GDPR Server-Side Tracking Documentation

Table of Contents

• 1. Getting Started
  • Introduction
  • 1.1 Account Creation and Login
  • 1.2 Creating Your First Account
  • 1.3 Setting Up a Server-Side Tracker
    • Step 1: Create a Server-Side Container in GTM
    • Step 2: Add Tracker in GDPR Server Tracking
    • Step 3: Configure DNS
    • Step 4: Configure Data Streams
  • 1.4 Data Anonymization
• 2. Managing Your Account
  • 2.1 User Management
  • 2.2 Billing
  • 2.3 Monitoring & Dashboard
• 3. Infrastructure & Compliance
  • 3.1 EU Bare Metal Infrastructure
  • 3.2 GDPR Compliance
  • 3.3 Security
• 4. FAQ

1. Getting Started

Introduction

This guide walks you through setting up GDPR-compliant server-side tracking with Cogny. From account creation to deploying your first tracker, you'll be up and running in minutes.

1.1 Account Creation and Login

GDPR Server Tracking uses Google Account Single Sign-On (SSO) for authentication. Simply click "Continue with Google" on the homepage to sign in or create your account.

Requirements:

• A Google account (Gmail or Google Workspace)
• If your company uses Google Workspace, use your work email

First Login:

1. Visit gdpr-server-tracking.eu
2. Click Continue with Google
3. Select or sign in with your Google account
4. You'll be redirected to the dashboard to create your first account

If you don't have a Google account, you can create one at accounts.google.com using any email address — select "Use your existing email address" during signup.

1.2 Creating Your First Account

After signing in, you'll be prompted to create an account:

1. Enter an account name (lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only)
2. Click Continue
3. Set up billing (1-month free trial on Micro and Small tiers)
4. Add your first server-side tracker

1.3 Setting Up a Server-Side Tracker

Once billing is configured, you can add a server-side Google Tag Manager (sGTM) tracker:

Step 1: Create a Server-Side Container in GTM

1. Go to tagmanager.google.com
2. Click Create Container
3. Name your container and select Server as the target platform
4. Click Create
5. In the setup screen, click Manually provision tagging server
6. Copy the Container Config string

Step 2: Add Tracker in GDPR Server Tracking

1. In your dashboard, click + Add a new tracker
2. Enter your custom subdomain (e.g., collector.yourdomain.com)
3. Paste the GTM Container Config from Step 1
4. Select your tracker size (Micro, Small, Medium, or Large)
5. Optionally enable IP anonymization
6. Click Add new tracker

Step 3: Configure DNS

Add the following DNS record for your custom subdomain:

After DNS propagation (usually a few minutes), click Verify in the tracker setup to confirm the connection.

Step 4: Configure Data Streams

Update your website's GTM web container to send data to your new server-side endpoint instead of directly to Google Analytics or other services.

1.4 Data Anonymization

GDPR Server Tracking includes built-in anonymization features at no extra cost:

IP Anonymization:

• Enable per-tracker in the tracker settings
• IP addresses are hashed before being forwarded to analytics platforms
• Original IPs are never stored or transmitted

Cookie ID Filtering:

• Configure field-level rules to hash, redact, or filter sensitive data
• Rules are applied at the server level before data leaves the EU
• Supports custom salt values for hashing

To configure anonymization rules:

1. Click Edit tracker on your tracker card
2. Navigate to the Anonymization section
3. Add field rules specifying the field name, type, and action (hash, redact, or filter)

2. Managing Your Account

2.1 User Management

Account owners can invite team members and assign roles:

Roles:

• Owner — Full access including billing and user management
• Write — Can create and edit trackers and settings
• Read — View-only access to dashboards and stats

Adding Users:

1. Go to Settings → Users
2. Click + Add new user
3. Enter the user's email address (must be a Google account)
4. Select a role
5. Click Add user

The invited user can then sign in with their Google account to access the shared account.

2.2 Billing

Billing is managed through Stripe. After your free trial:

1. Go to Settings → Billing
2. Click Manage billing to access the Stripe portal
3. From there you can update payment methods, view invoices, and change plans

Pricing Tiers:

All prices exclude VAT. Micro and Small tiers include a 1-month free trial.

2.3 Monitoring & Dashboard

Your dashboard shows:

• Request traffic — Real-time graph of requests over the last 30 minutes
• Average request time — Server response performance
• Credit usage — Monthly breakdown of credit consumption by category

Trackers show their current status:

• New — Awaiting DNS verification
• Configured — DNS verified, deploying to servers
• Active — Live and processing requests

3. Infrastructure & Compliance

3.1 EU Bare Metal Infrastructure

All tracking data is processed on dedicated bare metal servers located in Finland, EU:

• No virtualization — dedicated physical hardware, not shared cloud instances
• No US sub-processors — data never touches AWS, GCP, or Azure infrastructure
• 1 sub-processor — simplifies your Data Processing Agreements
• Swedish-owned — Cogny AB is incorporated in Sweden

3.2 GDPR Compliance

GDPR Server Tracking is designed with GDPR compliance in mind:

• Data stays in the EU — all processing happens on EU infrastructure
• Schrems II aligned — no data transfers to US jurisdiction
• Data minimization — built-in anonymization tools for IP and cookie data
• Right to erasure — no personal data is stored beyond what's forwarded to your analytics
• Simplified DPAs — only 1 sub-processor to manage

3.3 Security

• Google SSO authentication — no passwords stored
• Role-based access control — Owner, Write, Read roles
• HTTPS only — all data in transit is encrypted
• DNS verification — trackers are verified before activation

4. FAQ

Can I run multiple trackers on one account? Yes. You can set up multiple server-side trackers, each with its own subdomain and GTM container. For example, 12 micro-sized trackers fit within a Small tier (12 × 75 = 900 credits).

How long does setup take? Most setups are complete within 5-10 minutes. DNS propagation may take up to 24 hours depending on your provider.

What happens if I exceed my event limit? Additional events are charged at your tier's per-credit rate. You can monitor usage in the dashboard.

Can I switch tiers? Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade through the billing portal at any time.

Do you support Google Analytics 4, Facebook CAPI, etc.? Yes — server-side GTM supports all standard tags including GA4, Facebook Conversions API, TikTok, LinkedIn, and more. Configure them in your GTM server-side container as usual.

For support, email [email protected] or book a meeting.