Understanding Mixpanel Data Timing: 11 AM-12 PM vs. Actual Launch Time
is it possible that Mixpanel data captured at 11am-12am is actually 1pm-2pm, because the launch did not go live until 1 so how did Mixpanel capture data between 11am-12am
is it possible that Mixpanel data captured at 11am-12am is actually 1pm-2pm, because the launch did not go live until 1 so how did Mixpanel capture data between 11am-12am
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It is possible to see what appears to be data captured by Mixpanel before a feature launch (e.g., events between 11am–12pm when the launch was at 1pm) due to how timezones and event timestamps are handled in Mixpanel.Here are some key points to consider: - Timezone Differences: Mixpanel records all events in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) at intake. However, the way event times are displayed in the Mixpanel UI depends on your project’s timezone setting. For projects created before January 1, 2023, event timestamps are stored based on the project timezone at the time of ingestion. For projects created after that date, timestamps are stored in UTC. If your project timezone is not set correctly or if you are interpreting UTC times as local times (or vice versa), you might see events appearing to occur before the actual launch time. Always check your project’s timezone settings to ensure you are interpreting event times correctly Manage Timezones for Projects.- Relative Time in Impact Reports: In Mixpanel’s Impact reports, time is displayed in “relative time” rather than absolute calendar time. “Day zero” is defined as the first day a user performs the launch event, and the chart shows days before and after this point. This means that for each user, the “-1 day” or “-2 days” data points are relative to when they first performed the launch event, not the actual clock time. So, you might see data for “before launch” if users performed the metric event before they ever did the launch event, even if the feature wasn’t live for everyone yet Impact: Measure the effect of a launch on your KPIs.- Event Triggers and Definitions: Sometimes, events may be triggered by actions that are not strictly tied to the feature launch, or there may be test or background events being sent before the official launch. Double-check your event definitions and triggers to ensure that only relevant data is being captured.If you are seeing data in Mixpanel for a time window before your feature was live, it is most likely due to timezone interpretation or the use of relative time in reporting. Review your project’s timezone settings and the report type you are using to confirm how times are being calculated and displayed.If you need to ensure that only post-launch data is analyzed, consider filtering your reports by the actual launch timestamp in UTC, and verify your project’s timezone configuration Manage Timezones for Projects.
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