---
title: Actor lookup
slug: analytics/docs/actor-lookup
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-20T15:44:48.966Z
---

The actor lookup feature in Optimizely Analytics lets you look up individual users and study their journey in detail.

## Look up an actor

1. Click **Actor Lookup**.
2. Click **Users** and select a dataset.
3. Define the behavior to analyze the actors. Narrow down actors using the following search criteria:
   - **Add single behaviour** – Add a single event performed by the actor.
   - **Add group** – Define a group of events performed by the actor.
   - **Add sequence** – Define a sequence of events performed by the actor.
   - **Add filter** – Add filters to narrow down user behavior.
4. Click **Run**.

![Analytics Actor Lookup 1.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/55tfBzsU1gzbWuMxCv2kU-20260720-144944.png)

5. Click an entry to view the complete user journey of that actor during a selected time period. This page has two sections:
   - Actor properties
   - Individual events performed by the actor
6. Click an event to examine its properties in detail. Use the search bar to find specific column names and modify the event query based on the available event streams.

![Analytics Actor Lookup 2.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/8C55qKfZ-W8iiDhzqIVwT-20260720-144944.png)

## Set the session identifier in events

The session identifier you configure inside the dataset determines the grouping of events for each actor. To set the session identifier:

1. Click **Data** **>** **Datasets**.
2. Click the dataset for which you want to set the session identifier.

   ![Analytics Actor Lookup 3.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/m4yYXka4LXb72rPfHR4Z0-20260720-144944.png)
3. Click **Semantics**.
4. Choose if your dataset is an **event stream**, **actor**, or **none**.
5. Set the session identifier under **Actor Stream Properties**.
6. Click **Save**.

![Analytics Actor Lookup 4.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/n843AvzpBqj_0cE7aWMhC-20260720-144944.png)

To prevent overpopulating your actor lookup table and display only selected properties:

1. Choose **Actor** under the **Semantics** tab.
2. Click **Add Preferred Property** and include as many properties as you need.
3. (Optional) Rearrange these properties using drag-and-drop.
4. Click **Save**.

![Analytics Actor Lookup 5.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/X_7lSPwjgTAN7L4rAZOug-20260720-144944.png)