Syncing your ad account
The two sync operations (connection vs account), when to use each, and how to recover when sync isn't enough.
Syncing keeps ClickFortify's records aligned with your live Google Ads account — pulling new campaigns, refreshing tracking settings, re-validating the OAuth connection. There are two distinct sync operations, and the right one depends on what's gone stale.
The two sync operations
Connection sync
A connection is the OAuth link between ClickFortify and your Google account.
Syncing a connection:
- Re-validates that the OAuth token is still active
- Refreshes the list of Google Ads accounts accessible through that Google login
- Updates connection status from
UNLINKEDback toOKwhen access is restored
Trigger this when: you added new accounts in your Google Ads manager, status shows UNLINKED, or the account dropdown looks stale.
Account sync
An ad account is a specific Google Ads customer ID connected to your space.
Syncing an account:
- Pulls the latest campaign and ad group list from Google Ads
- Re-reads tracking template and final URL suffix settings
- Refreshes campaign statuses (Enabled / Paused / Removed)
- Verifies tracking is correctly applied
Trigger this when: new campaigns aren't appearing, tracking shows Error or Pending, or campaign data looks out of date.
When to use which
| Situation | Sync |
|---|---|
| New campaigns in Google Ads not appearing | Ad account (from PPC Accounts → Configure → Synchronize) |
| Tracking template shows Error or Pending | Ad account (from PPC Accounts → Configure) |
| Campaign status is wrong | Ad account (from PPC Accounts → Configure → Synchronize) |
| Account dropdown is missing accounts | Connection (Space Settings → Connections) |
| Account shows UNLINKED | Connection — then re-authorize, then sync again |
| Just reconnected after token expiry | Connection first, then account |
| Data looks incomplete right after connecting | Ad account |
Ads Manager's "Refresh" button is NOT a sync. It re-reads ClickFortify's local cache; it does not call Google's API. For anything that needs current data from Google (new campaigns, status changes), use PPC Accounts → Configure → Synchronize instead.
How to trigger each sync
Sync from PPC Accounts (account sync — the real one)
This is the one you want for new campaigns and tracking template updates.
ClickFortify calls Google's API to pull the latest campaign list, ad-group list, tracking template, and final URL suffix for that account.
Refresh from Ads Manager (cache reload only)
This does not sync from Google. It just re-reads ClickFortify's local cache of campaigns. Useful when you've changed date-range or filters and want to reload, or when an earlier sync's results haven't shown up yet. Not useful for getting new data from Google.
Sync from Space Settings → Connections (connection sync)
Connection status
| Status | Meaning | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| OK | Token valid, communication healthy | Nothing — working normally |
| UNLINKED | Access revoked or token expired | Re-authorize (sync alone won't fix) |
Syncing a connection in UNLINKED state does nothing. Sync refreshes data; it can't restore revoked access. You must re-authorize.
Re-authorizing a connection
When you need it:
- Status shows UNLINKED
- Sync completes but campaigns still don't appear
- You changed the Google account's password or revoked app access
- The account was idle for a long stretch
If you manage multiple Google accounts, make sure you sign in with the one that has access to the ad account you want to protect. Wrong account = empty dropdown after sync.
Troubleshooting sync problems
Campaigns don't appear after syncing
Check these in order:
- Right account selected? Confirm the Customer ID in PPC Accounts matches your intended Google Ads account.
- Active campaigns exist? Removed campaigns won't appear.
- Synced the right thing? Ads Manager Refresh only re-reads the cache — it doesn't call Google. Use PPC Accounts → Configure → Synchronize to actually pull from Google. If the connection itself is stale, sync the connection first.
Recovery order:
- Sync the connection (Space Settings → Connections).
- Then sync the account (Ads Manager → Refresh, or PPC Accounts → Configure → Synchronize).
Tracking shows Error or Pending after sync
Three common causes:
| Cause | Sign | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient permissions | Sync succeeds but tracking stays Error | Verify the Google account has admin access, not read-only |
| Inherited MCC settings | Tracking template is set at MCC and overrides child | Switch to manual tracking — see Fixing a tracking template override |
| Stale sync | Settings were just changed in Google Ads | Wait 2–3 minutes, sync again |
Account list missing after sync
- Confirm the Google user who authorized ClickFortify actually has access to that account in Google Ads.
- If the account is under an MCC, select the MCC first, then the child account.
- New accounts can take up to 30 minutes to appear in Google's API.
Status stays UNLINKED after sync
Sync can't restore a broken OAuth token. Delete the connection, re-run Authorize Google Ads, then sync.
Wrong campaigns showing after sync
The wrong account is connected — not a sync problem.
- Check the Customer ID in PPC Accounts.
- Open Google Ads and verify the Customer ID at the top of your account view.
- If they don't match, delete the account in ClickFortify and reconnect with the correct one.
Sync seems to hang
Wait 60 seconds — Google's API can be slow at peak times. If still stuck, refresh the page; sync often completes successfully even when the UI doesn't confirm cleanly.
When sync is not enough
Sync cannot help with:
- A revoked OAuth token → re-authorize
- A deleted or suspended Google Ads account → can't recover, contact Google
- Campaigns excluded by account-level API restrictions → contact Google Ads support
- Connecting a different Google Ads account → add a new account via Space Settings
Recovery checklist
- Confirm the correct Google account was used for authorization
- Confirm Customer ID in ClickFortify matches the intended Google Ads account
- Check connection status (OK vs UNLINKED) in Connections
- If UNLINKED: re-authorize, then sync
- If OK: sync the connection, then sync the account
- Check Ads Manager for updated campaigns
- If tracking still broken: switch to manual tracking (guide)
What happens next
- Fixing a tracking template override — when the template won't apply
- Troubleshoot Google Ads — symptom-based connection-side fixes