User Properties Overview

User Properties allow you to track detailed, user-specific information alongside events in Ours. These properties are securely handled and can be customized for each destination to meet privacy and compliance requirements.

By default, we either hash or redact user properties like email or phone_number before sending them to destinations. You can also configure how user properties are handled for each destination.

Identity via User Properties

The email and external_id are special properties used to identify a user.

If you include email or external_id in the request, Ours will use them to look up the user in the database. If the user is not found, a new user will be created. Otherwise, the current and future events will be associated with the existing user.

What Are User Properties?

User Properties are attributes that describe the user performing an action, such as their email address, name, or location. These properties are tracked separately from event properties and provide richer insights into user behavior.

Ours ensures that all user properties are:

• Securely Handled: By default, user properties are hashed, redacted, or manipulated before being forwarded to destinations.
• Configurable: You can control how user properties are processed for each destination.

Supported User Properties

Ours supports the following user properties:

How to Send User Properties

You can send user properties to Ours in two ways:

1. Using the Identify Action

The identify action is used to associate user properties with a specific visitor. For example:

ours('identify', { email: '[email protected]', first_name: 'John', last_name: 'Doe' });

2. As Part of an Event

You can include user properties in the fourth argument of the track action:

ours('track', 'EventName', { event_property: 'value' }, { email: '[email protected]' });

Automatically Collected Properties

Ours collects some user device properties by default, including:

• IP address
• User agent
• Referrer
• UTM Parameters: utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term, utm_content
• Ad Click IDs: gclid, fbclid, ttclid, msclkid

These default properties are included in every event without requiring additional configuration.

Destination-Specific Handling of User Properties

Different destinations have unique requirements and capabilities for handling user properties. For example:

• Facebook Ads: Supports all user properties. Sending additional properties like email, phone_number, and city improves match rates for ad audiences.
• Google Ads: Supports email. This property is hashed before being forwarded.

To configure how user properties are sent to specific destinations, refer to Data Mapping.

Privacy and Compliance

Ours is a privacy-forward platform that prioritizes the secure handling of user properties. You can configure:

• Hashing: Hash sensitive properties like email or phone numbers before sending them to destinations.
• Redaction: Remove specific properties entirely for destinations where they’re not required.
• Custom Transformations: Apply additional logic to user properties via mappers to meet compliance needs.

For more details, see Data Access and Privacy.

Best Practices for User Properties

1. Limit Sensitive Data:
   • Avoid sending unnecessary sensitive data to destinations.
2. Use the Identify Action:
   • Track persistent user properties with identify for better user resolution.
3. Configure Destination Settings:
   • Customize user property handling for each destination to comply with privacy regulations.
4. Test Using the Dashboard:
   • Verify tracked user properties in the Recent Events Dashboard.

Debugging User Properties

If user properties are not being sent as expected:

1. Check Your Code:
   • Ensure that user properties are correctly included in the identify or track calls.
2. Verify Destination Requirements:
   • Confirm that the destination supports the user property you’re sending.
3. Inspect the Dashboard:
   • Use the Recent Events Dashboard to debug user property data.