Experimental feature: Google Ads connector is currently in beta. We’re actively improving sync reliability and adding more features.
Prerequisites
- A Google Ads account with active campaigns
- Google account with access to the Google Ads account you want to sync
- Google Ads account must have campaign and performance data
Connecting Google Ads
You can connect Google Ads in two ways: from the Sources page if you’re already using AstroBee, or during the onboarding process if you’re a new user.- During onboarding
- From Sources page
Start connection
A “Configure Connector” modal appears showing “Google Ads Not Connected”. Click the orange Connect button to begin setup.
Authorize with Fivetran
AstroBee uses Fivetran to securely connect to Google Ads. Review the security information and click Continue.
- Secure: Data transfer is encrypted end-to-end and your credentials are never exposed
- Private: Your data passes through without permanent storage
Authenticate with Google
On the Fivetran setup page, click Authorize to log in through OAuth. You’ll be redirected to Google to grant access.
Configure sync settings
After authentication succeeds, configure your sync settings:
- Customer ID: Enter your Google Ads customer ID (the 10-digit number at the top of your Google Ads interface, e.g., 123-456-7890)
- Accounts sync mode: Choose “Sync all accounts” or select specific accounts
Select tables to sync
Back in AstroBee, the “Configure Connector” modal shows your sync progress. Expand Sync Settings to select which tables to include.
- account_history: Account information and settings
- campaign_history: Campaign details and configurations
- ad_group_history: Ad group settings and targeting
- ad_stats: Individual ad performance metrics
- keyword_stats: Search keyword performance data
- click_stats: Click-level performance data
Data layer building
A modal appears showing “Your data layer is building”. AstroBee is unifying, deduplicating, and resolving entities across your data.
Data syncing
The Sources page shows your sync progress. Your data source is syncing and the data layer will be generated automatically once syncing completes.
What happens next
After connecting Google Ads, AstroBee automatically generates a data layer from your synced tables. Once complete, you can start querying your advertising data using natural language.Syncing data
Google Ads connections use manual sync - you control when data is refreshed. To sync your latest advertising data:- Navigate to the Sources page
- Find your Google Ads connection
- Click the sync button
Understanding Google Ads data
Google Ads syncs multiple related tables:- Account hierarchy: Accounts, campaigns, ad groups structure
- Ad content: Ad copy, headlines, descriptions, and extensions
- Keyword data: Search terms, bids, quality scores, and match types
- Performance metrics: Impressions, clicks, conversions, cost, and ROI
- Targeting data: Geographic, demographic, and audience targeting
Troubleshooting
For additional help, see Fivetran’s Google Ads troubleshooting guide.Authentication failed
Authentication failed
Issue: Unable to authorize access to Google Ads.Solution:
- Ensure your Google account has access to the Google Ads account
- Verify you’re signed in to the correct Google account
- Check that you have at least read-only access to the Google Ads account
- Try re-authorizing from the beginning
- Confirm your Google Ads account is active and not suspended
Invalid customer ID
Invalid customer ID
Issue: Connection fails with invalid customer ID error.Solution:
- Find your customer ID at the top of your Google Ads interface (10-digit number)
- Enter the customer ID without hyphens (e.g., 1234567890, not 123-456-7890)
- For manager accounts, use the manager account customer ID, not sub-account IDs
- Verify the customer ID corresponds to an account you have access to
- Check that the account is active and not suspended
No data syncing
No data syncing
Issue: Connection succeeds but no data appears in tables.Solution:
- Verify your Google Ads account has active or past campaigns
- Check that campaigns have actually run and generated impressions
- Ensure you selected the correct customer ID during setup
- Wait for the initial sync to complete (can take 10+ minutes for large accounts)
- Trigger a manual sync to refresh data
Sync taking too long
Sync taking too long
Issue: Initial sync appears stuck or is taking longer than expected.Solution:
- Large accounts with extensive campaign history can take 30+ minutes to sync
- Manager accounts syncing multiple sub-accounts take longer
- Check your internet connection
- Avoid making changes to the connection during sync
- Google Ads API rate limits may slow down large syncs
- If stuck for more than an hour, contact support at support@astrobee.ai
Missing campaigns or keywords
Missing campaigns or keywords
Issue: Some campaigns or keywords don’t appear in synced data.Solution:
- Verify the campaigns exist and are active in Google Ads
- Check that campaigns aren’t paused, archived, or deleted
- Ensure your account sync mode includes the accounts containing those campaigns
- Some campaign types (like Smart campaigns) may have limited data
- Trigger a new sync to pull the latest data
- Review your Google Ads access permissions
Manager account issues
Manager account issues
Issue: Cannot sync sub-accounts under a manager (MCC) account.Solution:
- Ensure you’re using the manager account customer ID, not a sub-account ID
- Verify you have access to all sub-accounts you want to sync
- Check that sub-accounts have granted access to the manager account
- Use “Sync all accounts” mode to automatically include all accessible sub-accounts
- Some sub-accounts may need to explicitly grant permission to the manager
Performance data incomplete
Performance data incomplete
Issue: Some metrics or time periods are missing from reports.Solution:
- Google Ads data may have a delay of up to 3 days for finalized conversion data
- Check that conversion tracking is properly set up in Google Ads
- Verify campaigns were active during the time period you’re querying
- Some metrics require specific campaign types or features to be enabled
- Trigger a new sync to pull the latest performance data
- Review Google Ads conversion attribution settings
Historical backfill taking too long
Historical backfill taking too long
Issue: Status shows “Backfilling history” for many hours.Solution:
- Historical backfills for Google Ads can take 12+ hours for accounts with years of campaign data
- This is normal behavior, not a stuck sync
- You can safely close the browser and return later
- The sync continues in the background and your data layer will generate automatically when complete
- If backfill exceeds 72 hours with no progress, contact support at support@astrobee.ai
Data layer not generating
Data layer not generating
Issue: Sync completed but data layer shows an error or never finishes building.Solution:
- Check that at least one table was selected during setup
- Verify your synced tables contain actual data (not empty)
- Try refreshing the page to see updated status
- If the error persists, try disconnecting and reconnecting Google Ads
- Contact support at support@astrobee.ai with the error message if the issue continues