Google has added cross-source filtering to Looker Studio.
This means you can now use one filter across multiple data sources, without having to blend them first.
What changed?
Before this update, if you wanted to filter on the same dimension (for example:
- Country
- Campaign name
across sources like:
- Google Ads
- Google Analytics
- Google Sheets
you first had to manually blend the data sources. This made dashboards more complex and harder to maintain.
How does it work now?
Google introduced an ID override feature:
- Go to Resource → Manage field names and IDs
- Set a shared ID (such as country or campaign name)
- Use that ID to apply filters across multiple data sources at once
This allows filters to work across sources without complex joins or blends.
Why this matters for PPC professionals
For advertisers and agencies, this means:
- Faster analysis
- Cleaner dashboards
- Less maintenance work
- Easier scaling for large reports
Especially useful for accounts that rely on multi-source reporting.
The bigger picture
This update fits into Google’s broader goal of:
- Simplifying reporting
- Reducing technical complexity
- Making data easier to work with for performance teams
A small feature update, but a big win for anyone using Looker Studio regularly.
This update was shared by Vojtěch Audy.