How Attribution Works
Understand how session sources are stored and used to assign conversion credit.
From visits to attribution
Store events and session sources
Hardal stores the event data your implementation sends. For each session with a page_view, it uses the first page view to determine the session's source, medium, campaign, and channel, then saves them in a session-source table.
Calculate the report
When you open Acquisition, Hardal reads the stored session sources and matches them to your selected conversion events. The attribution model chooses which eligible session receives credit. The lookback window, traffic scope, and filters determine which data is included.
Changing attribution settings recalculates the report. It does not rewrite the stored events or session sources.
Example
A visitor returns through Google → Instagram → Email → Direct, then makes a $100 purchase during the fourth visit. All four sessions fall within seven days before the purchase.
With Consented Traffic, a matching visitor ID across these sessions, purchase selected as a conversion event, and a 7-day Lookback Window:
| Model | Session that receives credit | Credited source |
|---|---|---|
| First Touch | First eligible session | |
| Last Touch | Most recent eligible session | Direct |
| Last Non-Direct Touch | Most recent eligible non-direct session |
The same purchase and session records produce a different attribution result. If no eligible non-direct session exists, Last Non-Direct Touch uses the most recent Direct session.
Cross-session attribution uses a matching visitor ID in Consented Traffic. Unconsented Traffic and All Traffic match conversions to their own session.
See Acquisition to configure the model, lookback window, traffic scope, and conversion events.