Getting Started with Conversions API Feed Distribution for Brands
Brands running Conversions API programs for optimization and measurement can upload and distribute conversion data to partner platforms in Connect. This workflow transforms your CAPI feeds into manageable data assets, allowing you to deliver them to various CAPI-enabled destination accounts in a more self-service manner.
Caution
This program is currently in limited availability. If you don't have access, you can still leverage other LiveRamp Conversions API integrations. For more information, see "Conversions API Programs".
Overall Steps
The CAPI feed distribution workflow consists of the following steps:
Prepare the offline conversion data source file and upload it to LiveRamp.
Create destination accounts for the CAPI platforms that will receive your data.
Create an event feed table to connect your offline conversion data.
Prepare the Conversion Data Source File
Your conversion feed data should be formatted based on the guidelines of the universal file for multiple conversions API programs. In most cases, you will only need to use one universal file for all of your conversion programs. See "Situations That Require Additional Files" for more info.
Download the file template by clicking here.
If desired, you can remove any non-required columns that aren't utilized by one of your conversion programs, but you can also leave those columns in the file and not populate them with values.
Transfer your data into the template.
After transferring your data into the file template, delete the second row with the formatting instructions.
Save the file as one of our allowed file types (.csv, .tsv, .psv, or .txt).
See “Using a Universal File for Multiple Conversions API Programs” for more information.
Upload the Files to LiveRamp
Upload conversion data files using LiveRamp’s SFTP server or your SFTP server.
You can also have us pull files from an AWS S3 bucket or GCS bucket. See “Getting Your Data Into LiveRamp” for more information.
Caution
Files for this program cannot be uploaded via Connect. We recommend either uploading via our SFTP server or having us pull files from an S3 bucket.
To upload files using LiveRamp's SFTP: Use the credentials provided by your technical contact once the agreement has been signed and follow the instructions in “Upload a File via LiveRamp's SFTP”.
To upload files using your SFTP: Follow the instructions in “Upload a File via Your SFTP”.
To learn more about the Online Conversions API connectors, see "Online Conversions API Connectors".
Note
For future uploads, you do not have to email LiveRamp to confirm that you have uploaded data assuming headers have not changed or additional columns have not been added.
Enable Online Conversions API Connectors in Console
To connect online conversion data, contact a LiveRamp representative to set up the Online CAPI connectors in Console and link them to your Connect account.
Once configured, LiveRamp will generate an 'Online Event Feed' table on the Tables and Views page. You can then continue with the CAPI feed distribution workflow while the Online CAPI connectors run in the background to supply the online event feed.
To learn more about the Online Conversions API connectors, see "Online Conversions API Connectors".
Create a Conversions API Program Destination Account
To distribute conversion data, you must create destination accounts in Connect for the CAPI programs you're working with. Depending on the destination, you may need to perform OAuth authorization, either by selecting an existing OAuth connection that you own or by creating a new connection.
All activated CAPI destination accounts will display on the Destination Accounts page with 'CAPI' as the supported data type.
For information on the available CAPI destination accounts and their destination names, see "Conversions API Destinations and Distribution Information".
To activate a Conversions API destination account, follow the general instructions in "Activate a New Destination Account”, performing these additional steps:
Remove the end date to leave the end date open-ended.
Under Destination-Specific Settings, enter the required account IDs.
If your destination requires an OAuth authentication, select an existing one from the OAuth Connection dropdown list and click Validate OAuth Connection.
To create a new OAuth connection and validate that connection:
From the OAuth Connection dropdown list, select Create New OAuth Connection.
From the new window that opens with the platform's sign-in or login screen, enter your credentials and then click Sign in.
Click Validate OAuth Connection.
In the Destination Account Name field, pick a unique and memorable name for this account. We'll suggest one for you but you can use any name you wish as long as it is less than 50 characters in length.
Create an Offline Conversions API Event Feed Table
You can connect your offline event data so you can manage them as a table in Connect before distributing them to CAPI platforms. During the table creation process, you will map the fields you want to include and configure how input identifiers should be resolved.
Note
Event feed tables for online events are automatically generated once LiveRamp has enabled the Online CAPI connectors for you. Talk to a LiveRamp representative to help with the setup.
From the navigation pane, select Data Management → Tables and Views and click .
On the Select Intended Use step, select Use to Create a CAPI Event Feed, and click .
From the Configure Table step, fill out the following required fields:
Template: Select the appropriate template for your use case, which will determine the remaining steps in the process:
Matching: Select this template to resolve online or offline identifiers to a RampID.
Transcoding: Select this template to transcode online identifiers to a different partner encoding, in addition to resolving identifiers to RampID.
Configuration name: The name for the configuration.
Table name: The name of the asset that will display on the Tables and Views page.
