Offline Conversions
Part of Offline conversion imports
Matching click identifiers to a CRM sales outcome
Trace a Google Ads click identifier through lead and deal records, then check the import without assuming every CRM sale will be attributed.
To link a CRM sale to an earlier Google Ads interaction, capture whichever click identifier arrives when a prospect becomes a lead and preserve its link through every CRM hand-off. Export the confirmed sale with its actual event time. A deal ID can trace the sale internally, but it cannot by itself identify an ad click to Google Ads.
Google Ads Help names the GCLID route “Set up offline conversions using Google Click ID (GCLID)”. The identifiers to retain are gclid, gbraid and wbraid; they are separate attribution signals, not substitutes for internal lead or deal IDs.
Preserve the lead-to-sale path
For a GCLID-based import, enable auto-tagging and store the GCLID with the corresponding prospect. Capture any gbraid or wbraid parameter that arrives as well, preserving its exact value and case in a separate field. Keep each identifier linked to the internal lead ID.
GCLID is the standard Google click identifier. GBRAID supports a web ad click that leads to a conversion in an iOS app; WBRAID supports an ad click in an iOS app that leads to a web conversion. Google can supply GCLID and GBRAID together, so retain both when present and include GCLID whenever possible.
Do not treat GBRAID or WBRAID as unique person or click identifiers, or use them as CRM keys. Check the path through form submission, CRM intake, lead merges, opportunity creation and deal closure. A missing or altered identifier at any hand-off can break the matching route.
| Record | Link to retain | Question to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Ad visit and lead | Available GCLID, GBRAID or WBRAID and internal lead ID | Did the click identifier reach this lead? |
| Opportunity | Link to the original lead | Did a merge or reassignment preserve the source? |
| Closed sale | Deal ID, lead link and sale time | Is this a confirmed outcome from that lead? |
| Export | Original event details and result | Was the intended sale sent through the selected route? |
These are internal audit fields; CRM names and structures vary. In practice, the link runs from the landing-page parameter to the lead, through any merge to its opportunity, and on to the closed-sale record. If one deal combines several enquiries or one enquiry leads to several distinct sales, settle which record represents each event before exporting.
Do not attach a convenient click identifier to a deal without a defensible business-record link. At closure, retain the lead link, deal ID and actual sale time so the exported event represents the confirmed outcome.
Preserve the lead-to-sale path for accurate Google Ads attribution
- Capture click identifiers at ad visit and lead creationRetain gclid, gbraid, and wbraid with exact case; link to internal lead ID
- Maintain identifier links through CRM hand-offsEnsure GCLID, GBRAID, and WBRAID are preserved during lead merge, opportunity creation, and deal closure
- Export confirmed sale with full event detailsInclude actual sale time (with correct time zone), deal ID, and original click identifier
Click identifiers: GCLID, GBRAID, and WBRAID – key differences
- GCLIDStandard Google click identifier for web interactions; used in all non-app conversions
- GBRAIDSupports iOS app clicks that result in a conversion within an app; used for app-to-app attribution
- WBRAIDSupports iOS app clicks that lead to a web conversion; used for app-to-web attribution
Check the selected matching method
The Google Ads Help page “Set up offline conversions using Google Click ID (GCLID)” describes the GCLID-based offline-conversion route; Google also covers enhanced conversions for leads. Accepted fields and delivery route depend on the implementation.
For current and future offline-conversion and enhanced-conversions-for-leads uploads, Google directs users to the Data Manager API from 15 June 2026. The destination conversion action is an import-from-clicks action with type UPLOAD_CLICKS.
An eligible export row carries the conversion action, conversion time, value and available matching click identifier. Use the actual sale time and check its time zone; keep the deal ID as the internal record link, not as a replacement for the click identifier.
The “Feature deprecations and unversioned changes” page lists a 2 February 2026 access restriction for new adopters using IP address or session attributes in conversion imports, and a 1 April 2026 restriction for certain Customer Match workflows. It directs users to the Data Manager API for those respective areas. Apply the selected method’s customer-data and consent requirements before sending information.
Key deadlines and restrictions for offline conversion imports
- 2IP address & session attribute restriction
- 1Customer Match workflow restriction
Inspect the join and its limits
Trace a permitted sample of closed sales back to their original lead and captured identifier. Check missing values, the intended conversion action, actual sale time and time zone. Then inspect upload results and offline data diagnostics. These checks can reveal a broken internal path or rejected data; an accepted row alone does not prove Google attributed the sale.
Keep sales without a complete internal path visible in the CRM report. Some sales have no eligible ad interaction or usable matching data. Compare the number of confirmed sales, events sent and attributed conversions as separate figures. Google Ads reporting is generally aggregate, so do not assign an unmatched sale to a campaign by guesswork.
Audit checklist: Ensure successful offline conversion matching
- Trace sample sales back to original leadVerify complete internal path from click to closed deal
- Check for missing or altered identifiersConfirm gclid, gbraid, and wbraid remain unchanged across CRM stages
- Validate actual sale time and time zoneEnsure timestamp matches the real transaction moment
- Review upload results and diagnosticsIdentify rejected rows or failed attributions before assuming success
