If your data set or feed isn't formatted right, this can prevent your ads from showing.
Before you begin
Pay close attention to the required feed attributes. The system disapproves inaccurate or incomplete feeds after 30 days. Make sure that your data complies with Google’s advertising policies and any relevant laws in your targeted locations.
This article explains how to find out why your data set or feed has errors and how to fix them.
Instructions
Note: The instructions below are part of the new design for the Google Ads user experience. To use the previous design, click the 'Appearance' icon, and select Use previous design. If you're using the previous version of Google Ads, review the Quick reference map or use the Search bar in the top navigation panel of Google Ads to find the page that you’re searching for.
- In your Google Ads account, click the Tools icon
.
- Click Business data.
- Click the name of the data feed that you'd like to review.
- Locate the error messages for your business data feed:
- Data tab: As soon as you upload, you might see a Disapproved status and a message describing something that's wrong.
- "Summary" column in your "Upload history" tab: Errors here show how you should change the format of your uploaded spreadsheet.
- "Details" section in your "Summary" column: Errors here show how you should change the format or content of the rows within your spreadsheet. Want to download a spreadsheet with all of these row-level errors? Click the Download errors button under "ACTIONS".
- Use the upload error table below to fix the issue based on the error message.
- You may need to add or update your feed with corrected data. Learn more about how to Keep your business data updated.
Fix upload errors
When your data set or feed isn't formatted correctly, it can prevent your ads from showing. Google Ads shows errors that can help you fix your spreadsheet in a few places:
- In the upload panel: As soon as you upload, you might see text in red describing something that's wrong.
- Under 'Summary' in your 'Upload history' table: Errors here show how you should change the format of your uploaded spreadsheet.
- In the 'Details' under 'Summary' in your 'Upload history' table: Errors here show how you should change the format or content of the rows within your spreadsheet. Want to download a spreadsheet with all of these row-level errors? Click the Download errors button under 'ACTIONS'.
Bear in mind
- Feeds should not be scheduled to end at midnight.
- Scheduled uploads will only work at 15-minute increments (0, 15, 30, 45).
| Error message | Issue | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| An ID value is not allowed when using the action 'Add' | You provided an 'item ID' for a row that you're trying to add. New rows shouldn't have item IDs because these are added by Google Ads. | Edit your file, remove the ID value for the row that you're trying to add and re-upload. |
| Image not available | Google Ads can't access the image. For example, the server hosting the image may be blocking access or taking too long to allow access. | Host the image in an accessible location. |
| Incorrect format for field | The value in the scheduling column is invalid. | Scheduled uploads will only work at 15-minute increments (0, 15, 30, 45). |
| Invalid image format | The image isn't a standard file type or format. | Convert the image to .PNG, .JPG, .JPEG, .GIF and save it in RGB colour code with an ICC profile attached. |
| Invalid image size | The image is too large. | Reduce the image: - Recommended image size: 300px by 300px - Recommended resolution: 72dpi - Maximum file size: 6MB |
| Invalid address format | The address isn't formatted correctly. | Use one of these formatting methods: - City, state code, country - Full address with postcode - Latitude-longitude in the DDD format Use commas to separate your address. See the specs for cities, regions and countries. |
| Invalid [attribute name]: [error] | The type of data that you've entered for a custom attribute doesn't match the attribute type that you've chosen. | Make sure that your data are in the right format for the attribute type you've specified. For dates, remember that 00:00:00 signifies midnight (not 24:00:00). See attribute types |
| Invalid URL | The URL that you provided in the 'Final URL' field is not a valid URL and will need to be addressed. |
|
| It looks like you've added new attributes. You'll need to add these attributes to your existing data set or feed before you can bulk-edit them. | Your file has columns that Google Ads doesn't recognise. | Remove the problem columns and try again, or add the new columns before bulk-editing them. |
