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Understanding Your Data

Events​

Events are data points that capture user interactions with your wayfinding platform. Each time a user performs an action such as:

  • Opening your map
  • Searching for a location
  • Requesting directions
  • Selecting a point of interest

Each event contains properties that provide context about the user's action. Some properties are standard across all events (such as timestamps), while others are specific to the type of interaction being performed (such as search terms or selected destinations).

Sessions​

A session represents the complete scope of one user's interaction with your wayfinding system, from initial engagement through completion of their journey.

Example: A visitor approaches your mall directory, searches for a specific retailer, requests directions, and then concludes their interaction. This entire sequence of actions constitutes a single session.

Session tracking: Each session is assigned a unique identifier (SESSION_ID) that links all related user actions together. This approach allows for comprehensive analysis of user behavior patterns and complete customer journey mapping.

Cross-Device Functionality: Our system maintains session continuity across multiple devices and platforms.

Typical scenario:

  • A user initiates their search on a wall-mounted directory
  • They scan a QR code to transfer directions to their mobile device
  • They continue navigation using their smartphone

Despite using different devices, all interactions maintain the same SESSION_ID, enabling complete journey tracking. However, the system distinguishes between devices through different CONTEXT values.

Overview of Common Properties​

Timestamps​

Every event in your analytics data includes two timestamps that record when something happened:

  • TIMESTAMP - The exact universal time when the event occurred
  • TIMESTAMP_WALL - The local time at your venue when the event occurred

Example:

Let's say you have a venue in Toronto, Canada:

  • TIMESTAMP: 2025-11-26 20:00:00.000 +0000 (universal time)
  • TIMESTAMP_WALL: 2025-11-26 15:00:00.000 (local Toronto time)

Notice how the universal time accounts for daylight saving time changes, while the local time simply reflects what someone would see on a clock at your venue.

When to Use Each Timestamp​

Use TIMESTAMP_WALL when you want to analyze:

  • Peak hours at each individual venue (e.g., "How busy is each location at 3:00 PM local time?")
  • Daily patterns relative to business hours
  • Seasonal trends at specific locations

Use TIMESTAMP when you want to analyze:

  • Activity across multiple venues at the exact same moment
  • Global patterns across your entire network
  • Coordinated events or campaigns that ran simultaneously

Technical Note: Automatic timezone conversion: When you view the TIMESTAMP data in your reports, Snowflake automatically converts it to display in your preferred timezone. Normally the Snowflake session's timezone is UTC but this can be changed at the session, user or account level.

Currently the timestamp is generated server-side at the time the event is recorded.

Actions​

Distinguishes one kind of event from another. Most events may appear in all contexts but some events are context-specific. See Actions section for more details.

Venue, Venue_Name​

The location identifier and display name for where the event occurred. Each venue has a unique identifier (slug) that remains consistent across all data, plus a readable name for easy identification.

Context​

Identifies which type of system or product generated the event. This helps you distinguish between interactions that happened on different platforms - for example, whether someone used a wall-mounted directory, accessed your web map, or used a mobile app.

Session_ID​

The unique tracking number that groups together all actions from one person's visit. This identifier links all of a user's activities during their complete journey, allowing you to see their full experience rather than individual isolated actions. See the Sessions section for more details.

Device_ID​

A randomly generated identifier for the specific device or system that recorded the event. This number doesn't contain any personal information about the device (like brand, model, or owner details) - it simply helps track activity patterns. For wall-mounted directories, this ID represents the specific directory unit.

Platform​

Indicates whether the event came from a desktop computer or mobile device. This helps you understand how people prefer to access your wayfinding system and optimize the experience accordingly.

ExternalId​

Mappedin Web supports the use of an external tracking ID to identify users. This ID is available in the DATA column.