How to Manage Parameter Formats?

A Parameter Format is a reusable template that defines the structure, order, and separator for the fields used in a UTM parameter (e.g., utm_campaign). Using formats ensures that your team builds consistent, standardized tracking URLs every time.

This guide covers the complete lifecycle of managing your Parameter Formats.

1. Understanding Parameter Formats Properties

Before creating a format, it’s important to understand the properties that are available.

A. Navigate to the Parameter Formats Section

This is where you’ll manage and create all your formats.

1. Navigate to Tools > Conventions.
2. Select Parameter Formats from the left-hand menu.
3. Click the Create a new format button to see the settings below.

B. Format Parameters Explained

When you create or edit a format, you will see the following parameters split across two tabs: General and Fields. You can view your configured parameter in the Preview tab.

General Tab:

This is where you define the basic information for your format.

• Name: Give your format a descriptive name that is easy to understand (e.g., "Email Campaign Format," "Paid Social Format").
• Description: Add a short description to explain the format's purpose.
• Shared: Check this box to make this format available to other projects.
• Separator: Choose the character that will be placed between each field in the final parameter (e.g., -, _, |).

Fields Tab:

This is where you build the structure of your format.

• Allow fields to be dependent across different parameters: Check this box if you want to create relationships between fields used in this format and fields in other formats within the same Convention. Refer to this article to learn how to enforce cross-parameter dependency.
• Available Fields: This is the complete list of all the Fields that exist in your project.
• Configured Fields: This is where you build your format. You will drag fields from the Available Fields list into this box and arrange them in the desired order.

Preview Tab:

This section shows a live example of what your parameter will look like as you configure it.

2. How to Create a Parameter Format

Let's walk through creating a Parameter Format for an email campaign.

The Goal: 

You want your utm_campaign parameter to clearly show the campaign type and the date it was sent. The final output should look like this: CampaignType-SendDate.

Examples:

Step 1: Define the Format's General Properties

Based on our goal, we can define the properties for our new format:

1. Navigate to Tools > Conventions> Parameter Formats.
2. In the Parameter Formats page, click the Create a new format button.
3. Fill in the format's details:

• Name: Email Campaign Format
• Description: Specifies the type of email being sent (e.g., promotional, launch, product update, newsletter)
• Separator: - (dash)

4. Click Next to proceed to field configuration.

Step 2: Configure Fields

On this screen, you will arrange the building blocks of your format.

1. From the Available Fields list, find the Campaign Type field and drag it into the Configured Fields box.
2. Next, find the Send Date field and drag it into the Configured Fields box below Campaign Type.
3. Click Save.
4. Check the Preview section to confirm the output looks correct (e.g., launch-2025_09_15).

Your new format is now created and can be added to a Convention.

2. How to Edit a Parameter Format?

1. Navigate to Tools > Conventions>Parameter Formats.

2. Find the format you wish to modify and click the Edit (pencil) icon .
3. You can now make changes on two tabs:

• On the General tab, you can update the Name, Description, Shared status, or Separator.
• On the Fields tab, you can add, remove, or reorder fields by dragging them between the Available and Configured lists.

4. Make your desired changes and click Save to apply your changes.

3. How to Clone a Parameter Format?

Cloning is a quick way to create a new format based on an existing one.

1. Navigate to Tools > Conventions and select the relevant Parameter Fields from the left menu bar.

2. Find the format you want to copy and click the Clone icon (two pieces of paper).

3. In the pop-up window, enter a new, unique Name for the cloned format.
4. Click Clone parameter format to confirm.

This duplicates the structure which you can modify according to your need.

4. How to Delete a Parameter Format?

This section explains how to permanently remove a Parameter Format.

1. Navigate to Tools > Conventions and select the relevant Parameter Formats from the left menu bar.

2. Find the format you want to remove and click the Delete icon (trash can).
3. A confirmation prompt will appear.

4. To proceed, click the Delete parameter format button to confirm and it will be permanently deleted.

Best Practices and Important Notes

• Leverage the Description Field: Use the Description to explain the purpose of the format and the expected input for each field. This is crucial for team training and data consistency.
• Use Cloning for Variations: Instead of creating complex formats from scratch, clone an existing one and make minor modifications. This saves time and reduces errors.
• Be Cautious with Shared Formats: The Shared option is powerful for maintaining consistency across multiple projects. However, remember that editing a shared format will affect every project that uses it.
• Plan Before Deleting: Before deleting a format, check which conventions are using it. Always communicate with your team to ensure the format is truly obsolete to avoid disrupting their workflow.