> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.saytics.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Events: The Foundation of Saytics Analytics

> Events are the core data unit in Saytics. Learn what events are, how they are structured, and how to design an effective event schema.

Events are the atomic unit of data in Saytics. Every time a user does something meaningful in your product — clicks a button, completes a purchase, opens a report — you record that action as an event. Everything in Saytics, from funnels to retention charts, is built on top of events you track.

## What is an event?

An event represents a specific action taken by a user at a point in time. Every event has four parts:

* **Name** — a short string that identifies what happened (e.g., `"Order Completed"`)
* **Timestamp** — when the action occurred; Saytics records this automatically
* **Properties** — optional key-value data that adds context to the event (e.g., order amount, currency)
* **User identity** — optionally links the event to a known user in your system

## Event name conventions

Event names should be written in past tense as a verb followed by a noun. This makes your event list read like a log of things that actually happened.

| Style                  | Example           | Recommended? |
| ---------------------- | ----------------- | :----------: |
| Past tense verb + noun | `User Signed Up`  |      Yes     |
| Past tense verb + noun | `Report Exported` |      Yes     |
| Present tense          | `User Signs Up`   |      No      |
| Vague noun only        | `Signup`          |      No      |
| All lowercase          | `user signed up`  |      No      |
| Snake case             | `user_signed_up`  |      No      |

## Code example

Here is a well-structured event with relevant properties:

```js theme={null}
Saytics.track('Order Completed', {
  orderId: 'ord_123',
  amount: 49.99,
  currency: 'USD',
  items: 3
});
```

The event name is `'Order Completed'`. The second argument is an object of properties that describe the order. Properties are optional but make your data much more useful for filtering and analysis.

## Standard events vs. custom events

Saytics automatically captures a set of standard events for you:

* **Page View** — recorded whenever a user loads a page
* **Session Started** — recorded when a new session begins

You do not need to write any code for standard events. Custom events are everything else — actions specific to your product that you define and track by calling `Saytics.track()`. Most of your analytics will come from custom events.

<Note>
  Event names are case-sensitive. `"user signed up"` and `"User Signed Up"` are treated as completely different events. Pick a casing convention and apply it consistently across your codebase.
</Note>

## Event retention

By default, Saytics retains event data for **12 months**. Events older than 12 months are removed automatically. If you need extended retention for your plan, contact support.

## Next steps

* [Event and user properties](/concepts/properties) — learn how to add context to your events
* [Tracking custom events](/tracking/custom-events) — step-by-step guide to implementing event tracking