployment, or live promotion. You can break recent activity down by supported dimensions such as country, device category, event name, stream, or minutes ago. Realtime reporting is read-only. It does not create events, edit GA4, change advertising accounts, or validate browser-side tracking by itself.

Use realtime for a recent-activity check. Use a standard GA4 report for yesterday, last week, month-over-month comparisons, attribution analysis, or any other historical question.

Before you start

You need:

The HireOtto GA4 server connected at https://ga4.hireotto.com/mcp
A completed read-only Google Analytics authorization
The numeric ID of a GA4 property that the connected Google login can access
Available HireOtto usage on a plan that includes GA4 beta

If you have not selected a property yet, list the accounts and properties available to your connected profile. Use the GA4 property ID—not the account ID or a web stream’s G-... measurement ID—in reporting requests.

Using the default GA4 profile, list every accessible account and property with its account name, account ID, property name, and property ID. Do not run a report yet.

Run a first realtime report

Start with a small request that asks a specific live question. If you omit minuteRanges, GA4 uses the most recent 30-minute window.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, show active users by country and device category from the last 30 minutes. Sort by active users descending, keep the property ID and reporting window visible, and do not change anything.

Replace PROPERTY_ID with the numeric property ID returned by discovery. A successful result is a changing snapshot: new activity can enter the window while older activity leaves it.

Realtime window and minute ranges

Without a custom range, realtime covers the present moment through 29 minutes ago—a 30-minute window. Google Analytics 360 properties can query up to a 60-minute window. Use minuteRanges when you need a narrower slice or two separate recent intervals:

startMinutesAgo is the older boundary.
endMinutesAgo is the newer boundary and defaults to 0.
GA4 accepts up to two minute ranges in one realtime request.
A standard property can stay within the latest 30 minutes; an Analytics 360 property can extend to the latest 60 minutes.
When two ranges are requested, GA4 adds a range-identifying dimension to the response so the rows can be separated.

For example, compare the most recent five minutes with minutes 25–29 of the same realtime window:

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, compare active users for minutes 0–4 ago with minutes 25–29 ago. Name both ranges, return the raw counts for each range, and do not interpret the result as a historical trend. Do not change anything.

The corresponding request shape is:

{
  "property_id": "PROPERTY_ID",
  "request_json": {
    "metrics": [{ "name": "activeUsers" }],
    "minuteRanges": [
      {
        "name": "0-4 minutes ago",
        "startMinutesAgo": 4,
        "endMinutesAgo": 0
      },
      {
        "name": "25-29 minutes ago",
        "startMinutesAgo": 29,
        "endMinutesAgo": 25
      }
    ]
  }
}

Do not send dateRanges to realtime reporting. Use a standard GA4 report when the request contains calendar dates or relative dates such as yesterday or 7daysAgo.

Parameters and defaults

Parameter	Required	Default	Limit or behavior
`property_id`	Yes	None	Numeric GA4 property ID or `properties/PROPERTY_ID`
`request_json`	Yes	None	A JSON object containing the realtime request
`profile_id`	No	`default`	Saved Google Analytics connection; named profiles require Agency or enabled Enterprise access
`output_mode`	No	`summary`	`summary`, `summary_and_csv`, or `csv_only`
`inline_limit`	No	`500`	Rows shown in the conversation; clamped to 1–5,000
`export_limit`	No	`10000`	Rows included in a realtime CSV; clamped to 1–10,000
`export_ttl_minutes`	No	`30`	Signed export-link lifetime; clamped to 1–1,440 minutes

Realtime reporting has no outer max_rows parameter and does not automatically collect additional result pages. Use request_json.limit to control the response requested from Google. If omitted, Google defaults to 10,000 rows. The HireOtto realtime CSV cap remains 10,000 rows. Each realtime report uses 5 HireOtto credits. Agency includes unlimited usage subject to fair-use limits.

Supported request shape

Use camelCase inside request_json and snake_case for the outer HireOtto parameters.

