GTM Scaffold¶

The Waulter GTM Scaffold is a pre-built GTM container export (JSON file) that you import into your workspace. It contains all the variables, triggers, and tags needed to control tag firing at a granular, purpose-level — going beyond what Google Consent Mode signals alone provide.

Why use the scaffold?¶

Google Consent Mode signals are aggregated — multiple Waulter purposes map to the same signal (e.g. PU046, PU050, and PU061 all map to analytics_storage). This means a tag gated only by analytics_storage will fire if any analytics purpose is accepted, even if the visitor rejected the specific purpose that tag requires.

The scaffold provides purpose-level and category-level variables and triggers that let you control tags with precision:

See Why purpose-level control matters for a detailed explanation of the compliance risk.

Download and import¶

Step 1 — Download the scaffold¶

Download waulter_gtm_scaffold.json from the Waulter GTM GitHub repository.

Step 2 — Import into GTM¶

1. In GTM, go to Admin > Import Container.
2. Click Choose container file and select the downloaded JSON.
3. Select the target workspace (usually Default Workspace).
4. Choose Merge > Rename conflicting tags, triggers, and variables.
5. Review the import summary and click Confirm.

Step 3 — Review and test¶

1. After import, review the imported items under Tags, Triggers, and Variables.
2. Click Preview to test.
3. Verify variables and triggers respond correctly to consent decisions.

What's included¶

The scaffold contains 79 variables, 17 triggers, and 2 tags covering 50 purposes across 9 categories.

Tags (2)¶

Triggers (17)¶

Triggers come in grant/exception pairs for each category, plus utility triggers.

Category-level grant triggers¶

Fire when the visitor accepts all purposes within a category.

Exception triggers¶

Use as exception triggers on tags to block them when consent is missing. Attach these to tags as blocking triggers.

Utility triggers¶

Variables (79)¶

Variables are organised in a two-level hierarchy: category-level (broad checks) and purpose-level (granular checks).

Core variables¶

Category-level variables¶

Each returns true / false indicating whether all purposes in that category are accepted.

Purpose-level variables¶

Each returns true / false indicating whether that specific purpose is in the accepted purposes array. The scaffold includes variables for 50 purposes across all 9 categories.

Analytics & Optimization (PC002):

Marketing (PC008):

Website Functionality (PC003):

Other categories (Cookie Management, Security, Monitoring, Service Provision, CRM) include purpose variables for PU016, PU023, PU024, PU096, PU081, PU039, PU040, PU041, PU042, PU043, PU044, PU068, PU054, PU076, PU069, PU070, PU099, PU094, PU102.

How to use triggers and variables¶

Example 1: Fire a tag only for specific purposes¶

To fire a Hotjar tag only when Heatmaps & Recordings (PU054) is accepted:

1. Create a trigger: Custom Event > Event name: Waulter:Decision
2. Add a condition: Waulter - Heatmaps & Recordings (PU054) equals true
3. Assign this trigger to your Hotjar tag

Example 2: Use exception triggers to block tags¶

To block a Facebook Pixel tag when marketing consent is missing:

1. Set the Facebook Pixel's firing trigger to All Pages or Waulter:Decision
2. Add Waulter - [PC008] Marketing Category Exception as a blocking trigger
3. The tag will only fire when the marketing category is fully accepted

Example 3: Category-level gating for GA4¶

To fire GA4 only when the Analytics & Optimization category is accepted:

1. Use Waulter - [PC002] Analytics & Optimization Category Granted as the firing trigger
2. Add Waulter - [PC002] Analytics & Optimization Category Exception as the blocking trigger
3. GA4 fires only when all analytics purposes are accepted — not just when any single analytics purpose triggers analytics_storage: granted

Scaffold events¶

The scaffold tags push two additional events to the data layer:

Localisation reference¶

If your GTM container uses Czech or Slovak naming conventions from a legacy setup, here is a mapping:

Troubleshooting¶