Dashboards
(not set) Explained
Learn what the (not set) row means, how Prism calculates it, and why it keeps your totals equal to Search Console.
2 min read Updated
What is it?
(not set) is a row you see in Prism tables. It holds the clicks and impressions that Google Search Console counts for your site but does not tie to any specific search query or page. Google hides these for privacy reasons. See (not set).
Why use it?
Without this row, your query or page tables would add up to less than your real total. With it, every table adds up to the Search Console total, so you can trust the numbers.
Understanding the data
How Prism calculates it
(not set) = Search Console's site total (or the URL's total) minus the sum of all known rows.
Prism shows the row only when this number is at least 1.
Where you see it
| Screen | What Prism says |
|---|---|
| Analytics query table, Unified Dashboard top queries, category tables | Clicks/impressions Search Console reports for this site but doesn't attribute to any specific query, for privacy reasons |
| Page tables | …counts in its site total but doesn't attribute to any page, for privacy reasons |
| Keywords Breakdown | The other X are (not set) — searches Search Console hides for privacy, which no report can break down. |
| URL Deep Dive | The (not set) row is the part of this URL's clicks and impressions Search Console doesn't attribute to any query, for privacy reasons. |
In Category Breakdown, the GSC Clicks (categorized) card adds of N total in Search Console — the rest is the (not set) row below.
In SEO Root Cause Analysis, the query drill-down in Why Analysis also ends with a (not set) row.
Example
For example, Search Console says your site had 10,000 clicks. The queries Prism can see add up to 7,500 clicks. Prism adds a (not set) row with 2,500 clicks, so the table total is 10,000, the same as Search Console. The Keywords Breakdown coverage bar would say that 75% of clicks come from known keywords.
Tips
- Use the coverage bar in Keywords Breakdown to see what share of clicks your keyword reports can explain.
- Don't try to remove (not set). It is part of your real traffic.
Frequently asked questions
Can I see which searches are inside (not set)?
No. Search Console hides them for privacy, so no report can break them down.
Is (not set) an error in my data?
No. It is a normal part of Search Console data. Prism shows it so your table totals match Search Console.
Why do I sometimes not see a (not set) row?
Prism only shows the row when the hidden amount is at least 1.
Related articles
- DashboardsUnderstanding MetricsPlain definitions of every Search Console, Google Analytics 4 and comparison metric used across Prism reports.Read
- Search AnalyticsKeywords BreakdownSee every Google search query that brings people to your site, grouped by rank, brand, intent and length, with gainers, losers and cannibalization.Read
- Search AnalyticsCategory BreakdownSee how each group of pages on your site performs, which categories are growing, and which pages are ready for a quick win.Read
- TroubleshootingData IssuesFix empty reports, low recent days, numbers that do not match, a missing branded split and Compare messages.Read
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