This article provides guidance and solutions for common issues you might encounter when performing bulk uploads and edits in Google Ads. Learn how to troubleshoot timeouts, unexpected changes, and various error messages to ensure your bulk actions are processed correctly.
On this page
How to identify errors
- Go to All bulk actions within the Tools menu
.
- In the row with your report, click Download results to look at the errors within your account.
- In the "Results" column in the spreadsheet you can find the issue with each row.
Keep in mind
When you upload a spreadsheet into Google Ads we will automatically determine what change you intend to make. Sometimes, you may find that Google Ads may misinterpret your intent and attempt to do something different.
For example, you may have prepared a spreadsheet intended to update campaign budgets, but upon preview you notice that Google Ads thinks you are trying to create new campaigns.
This is often because Google Ads is expecting some columns for your use case that aren't present in your spreadsheet. Refer to our Templates page to make sure that your spreadsheet contains all the required columns needed to make your intended change.
Resolve common bulk upload issues
Handle upload timeouts
Uploads time out after 2 hours of processing, so if you’re attempting to upload a large amount of changes in a single spreadsheet it’s possible that all rows won’t be processed within that period of time.
If a timeout occurs, you’ll need to download the results, remove the rows that were completed (rows that have been processed will have data present in the “results” column), and begin a new upload containing the rows that weren’t completed.
Common errors and solutions
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
| There are conflicting changes. | Make sure no one else is trying to edit your account and try again. |
| Items in your file do not meet editorial guidelines. | Make sure all the items in your file follow Google Ads Editorial guidelines. |
| Your file is missing a header row. |
The first row of an uploaded file must be used for headers. Note: When you download the file from Google Ads, headers are already present. |
| Column contains the wrong type of information. | Make sure the information you entered meets the requirements. |
| This row is missing a value. | Make sure to enter a value for all required columns |
| Your keywords have characters that are not allowed. |
Remove any non-standard characters ( ! @ % , *) from your keywords. Get more information on formatting keywords |
| One of the IDs does not exist. |
If you’re adding an element, remove the value from the ID column. If you’re making changes to an element, make sure that the ID is correct and that the entity hasn't been removed. If you’re adding an element to an ad group or campaign, please make sure the campaign or ad group has a valid ID. This error can also occur when creating or publishing Performance Max campaigns. Ensure all required fields are filled correctly, especially in areas like language or logo settings. If the issue persists, try recreating the campaign from scratch. |
| To update your data set or feed, you'll need to include an "Action" column. | A column with the header "Action" is required for sitelinks and other feed changes via bulk uploads (possible values are “SET”, “ADD” or “REMOVE”). |
