What are some of the IDs that Localytics collects?
The following are a number of data fields collected by Localytics, outlining what is captured. It is important that prior to reading this article, you understand what a User is as defined by Localytics. For more background on how Localytics collects and analyzes data, see our introduction to Analytics. For more on identifiers specifically in the context of Attribution, see Attribution.
General Identifiers
Device ID
The Localytics SDK identifies unique devices by creating a proprietary device ID, which is generated using a combination of identifiers found on the device. The resulting unique device ID gets attached to all event and session data and it is what we use to count users. This ID is designed to persist through reinstalls. So, for example, if someone uses the app, uninstalls, and then reinstalls it, Localytics will treat them as a single user. Also, Localytics only becomes aware of users when a user first opens a version of the app that has Localytics installed.
Customer ID
Localytics allows your app to optionally assign an identity to a user, which we call the user's customer ID. If your app has actively assigned a customer ID, Localytics refers to this as a "known" profile. If your app is either not assigning a customer ID or the user is using the app with an unknown identity (for example, not logged in), Localytics will assign a random identifier to which you can associate user-level properties, making their profile "anonymous." Your app can be configured to associate profile attributes with customer IDs.
See the chart below for clarification:
| Profile Type | Customer ID |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous | Random value | Localytics-generated random alpha-numeric identifier |
| Known | Username / CRM number / etc. | Identifier communicated to Localytics by your app, usually upon log-in or authentication |
Importantly, if a user is first connected to an anonymous profile and later to a known profile — for example, the user first uses the app anonymously, then logs in — the known profile cannot automatically inherit the anonymous profile's attributes. Once a known profile is assigned, the user will be target-able based on that known profile (not the prior anonymous profile). Your app should have instructions to communicate important profile attributes upon setting customer ID. For more information, see Profiles. You can also batch-upload attributes either manually via CSV or programmatically via API.
Advertiser ID
In addition to the earlier-mentioned identifiers, Localytics can also collect a device's IDFA (iOS) or Google Advertising ID/GAID (Android) to attribute the source of the download. Similarly to device ID mentioned earlier, these identifiers persist through reinstalls.
For more on the iOS IDFA, see "App Store Connect" in Apple Developer Support. For more on Android's Google Advertising ID/GAID, see Advertising ID in Google Help.
Install ID
In addition, Localytics assigns an install ID, which is a random alpha-numeric identifier per app install that is created by the Localytics SDK and is Localytics-specific. When a user first opens your app, their initial customer ID is the same as their install ID.