Service Account for Google Ad Manager API Stuck on Pending

[Rehaman Shaik]

Hi Team,

I am trying to set up API access for our Google Ad Manager (network code: 23200138506) using a Google Cloud Service Account. I’ve followed the Google documentation but am stuck at the account linking stage.

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• Created a service account  in Google Cloud and downloaded the JSON key.

• In Ad Manager, I attempted to add the service account email as a new user, assigning the Administrator role.

• The user status showed as “Pending” for a long time. There was no option to approve or activate.

• To troubleshoot, I deleted the pending user and re-added the same service account email, again giving it the highest role (Administrator). The status is still pending.

• I do not see a “Service Accounts” tab under Admin → Access & Authorization – only Users and Teams.

Questions:

1. Is adding the service account email as a user the correct method for API access? Or is there another required step?

2. How can I activate or approve the service account so the status moves from pending to active?

3. Is the missing “Service Accounts” tab the reason this is not working? If so, how can I enable it?

4. Is OAuth2 with user credentials the only alternative if service account access is not possible for our Ad Manager instance?

5. What is the correct and recommended process to grant API access using a service account in our scenario?

Additional info:

• My email: reh...@aadhan.in

• I have administrator privileges in Ad Manager.

Summary:
I have already created the user with the service account email and assigned the highest available role, but the account remains pending with no option to approve or activate it. Please advise the correct procedure for linking a service account for API access and let me know if there’s something I am missing.

Thank you for your help!

Best regards,
Rehaman

[Ad Manager API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to the  Ad Manager API support team.

I would like to confirm that it is not possible to add a service account via the API.  I recommend adding the service account "Add a service account user" button in the UI. 

you must use this specific button to add the service account through Global settings only. Please note that using this method will not create a user in the "Pending" state, unlike the "New user" button. Please refer to this link on how to add a service account.

Thanks,
 

Ad Manager API Team

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[2025-07-02 10:46:09Z GMT] This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!500Ht01rgy6f:ref" (ADR-00316731)

[Saif Ali Khan]

Hi,

 

You need to enable API access option in Admin>Global Settings>Network Settings. You’ll see an option to add service account as well.

 

 

Hope this works for you.

 

Best,

Saif

 

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Subject: Service Account for Google Ad Manager API Stuck on Pending

 

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[Ad Manager API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for contacting the Ad Manager API support team.

I understand that your service account status has been pending for a while. This is because the service account was added as a user.
To resolve this, please follow these steps to add the service account to your network:

1. Go to your Ad Manager network.
2. Click the Admin tab.
3. Ensure that API access is enabled.
4. Click the Add a service account user button.
5. Fill in the form using the service account email. The service account user must be granted with permissions to access the entities as if that service account user would access the entities on the UI.
6. Click on the Save button. A message should appear, confirming the addition of your service account.
7. View existing service account users by going to the Users tab and then clicking the Service Account filter.

You may check this guide for more information. Let us know if you have any further queries.
 

Thanks,
 

Ad Manager API Team

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[2025-07-03 04:51:38Z GMT] This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!500Ht01rh6g4:ref" (ADR-00316872)