| New data sets or feeds can't include an 'Action' column (the 'Action' column is for bulk-editing existing data sets or feeds). Please remove that column and try again. | The file that you're uploading includes an 'Action' column. | Remove the 'Action' column and try again. |
| No item matching item ID. | Your file includes a row with an 'item ID' that Google Ads doesn't recognise. Google Ads defines these values. | Find your item IDs: click 'Columns', then 'Attributes' and 'Item ID' to add that column to the table. Use these IDs when you're bulk-editing the values of your feed or data set. |
| One of the rows that you're trying to edit doesn't exist in your current business data set. If you'd like to add a new row, make sure that you choose the 'Update' option and put 'add' in the 'Action' column. | Your file includes a row with an ID that Google Ads doesn't recognise. | Either correct the ID value or, if you're adding a new row, change the action to 'Add'. |
| One or more columns you've defined has an unrecognised type. Google Ads recognises these types: (text), (number), (price), (date). | One or more of your custom columns is missing a valid attribute type. | Define a text, number, price or date attribute type for each of your custom columns. See the specs for attribute types |
| Please use either a 'target keyword' column or both 'target keyword text' and 'target keyword match type' columns. All three cannot be used in a single row. | You're using too many keyword targeting columns. | Use either: - A 'target keyword' column - A 'target keyword text' column with a 'target keyword match type' column. See all targeting attributes |
| Schedule end not after start | Start time comes after end time. | Feeds should not be scheduled to end at midnight. |
| Set or Remove actions requires the 'Item ID' column. | Google Ads can't tell which rows you want to update. | Include an ID column in the file that you're using to update your data set or feed. To find the IDs that Google Ads has assigned, click 'Columns', choose 'Attributes', then 'Item ID'. |
| Target ad group not found. | Google Ads can't find the 'target ad group' that you've specified. | Make sure that you match the name of an existing ad group exactly, including spaces and capitalisation. |
| Target campaign not found. | Google Ads can't find the 'target campaign' that you've specified. | Make sure that you match the name of an existing campaign exactly, including spaces and capitalisation. |
| 'Target campaign' is required when setting 'target ad group'. | The 'target campaign' column is missing. You need this column when you're using the 'target ad group' column. | Add a 'target campaign' column. See all targeting attributes |
| 'Target keyword match type' is required when using 'target keyword text'. | The 'target keyword match type' column is missing. You need this column when you're using the 'target keyword text' column. | Add a 'target keyword match type' column. See all targeting attributes |
| The 'Custom ID' column needs to be named 'Custom ID', with no attribute type, like '(number)' or '(text)', specified. Remove the type, save your file again and re-upload. See attribute guidelines | You've included an attribute type with your 'Custom ID' column, but this shouldn't include an attribute type. | Remove the attribute type next to the column that you've named 'Custom ID'. |
| This item already exists. | The file that you're using to update your feed or data set says to 'add' a row that already exists. | Use a new 'custom ID', or don't specify an ID, for rows you're adding. |
| Value is incompatible with the attribute's type in column 'X', e.g. the type 'number' is incompatible with any values that have letters or symbols. | A row in your file includes data that are in the wrong format for the attribute you've specified. | Format your data according to the attribute type you've chosen. See standard attribute formats |
| You already have a data set or feed with this name. Please enter a new name. | You already have a data set or feed with this name. | Use a new name for each of your new data sets or feeds. |
| Your data set or feed wasn't updated because the spreadsheet you're trying to upload includes an 'Action' column. Choose 'Update' (not 'Replace') if you'd like to include an 'Action' column, or remove your 'Action' column and try again. | Your file contains an 'Action' column. The 'Action' column is only for updating your data, but you chose 'Replace'. | Remove the 'Action' column and try again. |
| You've reached the limit of business data sets that you can have (100 sets). You'll need to remove one before you can add a new one. | Your account has too many data sets. | Remove a data set that you're not using in order to add a new one. Be careful not to remove extension feeds (like 'Main sitelink feed') if you want to keep those extensions. |
