'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Create Detailed Analytics Reports for SharePoint Communication Sites
Question details
The user needs to generate comprehensive and ranked monthly analytics reports for a SharePoint Communication site, including detailed metrics like views, likes, comments, and engagement that exceed the standard built-in analytics capabilities.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Tracking and ranking monthly visitor engagement and news story performance on a SharePoint communication site.
- Observed behavior
- Built-in SharePoint analytics only provide limited 7, 30, and 90-day trends, lacking comprehensive month-to-month ranking data for deep engagement metrics.
Ensure you have administrative or site owner permissions for the SharePoint Communication site and access to Power Automate with the necessary connectors to utilize the HTTP request actions.
Automate Analytics Extraction Using SharePoint API and Power Automate
Build a scheduled flow to pull advanced metrics via the API and store them in an Excel spreadsheet for detailed monthly reporting and visualization.
Because default SharePoint analytics overwrite older data and only show rolling periods, you must routinely capture this data to build a historical archive. Automating this process ensures you never miss a reporting period.
Navigate to Power Automate and create a new 'Scheduled cloud flow'. Set the frequency to run at your desired reporting interval, such as the first day of every month.
Add a 'Send an HTTP request to SharePoint' action. Configure it to call the SharePoint Analytics API endpoint, inserting your specific tenant, site, web, list, and page identifiers.
Add additional HTTP request actions targeting the specific SharePoint endpoints responsible for reactions, likes, and comments, as these are stored separately from page view data.
Use data operation actions to parse the JSON responses returned by the API. Filter the data to isolate the specific timeframe needed for the report, such as the previous 30 days.
Add an 'Add a row into a table' action for Excel Online or a Dataverse action to push the aggregated page statistics, visitors, and engagement metrics into your master reporting spreadsheet.
Analyze and Visualize Your SharePoint Data with WPS Office
After exporting your detailed SharePoint analytics into a spreadsheet, use WPS Spreadsheet to create stunning monthly reports, pivot tables, and engagement charts without the expensive subscription fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see historical month-to-month data in standard SharePoint analytics?
The built-in SharePoint site usage reports are designed for quick performance snapshots and only retain rolling trend data for 7, 30, and 90-day periods. They dynamically update and overwrite older data, requiring external storage to perform long-term historical comparisons.
Where do I find the site and list identifiers needed for the SharePoint API?
You can find your site, web, and list GUIDs by navigating to the Site Settings or List Settings pages in SharePoint and checking the URL parameters, or by querying the Microsoft Graph API for your tenant's site details.
Can I extract analytics for individual news posts instead of the whole site?
Yes. By specifying the unique page identifier in your SharePoint Analytics API call, you can retrieve exact views, unique visitors, and activity specifically for an individual news story published on your communication site.
