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API Errors and the Tracking Decoder

Applies to: All users

Two small tools for when something doesn't add up. API Errors shows every failed attempt to pull statistics from an outside platform you connected. The Tools page decodes a tracking ID back into the click it belongs to.

What this is#

API Errors#

Several features pull statistics from other systems on your behalf: SmartZones read the earnings of the ad networks inside them, and SSP and RTB connections read their partner's reports. When one of those pulls fails, the failure lands on API Errors instead of silently leaving a gap in your numbers.

Each row shows:

  • Source — Smart Zones, SSP API or RTB API;
  • Site/Campaign — what the pull was for;
  • HTTP — the status code the other side answered;
  • Kind — what went wrong: Auth failed, Rate limited, Timeout, Connect failed, Parse error, Bad response or Empty response;
  • Message — the other side's error text;
  • Seen — when it last happened.

You find API Errors in the advertiser menu, and in the publisher menu if you use SmartZones or SSP connections.

Tracking decoder#

The advertiser Tools page has a Tracking Input box. Paste a tracking ID — a UUID such as 41fec6be-7e68-48ed-b0d7-c10afd63e807 — or a raw pipe-separated tracking string, click Parse, and the decoded fields appear: Ad Type, Campaign ID, Ad ID, Space ID (the ad zone), Domain ID, Country Code, Device Type, Device ID, OS ID, Browser ID, ISP ID, Sub ID, Pool Banner ID, Network ID and Advertiser ID.

That tells you exactly which campaign, ad, zone and visitor context a click or conversion came from.

When you'll use this#

  • Numbers from a SmartZone or an SSP partner stop updating.
  • A partner sends you a click or conversion ID and asks what it was.
  • A conversion arrived with a tracking value you don't recognise and you want to see where it came from.

Step by step#

Clear an API error#

  1. Open API Errors. Filter by Type if you only care about one source.
  2. Read the Kind and Message:
    • Auth failed — the API key or login you entered for that network expired or changed. Update it where you connected the network.
    • Rate limited / Timeout / Connect failed — usually temporary on the other side; the next pull often succeeds.
    • Parse error / Bad response / Empty response — the other side answered with something unusable; check the report URL or ask the partner.
  3. Fix the cause, then click Acknowledge to hide the row. If the same pull fails again, the row comes back by itself.
  4. Tick Show acknowledged to see hidden rows; Unack puts one back in the list.

Decode a tracking ID#

  1. Open Tools from the advertiser menu.
  2. Paste the tracking ID or tracking string into Tracking Input and click Parse.
  3. Read the Decoded tracking fields. Tracking value not found means the ID doesn't match a click on your account; Could not decode tracking value means it isn't a valid tracking ID.

Example#

Nina's SmartZone revenue for one network has been flat for two days. API Errors shows Smart Zones — Auth failed — 401 for that network since Tuesday: the network rotated her API key. She enters the new key on the network connection, waits for the next pull, the earnings catch up, and she acknowledges the error.

Tips#

  • Check API Errors whenever outside-network numbers look frozen — it is faster than comparing reports.
  • Don't acknowledge an error you haven't fixed; it only hides it until the next failure.
  • Keep the decoder in mind for support conversations: a tracking ID is the most precise way to talk about one click.

Troubleshooting#

Symptom Likely cause Fix
No API errors. Everything is pulling cleanly. but numbers are missing The integration isn't set up to pull at all Check the network or partner connection itself.
An acknowledged error keeps coming back The cause isn't fixed Read the message again; renew the key or contact the partner.
The decoder says Tracking value not found The ID belongs to another account or is too old Make sure it is a click from your own campaigns.