Data Layer Variables for Google Tag Manager

Pulse Commerce automatically adds a Data Layer object to your Google Tag Manager container on every page load. This data layer contains information about the current page type, customer status, product details, and order information.

How it works:

• Different page types send different data layer variables
• Product pages include product information (name, SKU, price, brand, category)
• Order confirmation pages include complete transaction data
• Customer information is included when users are logged in
• All data is automatically available in GTM without any manual coding

Common use cases:

• Setting up Google Analytics 4 e-commerce events
• Configuring conversion tracking pixels
• Creating custom marketing tags based on page type
• Tracking customer behavior across different page types

The table below lists every data layer variable that Pulse Commerce sends to GTM, organized by which page types include each variable.

The following examples show the actual JavaScript code that Pulse Commerce pushes to the data layer on different page types. You can view these in GTM Preview mode.

Homepage

push({
  'pageType': 'Home Page',
  'customerFirstName': 'John',
  'customerLastName': 'Doe'
});

Product Detail Page

push({
  'ecommerce': {
    'detail': {
      'products': [{
        'name': 'Bluebirds Birdfeeder',
        'id': 'B330',
        'category': 'bird feeders',
        'brand': 'Bayberry Collection',
        'price': '79.96'
      }]
    }
  },
  'pageType': 'Product',
  'customerFirstName': 'John',
  'customerLastName': 'Doe'
});

Category Page

push({
  'pageType': 'Category',
  'categoryName': 'bird feeders',
  'customerFirstName': 'John',
  'customerLastName': 'Doe'
});

Shopping Cart

push({
  'pageType': 'Shopping Cart',
  'shoppingCartQuantity': '6',
  'customerFirstName': 'John',
  'customerLastName': 'Doe'
});

Order Confirmation Page

push({
  'ecommerce': {
    'purchase': {
      'actionField': {
        'id': '9949',
        'affiliation': 'My Store',
        'revenue': '140.15',
        'tax': '7.93',
        'shipping': '14.360'
      },
      'products': [
        {
          'name': 'Bluebirds Birdfeeder',
          'id': 'B330',
          'price': '79.96',
          'quantity': 1
        },
        {
          'name': 'Ivy Birdfeeder',
          'id': 'B670',
          'price': '18.95',
          'quantity': 1
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  'totalCharged': '140.15',
  'orderSubTotal': '117.91',
  'shipMethod': 'UPS Ground',
  'customerFirstName': 'John',
  'customerLastName': 'Doe',
  'pageType': 'Order Confirmation'
});

To use data layer variables in your GTM tags, you must first create corresponding variables in your GTM workspace. Here's how to create a variable that accesses data layer information.

Example: Creating a Variable for Order Total

This example shows how to create a variable to access the order revenue from the data layer.

1In GTM, go to Variables > User-Defined Variables and click New

2Name your variable (e.g., OrderTotal)

3Click Variable Configuration and select Data Layer Variable

4In the Data Layer Variable Name field, enter the exact variable name from the reference table above

• For order revenue: ecommerce.purchase.actionField.revenue
• For product name: ecommerce.detail.products.name
• For page type: pageType

5Leave Data Layer Version set to Version 2 (default)

6Click Save

Using Variables in Tags

Once created, you can reference your variable in any tag using double curly braces: {{OrderTotal}}

Triggers determine when your tags fire. The most common approach is creating triggers based on the pageType variable to fire tags on specific page types.

Example: Creating a Trigger for Order Confirmation Page

1In GTM, go to Workspace > Triggers and click New

2Name your trigger (e.g., Order Confirmation Page)

3Click Trigger Configuration and select Page View

4Select Some Page Views

5Set the condition:

• Variable: pageType (you must create this variable first)
• Operator: equals
• Value: Order Confirmation

6Click Save

Alternative Trigger Method: URL-Based

You can also create triggers based on URL patterns instead of page type. For example, for order confirmation:

• Trigger Type: Page View
• Condition: Page URL contains ss-check-me-out.asp

Note: Using pageType is generally more reliable than URL patterns, as URLs may change but page types remain consistent.

How do I verify what data layer variables are being sent?

Use GTM Preview mode:

1. In GTM, click Preview
2. Enter your store URL and connect
3. Browse your site normally
4. In the GTM debug panel, click on any event and select the Data Layer tab
5. You'll see all variables and their values for that page

Why aren't my product variables showing up?

Product-specific variables (like ecommerce.detail.products) only appear on product detail pages where pageType = Product. Make sure you're testing on an actual product page, not a category or homepage.

Can I access variables that aren't in the reference table?

Only the variables listed in the reference table are automatically sent by Pulse Commerce. 

What's the difference between totalCharged and ecommerce.purchase.actionField.revenue?

Both represent the order total, but:

• totalCharged is a standalone variable for easy access
• ecommerce.purchase.actionField.revenue is part of the structured e-commerce object and is the standard format for GA4

For GA4 tracking, use ecommerce.purchase.actionField.revenue.

Do I need to create variables for every data layer field?

No, only create variables for the data you actually need to use in your tags. For example, if you're only tracking purchases, you only need to create variables for the purchase-related fields you're using.

Can I modify the data layer values?

The data layer values are generated automatically by Pulse Commerce and cannot be modified directly. However, you can create custom variables in GTM that transform or combine data layer values (e.g., using Variable Templates or Custom JavaScript variables).

Where can I learn more about advanced GTM techniques?

For advanced GTM tutorials and techniques, visit GTM Custom Events.