Fix offline conversion import errors in Google Ads

1. 1For file uploads, open Goals, then Conversions, then Uploads. Find the file, then in the Actions column click Download errors. Each failed row has its reason in the Results column.
2. 2If the whole file failed, read the first row of the error file (a .csv or .tsv) or the General Errors worksheet (Excel). That error stopped every row.
3. 3For uploads through the API, Data Manager or a CRM connection, go to Goals, then Conversions, then Summary. In the Status column of the conversion action, hover over its offline data quality and click Go to diagnostics. Alerts are grouped by error type, with the type affecting the most data first.
4. 4Sort every reason into one of three groups before you act: not yet, final, or a problem with what was sent. The next two parts cover each group.

Google says offline conversion uploads move to the Data Manager API from June 15, 2026, so newer API uploads usually report Data Manager reason names. This page gives both names where they differ.

1. 1Click too recent (TOO_RECENT_EVENT or TOO_RECENT_CLICK): the click happened too recently. Google's help page gives 6 hours, so send the row again after 6 hours.
2. 2Conversion action too new (TOO_RECENT_CONVERSION_ACTION, or a destination created too recently): wait 6 hours after creating the action, then resend. Google's file guide says 4 to 6 hours, and the API's error says 6.
3. 3For conversions within a day of their click, include the last day again in your next upload. Google says it may not be able to record those yet, and it does not count a true duplicate twice. Rows that were already recorded will come back as duplicates. That is expected.
4. 4For a correction (a retraction or a new value), too recent means the conversion happened less than 24 hours ago. A correction sent soon after its upload can also come back not found, which may only mean the conversion has not reached the account yet. Check that the correction names the same conversion action and the same order ID (or click ID and conversion time) as the upload, then wait a day and send it once more before treating it as missing.

Resend a not-yet row a day apart, for two or three days at most. If it is still refused after that, treat the reason as real and move to the next part.

1. 1Final, stop sending: the identifier or event is too old (EVENT_TOO_OLD, EXPIRED_CLICK, EXPIRED_EVENT), the conversion fell outside the action's conversion window, or Conversion actions not active (no conversion action existed when the click happened). Google keeps the GCLID for 90 days, and a row matched by email or phone must be uploaded within 63 days of the click. Upload more often, or send an earlier step of the sale that happens inside that time. If the account has no Import from clicks action, create one so later clicks can count.
2. 2Click ID refused (INVALID_GCLID, UNPARSEABLE_GCLID, or the GBRAID or WBRAID versions): if the lead also has an email or phone number and the account takes enhanced conversions for leads, send it by those instead. Then find where the stored ID was changed: Google says the GCLID is case sensitive.
3. 3Click belongs to another account (INVALID_CUSTOMER_FOR_CLICK, or the Data Manager reason INVALID_OPERATING_ACCOUNT_FOR_CLICK): upload to the account that owns the conversion action. If the click came through a manager account, check that cross-account conversion tracking is on.
4. 4Email or phone refused because the customer data terms are not accepted or enhanced conversions for leads is off: send the click ID alone, or accept the terms and turn the setting on in the account's conversion settings. If the hashing itself is refused, fix the formatting, then hash with SHA-256: lowercase emails with no spaces, phone numbers in E.164 format such as +16502531234.
5. 5Conversion time before the click: check the time zone in the file or request. Google suggests checking the time zone or moving the conversion time 1 to 2 days later.
6. 6Already recorded (CLICK_CONVERSION_ALREADY_EXISTS, ORDER_ID_ALREADY_IN_USE, DUPLICATE_GCLID, DUPLICATE_TRANSACTION_ID): Google has it, so stop sending that row. If it is really a separate event, give it its own conversion time or order ID.
7. 7Duplicated inside one upload (DUPLICATE_ORDER_ID, DUPLICATE_CLICK_CONVERSION_IN_REQUEST): those rows were not processed. Remove the repeats and send one copy.
8. 8Unknown clicks on uploads matched by email or phone: Google says this can generally be ignored, because only some of the people you upload came from a Google ad. Look into it only if every row gets it, or far fewer match than you expect.