Reporting - Data for Removed artifacts

[AdWordsApiUser]

In the new version of the API, when using AdHoc reports, data for artifacts that are marked removed is not included by default, even if they had impressions, clicks etc. in the chosen date range. This makes the reports incorrect. If an entity was active in the past, its statistics should be included, irrespective of whether it is active or not now. 

This also makes me wonder - when I ask for an account performance report, would it not include data for campaigns that were deleted? Or, it would? Both cases create a discrepancy - the first one is obviously wrong, and in the second one, the campaign report does not add up to the account performance report, unless the special condition is included.

This particular change in behavior has made the transition to the new version of the API particularly painful, and I have to remember to include "WHERE CampaignStatus IN [ACTIVE, PAUSED, REMOVED]" in all my awqls. It probably makes sense for most services, but not for reporting stats.

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello,

Reporting filters out removed entries for the level of the report only. So, account level report will return stats for all objects (and you can't actually add CampaignStatus predicate while requesting it).

In general, I see your point. We may want to take another look on how this is handled.

-Danial, AdWords API Team.

[AdWordsApiUser]

Hi Danial,

Thanks for your quick response. Is there a chance that this might change in v201502? If yes, then we'd like to hold off the internal upgrade waiting for this to happen. My guess is must already be affecting scripts, and as this is pretty much a silent change, script users might not even realize that the data they are fetching is not complete anymore.

Cheers,

MG

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello MG,

We normally avoid making changes into launched API versions. Scripts users (those specifying API version) should not be affected, unless they didn't read the release notes when migrated to v201502.

Please note while we are going to discuss this issue, I can't promise this change will be implemented.

-Danial.

[AdWordsApiUser]

Thanks for your explanation. I have a couple of questions/comments:

1. Thanks for clarifying the bit about what level removed artifacts are filtered. For reports such as Search Terms Report, or Placement Performance Report etc. - do they contain data for Removed Campaigns/AdGroups/Keywords/Ads, or the condition needs to be explicitly added for any artifact that could be in removed state? 

2. For scripts, the version is optional. Unfortunately most people I've seen write scripts, do not include this parameter, leading to auto-upgrade.

TGIF :)

MG

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello MG,

1. No, only <OBJECT>_PERFORMANCE_REPORTs are affected. This includes CRITERIA but excludes PLACEMENT or KEYWORD.

2. This is unfortunately true. I've flagged this with the scripts team so they can review / document this aspect.

-Danial, AdWords API Team.

[GregT]

Danial, just to clarify when you said:

"Reporting filters out removed entries for the level of the report only. So, account level report will return stats for all objects (and you can't actually add CampaignStatus predicate while requesting it)."

Does this mean, for instance, with a criteria performance report, we will get stats back for criteria that are in removed campaigns and/or removed ad groups that might now only have removed ads, so long as the criteria (criteria, placement, etc.) itself does not currently have the status of removed?  And for an ad performance report, we will get data back for ads that do not have the status of removed, even if the ad group and campaign are removed?

Thanks,

Greg

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello Greg,

Let me check internally and get back to you in a few days.

-Danial.

[Stacie Waleyko]

Hi Danial,

I'm seeing some behavior that doesn't match the original post ("data for artifacts that are marked removed is not included by default, even if they had impressions, clicks etc. in the chosen date range"). I have an account with two campaigns that both have clicks in the March 20 - April 26 date range. Today (April 27) I removed the campaigns and added two new ones. Then I pulled the campaign performance report for March 20 - April 26 and even thought I did not specify to include removed campaigns all four came back in the report. Is this correct? I thought v201502 was going to omit the removed campaigns. I am happy to see the removed campaigns coming back in the performance report for the same reasons the original post states.

Report Definition:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<reportDefinition xmlns="https://adwords.google.com/api/adwords/cm/v201502">
    <selector>
        <fields>CampaignId</fields>
        <fields>Clicks</fields>
        <fields>Cost</fields>
        <fields>AveragePosition</fields>
        <dateRange>
            <min>20150320</min>
            <max>20150426</max>
        </dateRange>
    </selector>
    <reportName>Campaign Performance Report</reportName>
    <reportType>CAMPAIGN_PERFORMANCE_REPORT</reportType>
    <dateRangeType>CUSTOM_DATE</dateRangeType>
    <downloadFormat>CSV</downloadFormat>
</reportDefinition>


Response:

"Campaign Performance Report (Mar 20, 2015-Apr 26, 2015)"
Campaign ID,Clicks,Cost,Avg. position
236328925,1,280000,2.7
244349485,0,0,0.0
236328805,5,2870000,3.2
244349365,0,0,0.0
Total,6,3150000,3.2

Thanks,
Stacie

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello Stacle,

I am not able to reproduce this report with your definition. Are you sure this was a response for this exact definition?

If it was, can you let me know the exact timestamp of the request (including timezone)?

-Danial, AdWords API Team.

[Stacie Waleyko]

Hi Danial, sorry about that. It turns out I was still hitting the old v201409 endpoint. Only 2 campaigns come back when I hit the v201502 endpoint which is what is expected.

Thanks,

Stacie

[GregT]

Hi, Danial.

Were you able to find out anything about this?

Thanks,

Greg

[AdWordsApiUser]

Saw this blog post a few hours ago: http://googleadsdeveloper.blogspot.com/2015/05/change-to-default-filters-within.html

This is amazing! Really appreciate the AdWords team taking the feedback and that too so quickly!

Give me your address and I'll send you and your team beers ;)

[Danial Klimkin]

Thank you for your feedback, and, of course, for the very valid concern.

Sending beer to Zurich is unlikely to be efficient ;) but thanks!

-Danial.