A new release of the Analytics Edge Connector for Google Ads has been release and is available for installation (open the License wizard in the Analytics Edge ribbon, find the listing for the Google Ads/AdWords connector and click Update…).
The new release brings all the capability of the latest Google Ads API, v8.0 (2021-06-09) to the connector. Previous queries built using the old AdWords API will continue to work and can it can still be used — simply select the AdWords Reports (Legacy) wizard from the menu.
There are a lot of new capabilities with the new API implementation, and you will notice most column names will change, so there is no conversion capability at this time. The old AdWords API will continue to run until April 27, 2022, so there is no rush to convert, but you should make the migration as soon as possible to get access to the latest capabilities.
In The New Release
Resizable Wizard — You may not realize that the new wizard is resizable, allowing you to see more field names in the pick list for convenience. It is also resolution-aware, so you shouldn’t be bothered by tiny fonts on high resolution screens.
Improved Account Management — The connector also uses the latest account login functionality from the Core Add-in, so you can add or delete accounts from the Ads Reports wizard itself – no need to go to the Accounts wizard. The connector still uses Reference Names to refer to the account security tokens saved on your computer, but it will pre-populate the field with your email address for your convenience — this can be changed to a PII-free name like ‘My Account’.
Access To More Columns — The connector supports the full capability of the Ads API, allowing you to include attributes from released resources in your query. This allows, for example, when reporting on ad groups, to include any attributes from the bidding strategy, campaign or customer in your query. Of course, you can type-to-filter and double-click any entry to quickly build your query. Then drag-drop your selected fields to reorder them the way you want.
Automatic Field Compatibility Handling — Like with the Google Analytics connectors, the new Ads Reports will automatically remove incompatible fields from the selection list as you build your query. Field information and compatibility rules are provided by the API and can easily be ‘refreshed’ with the click of a button (below the Resources list).
Quick Start Reports — A handful of pre-built reports are provided to get you going quickly — the standard Campaign, Ad Group and Ads reports among them. One click and it will select the appropriate Resource, Fields, Filters and Sorting options to match the online reports. Just select the account/customer and pick a date range (or use the defaults).
Full Filter Capability — Filters can easily be built, with the criteria and options adjusting to match the field selected.
Use Worksheet Cell References — Like most other Analytics Edge connectors, you can use Excel cell references to get the account, customer, and start/end dates for the report, allowing you to easily build reusable templates. One new capability is the ability to reference the customer by name as opposed to the customer id number — the connector will dynamically look up the id number for you during the query.
Dynamic Interface — The new connector leverages the underpinnings of the Core Add-in to provide improved responsiveness, error handling and throughput.
More To Come…
Since this is the first connector release with the new technology underpinnings, expect there to be some refinement and maybe even a couple of big surprises. As always, if you run into any problems, just drop me an email or post in the support forum, and we’ll get things working PDQ!
Mike Sullivan