Configure custom columns in feeds

Read About templates, About custom columns in templates, and Custom columns: What's changed in the new Search Ads 360 before proceeding.

Feed custom columns can only be created for templates with associated or inherited feeds, and are therefore not applicable in the context of responsive search ad (RSA) templates with ad group parents. For more information, see Set up responsive search ad templates.

To configure custom columns for a feed, you must be scoped to the sub-manager account in which you want to use the template functionality. When creating custom columns, you can reference all feed custom columns associated with the sub-manager account.

Custom columns are entered as formulas. There are drop-down menus from which you can select and enter columns and functions. Columns and functions that are valid at the current cursor position in the formula can also be selected from a menu that’s displayed when you right-click. For other building blocks in the formula, follow syntax rules.

Create custom columns in feeds

To create a custom column in a feed:

1.  Sign in to your new Search Ads 360.
2. NNavigate to a sub-manager account.
3. Click tools and settings   > Shared Library > Templates.
4. In the page menu, click Feeds.
5. Click the name of the hyperlinked feed that you want to edit.
6. Click the Columns icon  above the feed’s columns table.
7. In Custom Columns, click .
   The owner selected by default is the current sub-manager.
8. Enter the custom column Name and an optional Description.
9. Select the required Data format: Number, Percent, Money, Text, True/False, or Date.
10. Click in the dialog’s text area.
11. To construct the formula in text mode, click Text then:
    1. Enter the formula using the rules described in Syntax.
    2. Click the drop-down to select pre-formatted columns and functions.
       For feed columns, there is a separate submenu.
    3. Configure functions as described in Use functions in custom columns.
12. To construct the formula in Visual mode, click Visual then:
    1. Enter the formula using the rules described in Syntax.
    2. Click the  drop-down to select pre-formatted columns and functions.
       For feed columns, there is a separate submenu.
    3. Configure functions as described in Use functions in custom columns.
13. Resolve underlined issues and red advisory messages.
14. Click Save.
15. View the new custom column alongside other columns in the feed table.

Feed custom column example

 

In this example, the "Flights" feed table contains the following columns of product data supplied by a new Search Ads 360 customer, Example Airways. 

Example Airways operates two brands. Albatross Flights sells transatlantic tickets between the US and European destinations, while Golden Eagle Flights markets route tickets within Europe. 

The example feed table only contains information for one route for each brand to ease understanding.

Feed column name	Column description	Column value example 1	Column value example 2
"product_id"	Flight origin airport international air transport association (IATA) code –destination airport IATA code	CDG-LHR	SEA-CDG
"brand"	The brand name for the flight	Golden Eagle Flights	Albatross Flights
"availability"	Flight ticket availability	Available	Not available
"seats_left"	Number of unsold seats on the flight	11	0
"origin_iata"	Flight origin airport’s IATA code	CDG	SEA
"origin_name"	Flight departure location	Paris	Seattle
"origin_country"	Flight origin country’s name	France	USA
"destination _iata"	Flight destination airport´s IATA code	LHR	CDG
"destination_name"	Flight destination´s name	London	Paris
"destination_country"	Flight destination country’s name	UK	France
"price_usd"	The flight price in US dollars	400	900

 

Feed custom column concatenation example

• The text function concat merges the "origin_country", "destination_country" and "destination_name" columns.
• Dashes are included between each column. They're static text, so they’re enclosed in quotation marks, “-”.

The final formula looks like the following:

concat(f:"origin_name", "-", f:"destination_country", "-", f:"destination_name")

Possible output values from this formula using the current feed data include:

Paris-UK-London

Seattle-France-Paris

The procedure below is for information purposes only. The “Flights” feed on which it is based is an example, so you won’t be able to execute the steps.

Example

1. Follow Create custom columns in feeds to Step 7.
2. Name the custom column "Route", and enter the Description as “Flight origin to destination country”.
3. In "Data format", select Text.
4. Click in the dialog’s text area.
5. Click the drop-down to select preformatted columns and functions.
6. Click and from the "Text" sub-menu, select concat.
   
   concat("text1", "text2")
7. Remove all of "text1".
8. Replace text1 by clicking and selecting f:"origin_name" from "Feed columns".
   
   concat(f:"origin_name", "text2")
9. Remove all of “text2”.
10. Replace text2 by clicking and selecting f:"destination_country" from "Feed columns".
    
    concat(f:"origin_name", f:"destination_country")
11. Insert a comma after f:"destination_country".
12. After the comma, click  to enter f:"destination_name".
    
    concat(f:"origin_name", f:"destination_country", f:"destination_name")
13. To add dashes between the feed columns, after the comma that follows the first three functions, add “-” followed by a comma.
    
    concat(f:"origin_name", "-", f:"destination_country","-", f:"destination_name")
14. Click Done.

Related links

• About templates
• About custom columns
• About custom columns in templates
• Configure templates using custom columns
• Configure custom columns in templates
• Use functions in custom columns