Dates, comparisons and data delay
Every workspace report compares a current period with an equal period. This page explains how the periods are chosen and built, what weekday matching does, and how data delay and preliminary days are labelled.
✓ Checked in the live workspace · 4 October 2026
How periods work in the workspace
Every report works on a current period and, when comparison is on, an equal comparison period. The label at the top of a report, such as “Sep 6 — Oct 3 vs Aug 9 — Sep 5”, shows both. A change is only meaningful when the two windows are comparable, so the workspace builds the comparison window for you instead of asking you to type two dates each time.
Which controls appear depends on the report. Dashboards and the Queries and Pages reports offer window buttons for 7, 28, 90 and 180 days. Reports such as Rank Changes open a Period and comparison dialog with more options.
Choosing the current period
| Option | Where | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 7, 28, 90, 180 days | dashboard, Queries, Pages and similar reports | the last N days up to the newest available date |
| Last 7, 14 or 28 days | Period and comparison dialog | the same idea, as presets |
| Year to date | Period and comparison dialog | from 1 January to the newest available date |
| 3, 6, 8, 12 or 16 months | Period and comparison dialog | longer windows for trends |
| Custom period | Period and comparison dialog; “Custom dates…” (From, To, Apply) on the dashboard | two dates you choose |
A current period must contain between 1 and 480 days and must end inside the date range Google makes available; otherwise the report returns an error instead of guessing.
Choosing the comparison period
| Mode | How the window is built |
|---|---|
| Previous period | a window of the same length that ends the day before the current period starts |
| Year over year | the current dates shifted back 365 days (364 with weekday matching) |
| Previous month | the same dates in the previous month, shortened to the last day when that month is shorter (shifted 28 days with weekday matching) |
| Custom period | a start and end date you enter for the comparison |
| Off | no comparison; reports that need one, such as Rank Changes, ask you to turn it on |
Matching weekdays
The option “Match weekdays” aligns the comparison so that a Monday is compared with a Monday. For year over year it shifts by 364 days, which is exactly 52 weeks; for previous month it shifts by 28 days. Use it for sites with a strong weekly pattern, where a window that starts on a different weekday would mix a weekend into one side only.
Day, week or month
Reports with a trend chart can group points by day, week or month. A longer grouping smooths daily noise and shortens the line; it does not change the totals for the period.
Data delay and freshness labels
Search Console data usually becomes available after two to three days, and the newest data can be preliminary and change within hours (Performance report). The workspace shows this in the interface: a label such as “1 day delay” or “1 day delay · preliminary” next to the period, a data status of “Fresh” on the dashboard, and “final data · 3-day lag” on My Sites. Daily data in Search Console follows Pacific Time (dimensions).
Rules that keep comparisons honest
- Compare equal lengths. A 28-day window against a 28-day window; the workspace builds it for you.
- Keep filters identical on both sides: filters apply to both compared periods.
- Do not trust the last day. It is the one most likely to be revised.
- Use weekday matching when the weekly rhythm matters.
- Prefer longer windows when a small site has few clicks per day.
If a period does not behave as expected
| Symptom | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
| “Enable a comparison period” | the report needs a comparison; open Period and comparison and choose a mode |
| An error about the available range | the period ends after the newest available date or is longer than 480 days; shorten it |
| The newest day looks low | the day is preliminary; wait a few days |
| My Sites differs from a dashboard | My Sites uses final data with a longer lag |
Dates and comparisons, answered
Does the previous period overlap the current one?
No. The previous period ends the day before the current one starts.
Why does year over year shift by 364 days?
That is exactly 52 weeks, so weekdays line up. Without weekday matching the shift is 365 days.
How long can a period be?
From 1 to 480 days, ending inside the range Google makes available.
Which time zone does the daily data use?
Search Console daily data follows Pacific Time.
Continue
Next, see workspace and properties, or read what each metric means in the Performance report entry.