ZenAnalytics: Official User Manual & Documentation

The Professional, Local-First Analytics Suite for Joomla 6 & PHP 8.3+

Introduction

ZenAnalytics is the most modern, privacy-first tracking solution for Joomla. We believe in data sovereignty: your data belongs to you, processed locally on your server, ensuring complete GDPR compliance and zero reliance on third-party giants.

Part 1: Installation & Activation

1.1. Installing the Package

Download the pkg_zenanalytics.zip.
Navigate to System -> Install -> Extensions.
Upload the archive. The system installs the component, the plugin, and creates necessary database tables.

1.2. Activating the Tracker (Important Distinction)

ZenAnalytics FREE: For security and performance, you must enable the tracker manually. Navigate to System -> Manage -> Plugins, search for "System - Zentracker", and set the status to Enabled.
ZenAnalytics PRO: Installation is seamless. The tracker is automatically configured and enabled during the installation of the PRO package.

Part 2: Global Configuration & Data Hygiene

2.1. Ignore User Groups (Filtering Admin/Team Traffic)

To keep your data accurate, you should avoid tracking your own team’s activity.

The Mechanism: In the configuration settings, you can select which User Group IDs to ignore.
Why 7 and 8? In a standard Joomla installation, these IDs often correspond to "Registered" (7) and "Author" (8) groups. By ignoring these groups, you ensure that your statistics reflect actual visitor interest, rather than the activity of your staff, editors, or authors who are logged in while managing the site.

2.2. Ignore Own IPs (PRO Exclusive)

For maximum data purity, the PRO version includes an "Ignore Own IPs" feature.

The Logic: You can enter your office or home IP addresses in the configuration. The system will then completely bypass tracking for these requests, ensuring that your own traffic never hits the database, keeping your logs 100% focused on customers and prospects.

2.3. Smart Database Maintenance (Auto-Pruning)

ZenAnalytics is built to be "set-and-forget." You don't need to manually clear logs.

Data Retention: Set your preferred duration (30, 90, 180 days, or Forever) in Global Options.
Smart Trigger: The system performs a "self-cleaning" operation with a 5% probability on every page hit. This background pruning prevents database bloat without causing performance spikes, ensuring your database queries remain lightning-fast.

Part 3: Dashboard & Intelligence

3.1. Time Filtering

Use the dashboard toggles (Today, 7 Days, 30 Days, All Time) to visualize your performance trends.

3.2. Bot Filtering Engine

ZenAnalytics automatically filters out noise.

How it works: The system compares every User-Agent string against a signature database of known bots (e.g., Googlebot, Bingbot). Matches are marked as is_bot and excluded from charts, giving you a crystal-clear view of Human Interest.

Part 4: PRO Intelligence Suite

4.1. Zero-Code Events

ZenAnalytics listens to your site’s DOM and logs interactions automatically:

File Downloads: PDF, ZIP, DOC.
Outbound Links: External site clicks.
Contact Links: mailto: and tel: clicks.

4.2. Automatic Scroll Depth Tracking

Engagement is not just about hits; it's about content consumption.

The Math: The system calculates percentage based on the viewport position:
Thresholds: Logs hits at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. Use this to identify which articles are truly "sticky" and where you are losing your readers.

Part 5: FAQ

Q: Why do I have to activate the plugin manually in the FREE version?

A: We prioritize your site's performance. The tracker is a powerful tool, and by requiring manual activation, we ensure you have absolute control over when and where tracking begins. In PRO, we automate this for a "plug-and-play" experience.

Q: What happens if I ignore User Group 7 and 8?

A: All traffic generated by users belonging to those groups (e.g., Registered Users or Authors) will be completely ignored. This is perfect for excluding your content team’s internal visits from your analytics.

Q: Does "Ignore Own IPs" (PRO) delete my data?

A: No, it simply doesn't record it. It prevents your internal traffic from ever entering the database, which is the most efficient way to keep your analytics clean.

Q: My database keeps growing. Should I worry?

A: No. Just ensure "Data Retention" is set to a reasonable period (e.g., 90 days). The system will automatically prune old records in the background without affecting site speed.

Q: Does the auto-cleaning slow down my site?

A: No. We use a probabilistic trigger (it only runs in 5% of requests). This ensures the cleanup task is distributed and never impacts your visitors.

ZenAnalytics v6.1.0+ | Built by ZenSuite Team

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