Request field	Purpose
`dimensions`	The realtime breakdowns to return, each specified with a `name`
`metrics`	The realtime measurements to return, each specified with a `name`
`dimensionFilter`	Restricts rows using supported realtime dimensions
`metricFilter`	Restricts rows using supported realtime metrics
`orderBys`	Defines deterministic result ordering
`limit`	Limits the number of rows requested from Google
`metricAggregations`	Requests supported totals, minimums, or maximums
`minuteRanges`	Selects one or two recent time intervals
`returnPropertyQuota`	Requests Google property-quota information; HireOtto uses `true` when omitted

The outer property_id determines the property. A property value inside request_json does not override it.

Choose realtime fields

Realtime and Core historical reporting use different field sets. A field that works in a standard report may be unavailable in realtime, and the Core compatibility checker does not validate realtime requests. Common realtime dimensions include:

country
deviceCategory
eventName
minutesAgo
streamId
unifiedScreenName

Common realtime metrics include:

activeUsers
eventCount
keyEvents
screenPageViews

Use Google’s realtime schema when choosing fields. Registered user-scoped custom dimensions can be available; event-scoped custom dimensions and custom metrics are not supported in realtime reporting.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, show event count and key events by event name and stream ID for the last 30 minutes. Sort by event count descending, return the top 100 rows inline, and state the reporting window and coverage counts. Do not change anything.

Useful realtime workflows

Check a campaign or launch

Use realtime to see whether expected traffic and events are appearing immediately after a launch. Keep the request narrow enough to identify the relevant stream, device mix, or geography.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, show active users and event count by country, device category, and stream ID for the last 30 minutes. Highlight activity that may relate to the launch I am monitoring, but keep observation separate from diagnosis. Do not change anything.

Check whether an event is arriving

A realtime row can confirm that GA4 received an event name during the selected window. It does not prove that the event fires only when intended, includes the correct parameters, avoids duplicates, or qualifies as a useful key event.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, filter the realtime report to event name generate_lead. Show event count and key events by stream ID and minutes ago for the last 30 minutes. If no row appears, list the checks needed before concluding that tracking is broken. Do not change anything.

Separate web and app activity

Use streamId to keep activity from different data streams visible. Confirm the stream IDs in the property’s configuration before interpreting them.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, show active users and event count by stream ID and event name for the last 30 minutes. Label each stream using the property's current stream configuration when possible, and keep unknown stream IDs visible. Do not change anything.

Inspect minute-by-minute movement

Use minutesAgo for a more granular recent sequence. Remember that repeated runs change as the rolling window advances.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, return active users and event count by minutes ago for the last 30 minutes, ordered from the present backwards. Keep zero or missing intervals distinct and do not describe the snapshot as a stable time series. Do not change anything.

Read the result correctly

HireOtto returns:

row_count: matching rows reported by GA4
returned_rows: rows received for this call
inline_row_count: rows included in the conversation
rows: normalized inline dimension and metric values
Dimension and metric headers
Requested totals, minimums, or maximums when supplied
The selected property and request
A realtime-window note
Google property-quota information when returned

Realtime does not return the Core report’s truncated flag. Compare row_count, returned_rows, inline_row_count, and the CSV row count yourself. A small inline preview is not proof that the report contained only those rows. Metric values may arrive as strings. Convert them to numbers before calculating ratios or differences.

Output modes and exports

Mode	Inline rows	CSV
`summary`	Up to `inline_limit`	Not requested
`summary_and_csv`	Up to `inline_limit`	Requested from returned rows, up to `export_limit`
`csv_only`	None	Requested from returned rows, up to `export_limit`

No CSV is created when no rows were returned. In csv_only mode, an empty inline rows list is expected even when the export succeeded. Download signed links before they expire.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, report event count by event name, stream ID, country, and device category for the last 30 minutes. Return a concise inline summary plus a CSV, limit the Google response to 10,000 rows, and keep row and export coverage counts visible. Do not change anything.

What realtime cannot tell you

Realtime reporting does not by itself prove:

That a browser or app sent an event exactly once
That consent behavior is correct in every state
That event parameters and user properties are complete
That the event represents the intended business outcome
That Google Ads, a CRM, and GA4 will report the same conversion totals
That a short-lived spike will persist in finalized historical reporting
That missing activity means the implementation is broken

For tracking QA, combine realtime evidence with GTM Preview, Tag Assistant, browser developer tools, or app debugging on the real conversion path. Use standard GA4 reports after processing when you need historical analysis.

