Error in Counting DAUs/MAUs on Custom Events in Kapa.ai

Ashton C. · 2025-08-24T23:01:25.128Z

When I try to count DAUs or MAUs of uniques on a custom event (contains 3 events), I get the error `The data groups did not match across the report. Incompatible metrics, breakdowns, or filters were removed`. What is causing this? The DAU query works on all of the individual events in the custom event.

Error in Counting DAUs/MAUs on Custom Events in Kapa.ai | Mixpanel Community

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The error message The data groups did not match across the report. Incompatible metrics, breakdowns, or filters were removed when querying DAU or MAU for a custom event (composed of 3 events) likely occurs due to how Mixpanel handles custom events and the aggregation of unique users across multiple underlying events.Here are some possible causes based on the knowledge sources: 1. Custom Event Composition and Uniques Calculation: When you create a custom event that combines multiple events, Mixpanel treats this as a virtual event. Calculating DAU/MAU for uniques on a custom event requires Mixpanel to aggregate unique users across all the underlying events. If the underlying events have different properties, breakdowns, or filters, or if the data structure is inconsistent across these events, Mixpanel may not be able to align the data groups, resulting in the error you see. This is especially likely if the individual events have different sets of properties or if breakdowns/filters are applied that are not present in all events within the custom event definition. Custom Events: Combine multiple events for analyses2. Breakdowns and Segment Alignment: Mixpanel has specific logic for handling breakdowns and segment limits. If you apply breakdowns or filters that are not compatible across all the events in your custom event, or if the segments do not align (e.g., one event has a property that others do not), Mixpanel will remove incompatible metrics, breakdowns, or filters, and may show this error. Segment Limits and Ordering3. Advanced Controls for Uniques: When calculating DAU/MAU for custom events, Mixpanel needs to determine unique users across all included events. If there is a mismatch in how users are identified (e.g., different distinct_id usage or missing properties), this can cause issues with data group alignment. Insights: UsersWhy does it work for individual events? When you run the DAU query on a single event, there is no need to reconcile data groups across multiple events, so the calculation is straightforward. The error only arises when Mixpanel tries to aggregate across multiple events with potentially incompatible data structures.What can you do? - Ensure that all events included in your custom event have the same properties and use the same user identifier (distinct_id). - Avoid applying breakdowns or filters that are not present in all underlying events. - Try running the custom event query without any breakdowns or filters to see if the error persists.
If the issue continues, it may be a limitation or edge case in how Mixpanel currently handles custom events in DAU/MAU queries. In that case, consider analyzing the events separately or reaching out to Mixpanel support for further assistance.References: Custom Events: Combine multiple events for analyses Segment Limits and Ordering Insights: Users
kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.
ℹ️ Tip: Mention @kapa.ai in the thread for follow-ups or DM the app for 1-to-1 help.

kapa.ai
APP
·
·
The error message The data groups did not match across the report. Incompatible metrics, breakdowns, or filters were removed when querying DAU or MAU for a custom event (composed of 3 events) likely occurs due to how Mixpanel handles custom events and the aggregation of unique users across multiple underlying events.Here are some possible causes based on the knowledge sources: 1. Custom Event Composition and Uniques Calculation: When you create a custom event that combines multiple events, Mixpanel treats this as a virtual event. Calculating DAU/MAU for uniques on a custom event requires Mixpanel to aggregate unique users across all the underlying events. If the underlying events have different properties, breakdowns, or filters, or if the data structure is inconsistent across these events, Mixpanel may not be able to align the data groups, resulting in the error you see. This is especially likely if the individual events have different sets of properties or if breakdowns/filters are applied that are not present in all events within the custom event definition. Custom Events: Combine multiple events for analyses2. Breakdowns and Segment Alignment: Mixpanel has specific logic for handling breakdowns and segment limits. If you apply breakdowns or filters that are not compatible across all the events in your custom event, or if the segments do not align (e.g., one event has a property that others do not), Mixpanel will remove incompatible metrics, breakdowns, or filters, and may show this error. Segment Limits and Ordering3. Advanced Controls for Uniques: When calculating DAU/MAU for custom events, Mixpanel needs to determine unique users across all included events. If there is a mismatch in how users are identified (e.g., different distinct_id usage or missing properties), this can cause issues with data group alignment. Insights: UsersWhy does it work for individual events? When you run the DAU query on a single event, there is no need to reconcile data groups across multiple events, so the calculation is straightforward. The error only arises when Mixpanel tries to aggregate across multiple events with potentially incompatible data structures.What can you do? - Ensure that all events included in your custom event have the same properties and use the same user identifier (distinct_id). - Avoid applying breakdowns or filters that are not present in all underlying events. - Try running the custom event query without any breakdowns or filters to see if the error persists.
If the issue continues, it may be a limitation or edge case in how Mixpanel currently handles custom events in DAU/MAU queries. In that case, consider analyzing the events separately or reaching out to Mixpanel support for further assistance.References: Custom Events: Combine multiple events for analyses Segment Limits and Ordering Insights: Users
kapa.ai is still learning and improving, please let me know how I did by reacting below.
ℹ️ Tip: Mention @kapa.ai in the thread for follow-ups or DM the app for 1-to-1 help.