WalkMe Data

Using WalkMe Data allows you to work with more complex scenarios by using WalkMe cookies as markers for user behavior. For example, if a user visits your site multiple times without completing their onboarding, you could use WalkMe Data to count the number of visits and show a ShoutOut on Day 3.

Common Uses For WalkMe Data

WalkMe Data can measure a range of user actions and activities. This stored data can be used in a Rule to:

• Remember that a user has completed a certain action. A Segment can then be created that displays additional items such as Walk-Thrus, Resources, Launcher, or ShoutOuts after the action has been completed.
• Record the steps a user has completed in a process in order to resume guidance where they left off instead of starting from the beginning.
• Implement WalkMe Data after an initial process has been completed and is sent for review by another person or a manager. WalkMe Data remembers that an item was sent for review and displays relevant Walk-Thrus once approval has been granted.

WalkMe Data functions like a site cookie. When placed on the user’s computer, it has a name (key), value, and duration and can be referenced later by WalkMe. By using rules in the rule engine you’ll be able to test for the presence or value of WalkMe Data on the user’s computer, and have actions take place as a result. These cookies can have any name (key) but should not have spaces. The duration is measured in seconds and can be made to stay on a user’s computer for various lengths of time whether that amounts to seconds, minutes, days, or even years (up to a maximum of 10 years).

Set WalkMe Data

To store WalkMe Data on the user’s browser, follow these steps:

1. From within a Walk-Thru, click the Super Step button.
2. Navigate to the By Function tab.
3. Select WalkMe Data.
4. Enter the following:
   
   •Key: The key is the name of the data that you wish to store. In other words, it is what you are trying to measure.
   •Value: When WalkMe Data stores information in the browser, the Value will be an indication that the action has occurred.
   •Duration: WalkMe only stores data for a specified amount of time. Specify the length of time you wish the information to be stored (in seconds). Example: 1 day = 86400
   •Rule: The Rule will determine when the information is planted in the browser. If the Rule is left blank, WalkMe Data will always be stored when the step is played.
5. Finally, move the WalkMe Data Super Step, so that it occurs immediately after the action being monitored occurs.

Measuring Repeated Actions

When measuring if a specific action has occurred more than once, use multiple WalkMe Data steps, all with the same Key. To measure the action the first time, create the WalkMe Data Super Step as described above and enter the Value as 1.

To measure that the action has occurred the second time, create the WalkMe Data Super Step as described above. Enter the same Key, this time with a Value of 2. Create the Rule the same way you did in the first step, and include an additional statement: That the WalkMe Data value is already one. The following example shows the Rule For a WalkMe Data Super Step that is recording the 2nd login attempt:

For each time the action is measured, increase the Value in the WalkMe Data Super Step by one. The example below is a Rule for a WalkMe Data Super Step that is recording the 3rd login attempt:

Use WalkMe Data in the Rule Engine

The utility of the WalkMe Data Super Step comes from the use of this information in a Rule. To create a Rule using the WalkMe Data Super step, choose the User Data Rule Type and then Select WalkMe Data.

Best Practices

• When choosing a name for your Key, use the prefix “wm-” this way you can avoid any potential overlap with cookies from your site. For example, wm-incorrect_password_entries. Do not use any spaces.
• Use “Yes” as the value if the action can only occur once. Use a number as the value if you are trying to identify how many times the user has completed a specific action
• If measuring whether a specific action has occurred, create a Rule based on an on-screen element or URL to test whether the action has been completed

Troubleshooting

When using WalkMe Data on your own site, it can be difficult to test if you use durations of a few hours or more. When testing if your counter is working, change the duration to a few minutes, to make sure it properly counts each action. Then if everything works properly, be sure to change it back to the correct time.

Often one of the most important things to know about your WalkMe Data is whether it was placed on the user’s computer at all. To check this, use the Flow Tracker to see if the step for your WalkMe Data is triggered.

One thing to remember is to avoid using Incognito mode on your browser when your Walk-Thrus contain WalkMe Data because the cookies won’t be stored beyond that session regardless of the duration you set.