Community Connector parameters (configParams) do not trigger new data fetch except when date range changes

Looker Q&A Looker Studio
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I developed a Looker Studio Community Connector (Google Apps Script) where configParams are defined (e.g. .setAllowOverride(true) in getConfig()), and used in getData() to fetch data based on those values.
When I change a parameter value (e.g. “city”) via the connection configuration panel or via the URL ?params={…}, Looker Studio does not make a new request. It continues showing the old dataset—the only way to trigger a fresh fetch is by changing the report’s date range.

Expected behavior

Any change in configParams, regardless of the date range, should automatically trigger getData() with the new parameter value. This enables responsive dashboards parameterized via city, token, type, or URL-based configuration.

Actual behavior & technical analysis

  • Looker Studio does not reconstruct or re-run the query if the configParams, fields used, and dateRange remain identical to a previous request — instead, it uses cached results.

  • The official documentation confirms that Looker Studio saves query results in memory and reuses them if checksum-matching queries are within the freshness window.

Impact

  • Prevents the use of dynamic, parameterized dashboards where the parameter controls the data (e.g. city-level or client-level dashboards).

  • Requires workarounds such as manually changing the date range or relying on end user clicking “Refresh data” — not a scalable or clean solution.

  • Makes template-sharing via URL impractical if the template must reflect a different parameter without altering date.

Thank you for reviewing this issue. It significantly affects connector usability for parameter-driven dashboards. A more responsive behavior or improved documentation would be very helpful.

3 Likes
2

It looks like the issue with configParams not triggering fresh data fetches has now been resolved — parameters appear to be working again as expected. When you update values like “city”, the connector now reruns getData() immediately, without needing to change the date range, so dashboards respond dynamically per parameter change.