Frequently Asked Questions

Version: 4.3 | Build: 16

Webtrends Tag Builder provides standardized JavaScript tags that you can use to set up simple and advanced tracking on your web site. Used correctly, it can:

  • Eliminate time-consuming customizations
  • Provide a more readable, maintainable tag
  • Quickly create tags for specific tracking requirements such as form navigation and Ad Director conversions
  • Modify an existing tag without the risk of inconsistency based on manual changes

Why Use Tag Builder to Create Tags?

Tag Builder simplifies tag configuration and provides a standardized output format for specialized JavaScript tags. This standardization prevents common tag configuration errors and makes it easier to identify any problems caused by later manual changes to the base code. Tag Builder can also make updates and modifications to an existing tag that you created with Tag Builder.

What Is the Output of Tag Builder?

Tag Builder generates the following files:

  • readme.txt contains a description of the tag files as well as the same tag deployment instructions shown in this Help file.
  • webtrends.html contains the JavaScript code.
  • webtrends.js is the JavaScript include file referenced in webtrends.html.
  • tbconfig.xml contains the information you need to upgrade an existing tag using Tag Builder.

The Tag Builder tag is designed for a multi-part tag implementation. For more information, see How Do I Use Tag Builder Output?.

Why Does the Tag Look Different from Other Webtrends Tags?

The Tag Builder tag includes some noticeable structural changes that improve performance and readability. For example, all global variables have been combined in a single global variable. The webtrends.js file also shows all configurable elements in the first code block for easy reference.

How Do I Use Tag Builder Output?

As shown in the following table, the Tag Builder tag output supports a multi-part implementation. It should be implemented differently from the JavaScript tag you can generate when you create a data source in Webtrends Administration.

   Tag Builder Tag  Data Source Tag (Webtrends Administration)
 Implementation  Multi-part Single-part
 Required setup  Set up a multi-part tag implementation using a JavaScript include  Paste code directly into web page code

To perform a multi-part tag implementation:

  1. Save the webtrends.js file in a common JavaScript location on your web server
  2. Edit the path referenced in webtrends.html so that it points to the actual location of webtrends.js.
  3. Paste the contents of webtrends.html on every page in your web site. To avoid logging hits to pages that do not load completely, and to ensure best performance, paste this code just before the </body> tag at the bottom of your web page.

What Kinds of Specialized Tags Can Tag Builder Create?

Tag Builder can create tags for the following specialized situations:

  • Customized tracking of multiple domains and subdomains
  • On-click event tracking using dcsMultiTrack, including form completion tracking
  • Custom query parameter tracking
  • Customized cookie tracking including Session-only cookie tracking

What If I Already Use dcsMultiTrack to Track Events?

If you have already implemented dcsMultiTrack for any type of web site tracking, please consult with Webtrends Support or Services before you use the Tag Builder functions found on the Click Event Tracking page.

Best Practices for Using Tag Builder

The following best practices are provided to help you use Tag Builder more effectively.

  • Tag Builder should minimize the requirement for manual tag modification. Keep in mind that if you hand-modify the tag, you may not be able to use Tag Builder to update it later.
  • If you plan to continue using Tag Builder for tag updates and you do hand-modify the tag, make sure you also modify the tbconfig.xml file so it stays in sync with the tag content.
  • If you want to use an identical tag with a single modification, try creating the tag and then updating it with a different output directory. You can update a tag from the TagBuilder web site by browsing to the existing tag's XML configuration file, clicking Upload to populate the Tag Builder settings, then changing your settings. To change the output directory for the tag, specify a new directory in the JavaScript include file path text box before saving your changes.