Summary
The marketing manager should assign the Analyst role. Analyst carries all Viewer permissions and adds the ability to create, edit and share explorations and other assets, while leaving user management with Administrators and property configuration with Editors. That matches the requirement exactly.
Nitin Batra is a Google Analytics 4 certified professional who manages access permissions and Explore workspace reporting across client GA4 properties on a daily basis.
Last updated: August 16, 2026
To let a colleague build and share custom reports in the Explore workspace without managing users or changing property settings, the marketing manager should assign the Analyst role in GA4.
- Viewer
- Editor
- Administrator
- Analyst
The correct answer is: Analyst
Key Takeaways
- – The Analyst role is the correct assignment for a colleague who needs to build and share custom reports in Explore without managing users or property settings.
- – Analyst includes all Viewer permissions plus the ability to create, edit, delete and collaborate on shared assets like explorations, segments, comparisons and annotations.
- – GA4 permissions are layered as Viewer, Analyst, Marketer, Editor and Administrator, and only Administrator can manage users, while Editor and above can change property configuration.
- – A Viewer can still build an exploration for personal use but cannot share it with others, which is the limitation that pushes the requirement up to Analyst.
What is the difference between the Viewer and Analyst roles in GA4?
Viewer can see reports, explorations that have been shared with them and the configuration settings, but cannot share anything they build. Analyst gets all of that plus the right to create, edit, delete and share assets such as explorations, segments, comparisons and annotations. If your colleague only needs to read dashboards, Viewer is enough. If they need to publish explorations for the team, they need Analyst.
Where do I assign a user role in a GA4 property?
Go to Admin, then under the Property column open Property access management. Click the blue plus icon at the top right and choose Add users. Enter the Google account email, pick the role and set any data restrictions, then click Add. You can also assign roles at the account level, and those permissions flow down to every property in that account.
Can an Analyst create conversion events or modify data streams?
No. Anything under Admin that changes how data is collected or processed, including data streams, key events, custom definitions, data retention and data filters, requires the Editor role or higher. Analyst is limited to analysis assets inside reporting and Explore. This is the main reason the role exists, so analysts can work freely without any risk of breaking the tracking setup.
Does the Analyst role allow adding or removing other users?
No, user management is reserved for the Administrator role only. Editor can change property settings but still cannot manage users. So if a colleague needs to onboard agency staff or remove ex-employees, Administrator is the only role that works. Keep the number of Administrators small and audit them periodically in Property access management.
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