Common failures

Realtime request contains dates

Remove dateRanges and use minuteRanges, or move the request to a standard GA4 report.

A dimension or metric is rejected

Confirm that it is in the realtime schema rather than only the Core reporting schema. Reduce the request to one known realtime dimension and metric, then add fields back deliberately.

No rows are returned

Check the property ID, connected Google login, stream, event name, filters, and whether activity occurred during the rolling window. No rows can be a valid result; it is not proof that the server or tracking implementation failed.

Fewer rows are visible than expected

Compare matching, returned, inline, and exported row counts. Check request_json.limit, inline_limit, and export_limit independently.

The export is missing or expired

No export is created when the report returned no rows. An export can also fail independently of the GA4 report. Inspect the inline result, retry with a smaller request if needed, and rerun deliberately to create a new signed link.

The request is blocked

Reconnect the selected GA4 profile after a revoked or expired authorization. Check the property’s Google permissions, current HireOtto plan, trial period, credits, and Google Analytics API quota. Named profiles require Agency or enabled Enterprise access.

For GA4 property PROPERTY_ID, run a minimal realtime check with country and activeUsers for the last 30 minutes. If it fails or returns no rows, preserve the exact error or empty result and diagnose property access, field compatibility, filters, quota, and recent activity separately. Do not change anything.

Plans, beta status, and scope

GA4 reporting is currently available in beta on the Free trial, Starter, Pro, and Agency plans. Free includes 200 credits or 14 days, Starter includes 2,000 monthly credits, Pro includes 5,000, and Agency includes unlimited usage plus multiple connected profiles. The GA4 server is read-only on every plan. It can discover properties, inspect configuration, and run standard or realtime reports. It cannot create or edit properties, streams, events, key events, links, custom definitions, attribution settings, retention settings, or reporting identity.

Recommended operating pattern

List accessible properties and confirm the production property ID.
Inspect data streams when stream identity matters.
Start with one supported dimension and metric.
Use the default 30-minute window unless a narrower question requires minute ranges.
Keep the window, fields, filters, and coverage counts with the result.
Expand the breakdown or request an export only after the small report is correct.
Use browser testing for implementation QA and a standard report for historical conclusions.

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Run GA4 realtime reports with HireOtto

Before you start

Run a first realtime report

Realtime window and minute ranges

Parameters and defaults

Supported request shape

Choose realtime fields

Useful realtime workflows

Check a campaign or launch

Check whether an event is arriving

Separate web and app activity

Inspect minute-by-minute movement

Read the result correctly

Output modes and exports

What realtime cannot tell you

Common failures

Realtime request contains dates

A dimension or metric is rejected

No rows are returned

Fewer rows are visible than expected

The export is missing or expired

The request is blocked

Plans, beta status, and scope

Recommended operating pattern

Next steps

​Before you start

​Run a first realtime report

​Realtime window and minute ranges

​Parameters and defaults

​Supported request shape

​Choose realtime fields

​Useful realtime workflows

​Check a campaign or launch

​Check whether an event is arriving

​Separate web and app activity

​Inspect minute-by-minute movement

​Read the result correctly

​Output modes and exports

​What realtime cannot tell you

​Common failures

​Realtime request contains dates

​A dimension or metric is rejected

​No rows are returned

​Fewer rows are visible than expected

​The export is missing or expired

​The request is blocked

​Plans, beta status, and scope

​Recommended operating pattern

​Next steps

Before you start

Run a first realtime report

Realtime window and minute ranges

Parameters and defaults

Supported request shape

Choose realtime fields

Useful realtime workflows

Check a campaign or launch

Check whether an event is arriving

Separate web and app activity

Inspect minute-by-minute movement

Read the result correctly

Output modes and exports

What realtime cannot tell you

Common failures

Realtime request contains dates

A dimension or metric is rejected

No rows are returned

Fewer rows are visible than expected

The export is missing or expired

The request is blocked

Plans, beta status, and scope

Recommended operating pattern

Next steps