Hi Jonah, Thanks for taking the time to give us this kind of detailed feedback. You made some very good points, and I'll discuss this information with the core engineering team.
Best, - Eric Koleda, AdWords API Team On Nov 15, 11:57 am, jonahviakeyboard <jonahf...@gmail.com> wrote: > Thanks for all the responses Eric. Much appreciated. > > I appreciate that v2010 is very quick. That's great, (makes > development much easier) but slow report generation would not be a > barrier in my case. > > Barriers to a v2010 solution are: > 1) Scope / Effort: New accounts are launched without my awareness. So > there would have to be a component that a) audits accounts under an > MCC b) creates a new report definition for new accounts (which must be > specific to the way that MCC's reporting is used) c) keeps track of > similar report IDs so they can be grouped across accounts, d) checks > to ensure all reports are gathered successfully before aggregation / > loading. If a partial load were processed, that would cause big > problems. It's not enough to just create the reports once and write > something to pull and aggregate them. > 2) Reliability: I'm very confident in the work I do, but anyone would > prefer a server side feature used widely and the oversight that comes > with widespread use to a client side workaround with a single user. > 3) Useful life: if the next revision to v2010 will have cross client > reporting and is right around the corner, this solution represents a > good chunk of work with a short shelf life. > > v13 may be an option (haven't much looked into it), but that's going > to have a limited useful life as well. > > There just aren't enough hours in the day. > > -Jonah > > On Nov 11, 5:42 pm, AdWords API Advisor <adwordsapiadvi...@google.com> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hi Jonah, > > > Thank you for giving us some insight into the way cross-client > > reporting is used and the importance it has to your business. > > Regarding your questions: > > > 1) I don't have any information about features of the AdWords web > > interface. These questions should be directed to the general AdWords > > forum: > > > http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/AdWords?hl=en > > > 2) Ditto. > > > 3) There are plans for the v2010 reporting system to support cross- > > client reports. > > > 4) I don't have any estimates as to when this functionality will be > > ready, but I know it is actively being worked on. > > > The same information available in cross-client reports can be obtained > > by making many single-client reports and aggregating together the data > > client-side. Because of how much faster the v2010 reporting system we > > believe that this process may actually take less time then using the > > cross-client feature of the v13 reporting system. What are the > > barriers you see to implementing such a system? > > > Best, > > - Eric > > > On Nov 10, 11:45 am, jonahviakeyboard <jonahf...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > Hi Eric, > > > > The word 'client' has more than one meaning. I think that's part of > > > where the trouble originates. To the API, it refers to an account > > > number. But in the agency parlance (and in a setup with nested MCCs), > > > the client is an organization. That organization often has many Google > > > account numbers; 'cross-client' reporting has become the expectation. > > > > The MCC's has been used to group accounts (which may represent > > > franchises, locations, divisions, etc.) of the same physical client > > > for years. The elimination of the Report Center undermines the MCC's > > > organizational capabilities, by the API's inability to deliver > > > information at the group level. With organizational structures long > > > standing and very resistant to change, the elimination of the Report > > > Center brings the API's shortcomings to center stage. > > > > I'm sorry my last response whined - not my intent. I understand that > > > there's no way the Report Center will be preserved, or that the API > > > will be improved in time. My objective is to explain how agencies rely > > > on the MCC organizationally for group reporting uses - not just > > > consolidated billing, campaign management, or user access. Hopefully, > > > the reporting uses will be considered in the next version of the API. > > > > A few answers will help me prepare for the future. > > > 1) On what date will the Report Center be eliminated? > > > 2) On this date, will all grandfathered scheduled emails cease to > > > include attachments? (I expect yes, but worth asking) > > > 3) Are there plans for the API to support cross-client/MCC reporting? > > > 4) When (ANY rough guess is better than none) might the beta of that > > > API version become available? > > > > Thanks for the help. > > > > -Jonah > > > On Nov 4, 1:23 pm, AdWords API Advisor <adwordsapiadvi...@google.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > Hi Jonah, > > > > > The v2010* ReportDefinitionService doesn't support cross-client > > > > reporting in any form at the moment, so you will need to request an > > > > individual report per-account. However, because report generation is > > > > much faster in v2010* the overall time it takes to get the data should > > > > not be dramatically affected. > > > > > Best, > > > > - Eric > > > > > On Nov 2, 7:49 pm, jonahviakeyboard <jonahf...