GCS Bucket Data Source: The Google Cloud Storage (GCS) bucket where the data source is located.
Source File Path: The file path within the above-specified GCS bucket (for example, “/input/liveramp-test-file.csv”).
The format of the data, which can be CSV or Parquet.
Files to Process: Select which files you want to scan and process from the source location.
All Files: Current and future files. Files which have already been processed will be reprocessed
New Files: Only the newest files added since the time of the latest process. Current files, even if they have not been processed, will be skipped.
None: Only process remaining unprocessed files. New files and files which have already been processed will be skipped.
Click .
From the Configure Identity Resolution step, define the identifiers in your input file that you’d like to match or transcode on. The configuration in this step differs based on the template you selected in the previous step.
Note
If you are working with Identity Engine, you must select one identifier type to create Enterprise IDs from.
If you selected the “Matching” template:
Identifier Type 1: Select the type of identifier available in your input file.
Identifier 1 Field: Select the column in your file that contains the selected identifier type.
To resolve multiple identifier types, click and repeat the steps above.
If you selected the “Transcoding” template:
Identifier Type 1: Select the type of online identifier in your input file you want to transcode.
Identifier 1 Field: Select the column in your file that contains the selected identifier type.
Ad Network Account ID (ANA): Select the identity space you want to map to these identifiers to from the list of the identity spaces associated with your account.
Input Encoding Partner ID: The 4-digit encoding ID of your organization that appears after the first two letters of your RampIDs.
Output Encoding Partner ID: The 4-digit encoding ID of the LiveRamp partner that you want to transcode to.
Tip
Encoding id is a 4-digit number unique to the partner using them that appears as part of each RampID’s value after the two-character prefix.
For example, in the RampID "XY1005wXyWPB1SgpMUKIpzA0I3UaLEz-2lg0wFAr1PWK7FMhs", the partner encoding is “1005”.
To resolve multiple identifier types, click and repeat the steps above.
Click .
In the Map Fields step, perform the following actions:
Note
If you specified one or more identifier fields in the Configure Identity Resolution step, those fields will be excluded by default and cannot be included unless you apply a privacy transformation to those fields.
If a field has an asterisk at the beginning of its row, you must configure certain advanced settings by clicking on the row and then completing the applicable steps below. Once the required configurations have been completed, the asterisk will no longer display.
Include the field: To include a field in the table, make sure the “Include” check box is checked for that field. If needed, you can use the search bar to find the desired field.
Adjust the field type: For each field, confirm or adjust the field type that was detected from the file.
Rename the field: If necessary, click the field’s row and then enter a new field name in the FIeld Name in Table field.
Specify the timestamp format: For any date or time-related fields in your file, you must click the field’s row and then specify the timestamp format to use.
Apply privacy transformations: For any identifier fields that you’re including in the table, click the field’s row and then select a privacy transformation from the Privacy Transformation dropdown (MD5 Hash - No Salt, MD5 Hash - LiveRamp Default Salt, or MD5 Hash - Custom Salt).
Add a field description: To add a field description, click the field’s row and enter a description in the Description field.
Click .
Review your table configuration, and click .
The table you’ve created displays on the Tables and Views page at the top of the list. You can view its details by double-clicking on the row to open the full detail page. To learn more, see "View Details for Tables and Views".
You can now distribute the data asset to activated CAPI destination accounts for attribution. See "Conversions API Destinations and Distribution Information" for information on setting up these destination accounts and distribution.
Note
When you distribute a CAPI event feed table, LiveRamp automatically creates an unfiltered CAPI event feed view based on that table.
Distribute CAPI Event Feeds
You can distribute event feeds as tables or as views. When you distribute a table, LiveRamp automatically generates a view for that table to distribute.
Note
You do not need to perform distribution for online event feed assets, as the data is delivered directly to platforms through the Online CAPI connectors integration.
Once you have created the desired CAPI destination account, you can start the distribution flow in several ways:
On the Tables and Views page, click the More Options (the three dots) menu of a CAPI event feed asset and select 'Distribute Event Feed Views'.
On the Tables and Views page, check the box of the CAPI event feed asset that appears to the left side of the row for the table, and click Distribute Event Feed Views.
Right after creating a CAPI event feed view, click on the pop-up that displays.
On the asset’s details page, which can be accessed by double clicking on the asset’s row, click and select 'Distribute Event Feed Views'.
From the Select Event Feed Views step, select any additional view you want to distribute. Click .
From the Select Destinations step, select one or more CAPI destination accounts you want to distribute the views to.
Click .
Once you've distributed your data, it typically takes 1-3 days for the data to arrive at the destination platform. Once delivered, your platform partner can then create an attribution report that can be viewed on their ad manager platforms or send the report to you directly.