Navigation Events
These events track a user’s navigation through VA websites and applications. Some are automatically collected, but others require a custom event.
Automatically Tracked Navigation Events
Several navigation events are tracked automatically.
User's Activity | Universal Analytics GA Event Action |
|---|---|
Downloading a PDF, Spreadsheet, or Image File | PDF Downloaded - Spreadsheet Downloaded - Image Downloaded - |
Outbound clicks to external non-va.gov links (including email addresses, phone numbers, and other external sites) | Outbound Link Clicked - |
Other Navigation Events
The below table is a list of navigation interactions that are collected in Google Analytics.
Event Name (RegEx) | Universal Analytics GA Event Action | Location & Interaction Description |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation - Main Page Buttons | Any of the three large buttons located near the bottom of the home page under the benefit hubs (ex. blue rectangle with "Find a VA health facility…") |
| Navigation - Footer - {{Click Text}} | Located under the benefit hubs and CTA buttons/boxes at the bottom of the home page |
| Navigation - 404 Error | When a user finds a page that no longer exists (ex. "va.gov/hec") |
| Navigation - Link List - {{CJ - Links List - Null Handler - Event Action Label}} | Hyperlinked list located just above the footer (ex. hyperlinks of benefit hubs located on the home page under the white boxes and photos of vets) |
| Navigation - Side - {{Click Text}} | Sidebar menu not within an expanded menu, located on the side of a benefit hub page (ex. See this page: https://www.va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/ ) |
| Navigation - Side - Child {{CJ - Sidenav Dropdown Header - Null Handler}} | Sidebar menu option from within an expanded menu on the side of a page (ex. See this page: https://www.va.gov/cheyenne-health-care/health-services) |
| Navigation - Header - {{Click Text}} - {{Click URL}} | Links that exit to another page rather than expand into menu options, located under the sub-menu options on the main navigation in the header |
| Navigation - Header - Open Top Level - {{Click Text}} | Main navigation in the header at the top of the page (ex. "VA Benefits and Health Care" or "About VA") |
| Navigation - Header - Open Second Level - {{Click Text}} | The sub menus from the top level navigation's drop down (ex. "Health care" or "Disability") |
| Navigation - User - {{Navigation User Section - Lookup Table}} | Located on this page after the user has authenticated: http://www.va.gov/change-direct-deposit/ |
| Navigation - Header - Logo | Logo link clicks |
| Navigation - Breadcrumb - {{Navigation Breadcrumb Section - Lookup Table}} | Trail of hyperlinked pages at the top of a page showing what folder/topic/page came before the current page (ex. selecting the "Home" hyperlinked just above the H1 on this page:https://www.va.gov/change-direct-deposit/) |
| Navigation - Crisis Modal Clicked - Header | Red floating banner in the top right of the home page above all other menus |
| Navigation - Hub - Containers - {{Click Text}} | Big boxes located on the right of an expanded sub-menu under the main navigation at the top of the page (ex. "COVID-19 vaccines at VA" under VA Benefits and Health Care) |
| Navigation - Search Results - {{Navigation Path}} | Menu option from the right rail menu on a /search/ page under "More VA search tools" |
| Navigation - Zone One - {{Navigation Path}} | Hyperlinked text located in the big white boxes near the top of the home page (ex. "Refill and track your prescriptions") |
| Navigation - Hub - Promo Box - {{Click Text}} | Hyperlinked text in the box to the right of the H1 at the top of a page (ex. On this page it is located under the blue box with a white star: https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/) |
| Navigation - Go to Profile - Call-to-Action | Green "Go to your VA.gov profile" button located on this page after the user has authenticated: http://www.va.gov/change-direct-deposit/ |
| Navigation - Hub - Rail - {{Navigation Path}} - {{Click Text}} | Floating menu on the right side of a page (ex. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials) |
| Navigation - GIBCT Profile - Additional Resources - {{Click Text}} | Hyperlinks under the menu on the right (ex. Under the video on this page: https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool./) |
| Navigation - Featured Content - {{CJ - Featured Content - Null Handler - Event Action Label}} | Link to a spotlight story/blog post (ex. "Erie VA employee makes masks... " hyperlinked text near the top of this page: http://www.va.gov/erie-health-care/stories/) |
| Navigation - Secondary Button - {{Click Text}} | "See all locations" button under the "Locations" h2 on this page: https://www.va.gov/erie-health-care/ |
| Navigation - Accordion Embedded Link - {{JV - fullAccordionLabel}} - {{CJ - Global - Click URL Null Replace}} | Link located within an accordion menu |
| Navigation - Jumplink Click - {{Click Text}} | Link in the top far right corner (ex. "Contact us" or "Sign in" on any page) |
| Navigation - Pipe Delimited List - {{DL - pipe-delimited-list-header}} - {{CJ - Global - Click URL Null Replace}} | Hyperlinked text located in the grey banner under the main navigation menu at the top of the home page (ex. "Find VA locations tool") |
| Navigation - Promo Banner - {{DL - promo-banner-type}} - {{DL - promo-banner-target}} - {{DL - promo-banner-target}} - {{DL - promo-banner-text}} | Promo banner DS standardized |
| Navigation - Promo Banner - {{Click Text}} | Promo banner event (legacy) |
| Navigation - Click to eBenefits | Green "Go to eBenefits to apply" button (ex. located on this page: http://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/programs/self-employment/) |
| Navigation - Warning Alert Box - {{DL - alertBoxHeading}} - {{Click Text}} | Selecting any links within an alert box at the top of the screen (ex. "VA's public health response" inside of the grey alert box at the top of the page with "VA facility and status updates" as the h3 on the home page) |
| Navigation - Paginate - Next | Located at the bottom of the search results on a /search/ page |
| Navigation - Paginate - Previous | Located at the bottom of the search results on a /search/ page |
| Navigation - Paginate - Number: {{DL - Paginate Page Number}} | Located at the bottom of the search results on a /search/ page |
| Navigation - Info Box Click - {{DL - infoBoxText}} | "Facility notice" blue alert box located under a location result (ex. "Facility notice" under "Abie Abraham VA Clinic" on this page: https://www.va.gov/butler-health-care/) |
| Navigation - Health Care Facility Status - {{Click Text}} | Link to a clinic location under the "Facility operating statuses" h2 (ex. "Beaver County VA Clinic" on this page: http://www.va.gov/pittsburgh-health-care/operating-status/) |
| Navigation - Tab Click - {{DL - tab-text}} | (ex. Located on this page: http://www.va.gov/health-care/schedule-view-va-appointments/appointments/ ) |
| Navigation - Page Content Tag - {{DL - page-tag-category-label}} - {{DL - page-tag-click-label}} | One of the tags located at the bottom of a /resources/ page (ex. "Claims and appeals status" tag on this page: http://www.va.gov/resources/claim-status-tool-faqs/ ) |
| Navigation - Alert Box - Link Click - {{JS - Alert Box Link Click Action}} | Links within an alert box at the top of the screen (ex. "VA's public health response" inside of the grey alert box at the top of the page with "VA facility and status updates" as the h3 on the home page) |
| Navigation - Header - Menu - Expand | The hamburger menu at the top of the header on mobile |
| Navigation - Header - Back to Menu | The top menu option on the mobile header after going into a sub-menu (ex. disabilities benefit hub) |
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