---
title: 2023 Optimizely Analytics release notes
slug: analytics/release-notes/2023-optimizely-analytics-release-notes
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-20T15:45:27.652Z
---

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## November 21, 2023

- **New dataset type: Union dataset** – Create [Union datasets](#) that combine multiple warehouse tables.[​](https://app.netspring.io/documentation/docs/Release%20notes/version_117#new-dataset-type-union-dataset)
- **Improved sampling communication** – Display error bounds for sampled visualizations, highlighting high-error data points using red dots.
- **New event selector** – Use the improved event selector with better organization, scrolling, and visibility of selected items.
- **New NetScript functions** – Leverage the following new NetScript functions:
  - **REGEXP\_INSTR** to find the position of the regex match.
  - **REGEXP\_SUBSTR** to extract the first regex match.

## October 26, 2023

- **Period-over-period comparison in explorations** – Compare the analysis results in the current period with any previous period – previous day, week, month, year, and so on, and understand how metrics have changed over time.
- **Time zone in application settings** – ​Configure the time zone for your application using a drop-down list inside application settings.
- **One-click cohort creation** – Create cohorts in one click using **+ New Cohort** in the Segmentation section.
- **Updated event selector** – Navigate an updated Event Selector inside Templates with collapsible datasets.
- **Object property columns in folder view** – View object metadata (example, Created At, Updated By) inside entity lists and catalog view pages.
- **New feature: Audience** – Publish cohorts as [Audiences](docId\:Dy4G-4bIFLxkvBuz66jNy) to your data warehouse. Audiences are groups of actors (Users, Accounts, and so on) for whom you want to perform some action.
- **New feature: Actor Lookup** – Use [actor lookup](#) to drill into individual user behaviors.
- **New measure in Event Segmentation** – Analyze engagement intervals with the **Intervals Engaged** measure. This counts the number of time buckets for each actor that met the **engaged** event criteria.
- **New option in the time range picker** – Select the **Since** option in the time range picker for flexible date selection. It is similar to the **Relative** option but lets you provide a starting date.
- **Sort catalog object properties in list views** – Sort catalog object lists by properties. The lists are sorted by default based on the **Updated At** column, and this can be changed using the arrows next to each property in the list.
- **Timestamp formatting in CSV download** – Preserve column formatting while downloading an analysis in CSV format.
- **Event and filter definition duplication** – ​Duplicate stages or events if you don't want to recreate the ones with complex configuration manually.

## August 17, 2023

- **Funnel grouping by stage property** – Group funnel stages by entry event properties. For example, a shopping funnel can be grouped by the **product\_category** event property of the **add to cart** stage's entry event.
- **New measure in Event Segmentation** – Use the new **Frequency** measure in event segmentation to analyze event counts per actor. When you choose this measure, frequency bins are generated automatically, but you can also customize the bins.
- **Improvements in parameter configuration** – Simplify parameter configuration for dashboard filtering with enhanced UX.
- **Time range picker improvements** – Use the picker directly in the visualization window.​ You can set the time range using a simple drop-down list or even choose from the quick options and iterate through different choices of time range and time grain without leaving the chart.
- **Cutoff in Retention** – Set retention cutoff times in the new retention template.

## June 12, 2023

- **Dashboard filters** – [Filter dashboards](#) using interactive NetScript filters.
- **Blocks in Funnel and Path and reorderable stages** – Reorder [funnel](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/sections/34053121529357-Funnel) and [path](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/sections/34053779134605-Paths) stages with drag-and-drop and configure them using blocks.
- **Sampled visual explores** – Apply sampling controls in Visual Explore templates.
- **Download as CSV** – Download explorations as CSVs in one click.
- Fill domain function in NetScript – Use the **fill\_domain** NetScript function to populate missing dimension values.
- **NetScript support for JSON functions** – Handle JSON fields in NetScript with array and key access functions.
- **Lowercase function in NetScript** – Convert strings to lowercase using the **lowercase** NetScript function.
- **New template: Impact** – Run [impact analyses](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/sections/34053273963533-Impact) to measure user retention and product adoption.
- **Distribution of actor measure** – View actor distribution bins in [Impact](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/sections/34053273963533-Impact) and [Event Segmentation](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/sections/34052595084557-Event-Segmentation) templates.
- **Drop-down suggestions from join context** – Get context-aware suggestions in catalog pickers.
- **Updates in beelines** – Open beelines in new tabs and [create churned cohorts](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/sections/34053910576781-Retention) directly from retention templates.
- **Funnel stage time limits** – Set funnel stage time limits using the "within time" setting.

## March 16, 2023

- **New version of visual exploration** – Explore visually using the rebuilt Visual Exploration experience with block integration.
- **Inline blocks in explorations** – Add inline blocks in templates for cohorts and attributes.
- **New block types** – Use blocks like Bins, Moving Aggregation, and Rank.
- **Sampling improvements** – Customize sampling levels per chart and in [application settings](#). Sample derived actors like sessions, not just users.
- **Funnel improvements** – Hold properties constant in funnel stages. When enabled, the user identifies a property that must be constant for each funnel stage.