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > Eric, yes, you can still get them through the UI in a scheduled email, > > > > > but at the account level, not at the MCC level. Stuck at the account > > > > > level, the new email report deliveries come with a download link > > > > > behind a login, not attachments (which could be extracted > > > > > programmatically) in the old Report Center. Campaign reports as well > > > > > cannot be downloaded at the MCC level through the API, but work > > > > > through the UI. > > > > > > As mentioned, the Destination URL report definition created from the > > > > > UI is different (and better for my needs) than the one created by the > > > > > API. Turns out that a UI created Destination URL report can be > > > > > downloaded through the API...but only at the account level. I've got a > > > > > few dozen accounts under one MCC and need accurate and comprehensive > > > > > daily URL reports for all accounts. And new accounts get launched > > > > > without my knowledge. With many accounts, the new report center email > > > > > delivery is not a solution. The API does not have reasonable a > > > > > solution. But the old Report Center met my needs just fine. > > > > > > On Oct 27, 5:20 pm, AdWords API Advisor <adwordsapiadvi...@google.com> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Hi All, > > > > > > > In addition, although the old reports center is going away, you can > > > > > > still schedule these reports to be emailed to you on regular > > > > > > intervals. When you are at the Dimensions -> Destination URL > > > > > > screen, > > > > > > click the icon that looks like a down arrow going into an inbox, and > > > > > > expand the "Email and schedule report" section. > > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > - Eric > > > > > > > On Oct 27, 4:31 pm, AdWords API Advisor > > > > > > <adwordsapiadvi...@google.com> > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > Hi All, > > > > > > > > Report definitions are shared between the UI and API, but I don't > > > > > > > believe this type of report can be turned into a report definition > > > > > > > yet. I am not aware of any plans to add this report type to the > > > > > > > API, > > > > > > > but I will bring it up with the rest of the team. > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > > - Eric > > > > > > > > On Oct 27, 12:49 pm, Terence <terence.c...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > I am in the exact same boat as Jonah. AdWords used to send me > > > > > > > > complete Destination URL reports via email, but the old Report > > > > > > > > Center > > > > > > > > is being discontinued and reports will no longer be attached to > > > > > > > > emails. So I too am looking to the API to download the > > > > > > > > Destination > > > > > > > > URL. > > > > > > > > > I'm really hesitant about Eric's suggested solution. Seems > > > > > > > > very hacky > > > > > > > > and prone to errors. Has anyone found a better solution to > > > > > > > > getting a > > > > > > > > comprehensive and accurate Destination URL report via API yet? > > > > > > > > > On Oct 24, 7:27 pm, jonahviakeyboard <jonahf...@gmail.com> > > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Thanks Eric. > > > > > > > > > > In my first test, your suggestion worked - at least in terms > > > > > > > > > of the > > > > > > > > > sum of clicks and media. So it is comprehensive. I haven't > > > > > > > > > had the > > > > > > > > > chance to test activity by Desination URL to see if it is > > > > > > > > > accurate. > > > > > > > > > Assuming yes, the next step is to write something that will > > > > > > > > > request > > > > > > > > > both sets, combine them, and remove intersections. Then > > > > > > > > > iterate > > > > > > > > > through many accounts and aggregate results. Certainly seems > > > > > > > > > more > > > > > > > > > cumbersome and prone to error than the single report I can > > > > > > > > > get from > > > > > > > > > the UI. > > > > > > > > > > I currently receive a daily Destination URL report that spans > > > > > > > > > many > > > > > > > > > accounts. It is my understanding that the new version of the > > > > > > > > > report > > > > > > > > > center will not send email attached reports - that the API is > > > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > solution. That's what brought about my first question. > > > > > > > > > > As an alternative to your suggestion to replicating the UI's > > > > > > > > > Destination URL report, is it possible to schedule a > > > > > > > > > Destination URL > > > > > > > > > report through the UI, and then download it through the API? > > > > > > > > > How can > > > > > > > > > one get the RVal ID of a report schedule from the UI? That > > > > > > > > > route would > > > > > > > > > certainly be much easier. Would that RVal ID change (daily) > > > > > > > > > as the > > > > > > > > > report is regenerated? > > > > > > > > > > Or, are there plans to include a new report type or option in > > > > > > > > > a future > > > > > > > > > API release that would replicate the UI's version of a > > > > > > > > > Destination URL > > > > > > > > > report? (You said 'yet', so I'm hopeful) > > > > > > > > > > Many thanks. > > > > > > > > > > On Oct 20, 6:21 pm, AdWords API Advisor > > > > > > > > > <adwordsapiadvi...@google.com> > > > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Jonah, > > > > > > > > > > > Unfortunately the API doesn't have a report that exactly > > > > > > > > > > matches the > > > > > > > > > > Destination URL dimension screen in the UI. Your attempts > > > > > > > > > > so far have > > > > > > > > > > been good, > > ... > > read more » -- =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~ Also find us on our blog and discussion group: http://adwordsapi.blogspot.com http://groups.google.com/group/adwords-api =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AdWords API Forum" group. To post to this group, send email to adwords-api@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to adwords-api+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/adwords-api?hl=en
