How the “Frequently Used” Section in Adobe Analytics Workspace Works
This functionality in Adobe Analytics was repaired in March 2025; I do not recall ever seeing it working.
Business Win: Analytics users will now see helpful hints throughout the interface.
Dynamic Usage-Based Population: The Frequently Used section in Adobe Analytics Analysis Workspace is not a static, manually-curated list. It updates dynamically based on component usage patterns. In the Analysis Workspace left rail (the Components panel), you can sort your dimensions, metrics, segments, etc., by options like Recommended, Alphabetical, or Categorical. The Recommended (frequently used) sort will bubble up components that you or your organization use most often and most recently
. In other words, Workspace automatically tracks usage and surfaces the metrics/dimensions you interact with most frequently (and recently) at the top of the list. There’s no need to predefine which components appear here — it’s driven by actual user interaction data. For a new user or new project with little personal history, the Recommended/frequent list may leverage broader org-wide usage to suggest commonly used components, ensuring something relevant appears by default
.
No Manual Configuration Required: You do not have to manually configure or “approve” items in order for them to show up in Frequently Used. This section auto-populates as you use components more often over time. Adobe’s official documentation confirms that components which are “used most frequently and most recently by you or by others in your organization are shown higher in the list” when using the Recommended/frequent sort
. This implies an algorithmic ranking updated continuously (often based on recent ~90 days of usage data, similar to how the Data Dictionary calculates “frequently used with” associations
). There isn’t a fixed or predefined set of metrics that permanently occupy the Frequently Used section — it’s dynamic and personalized to actual usage trends.
Role of the Data Dictionary (Approval vs. Frequency): The Adobe Analytics Data Dictionary is a separate feature that provides information about components (descriptions, “frequently used with” suggestions, similar components, etc.) and allows admins to manage component metadata. Marking a component as “Approved” in the Data Dictionary is an administrative step to indicate a metric or dimension is vetted or recommended for use
. However, this approval status does not govern whether a component appears in the Frequent/Recommended list. “Approved” is essentially a tag for user guidance and filtering, not a trigger for the Frequently Used algorithm. Likewise, you don’t need to approve or configure anything in Data Dictionary settings to feed the Frequently Used section — it will update on its own as users work with components.
Auto-Generated Suggestions vs. Admin Curation: By default, Adobe Analytics auto-generates frequently used suggestions based on usage data. For example, within the Data Dictionary’s “Frequently used with” section (which shows the top 5 components commonly used alongside a given component), the system automatically populates those suggestions from the last 90 days of usage across your organization
. This is analogous to how the general Frequently Used list is populated — it’s built from actual usage data. Administrators do have the option to curate these suggestions if needed (they can manually include or exclude specific components in the Data Dictionary’s suggestions for “frequently used with”
), but such manual tweaks are not required for the everyday functioning of the Frequent components list in Workspace. In normal use, you can trust that Frequently Used reflects organic user behavior (e.g. your most commonly dragged-in metrics/dimensions will rise to the top automatically).
Key Takeaways: The Frequently Used section in Analysis Workspace is dynamic and self-maintaining. It adjusts based on which metrics, dimensions, segments, or date ranges you (and your colleagues) rely on most often — effectively a personalized shortcut to your favorite or most important components. There is no need to manually add items or get admin approval for them to appear in that section. Admin “approval” of components (via Data Dictionary) serves a different purpose (governance and user guidance) and does not directly influence the frequency-based sorting. Adobe’s official documentation emphasizes that the Recommended/Frequently Used sort order is driven by frequency and recency of use
, and even the Data Dictionary’s related suggestions are auto-generated from usage data by default
. In summary, the Frequently Used list updates dynamically with your usage and does not follow a hard-coded list or require manual configuration — it’s an intelligent reflection of what’s used most in your analyses.
Sources:
- Adobe Experience League — Components Overview (Analysis Workspace)
- experienceleague.adobe.com
- – Explains component sorting options, noting that “Components that are used most frequently and most recently by you or by others in your organization are shown higher in the list.” This describes the logic behind the Recommended/frequently used sort in Workspace.
- Adobe Experience League — Data Dictionary in Analysis Workspace
- experienceleague.adobe.com
-
- experienceleague.adobe.com
- – Details how “Frequently used with” suggestions are auto-generated from the past 90 days of usage (with admin ability to curate if desired), illustrating that frequent usage lists are dynamically derived from data, not static.
- Adobe Experience League — View Component Information (Data Dictionary)
- experienceleague.adobe.com
- – Defines the “Approved” status for components as an admin-reviewed flag, reinforcing that approval is a separate administrative concept (used for filtering or signaling trusted components) and not a prerequisite for appearing in usage-driven lists.
