Conversions not processed
Conversions not processed is Google's heading for uploads that succeeded but are missing from reports. Check the date range by click time, the action's count setting and repeat rate, the spam discard and any month-end deadline first. Then check the action existed before the clicks and the uploads carried a click ID. Read the action's totals, not the upload summary.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The conversion action's totals in Google Ads, against the upload summary in the import diagnostics.
- What stops
- Nothing stops. Bidding and reports read a lower count than the uploads you sent.
- How serious
- No policy risk. The cost is decisions made on a total that is smaller than the real leads.
- How long
- Google's page says processing typically finishes within 12 hours, and up to 72 hours for GBRAID and WBRAID keyed conversions.
What it means
An upload can be accepted and still not reach the totals. Under this heading Google lists three causes: the count setting, spam discards, and the month-end freeze for pay for conversions. It also lists two reasons a total only looks short: reports organized by click time and processing delays. Two more silent causes sit outside its list.
Acceptance means taken, not recorded. The upload summary shows acceptance, so the totals are the only test that a conversion landed.
What actually triggers it
A report read by upload date instead of click time
Google files attributed conversions under the impression or click time, not the upload date. A date range that covers the upload days but not the click days shows a shortfall that is not real. Add the Conversions (by conv. time) column to report by conversion date.
A count setting of One discarding repeats
Google's page says a count of One reports only one conversion per ad interaction and discards the rest. A Repeat rate above one on an action counted as One shows that is happening.
Conversions flagged as invalid or spam
Google's page says conversions marked invalid or spam are discarded from reports, even when the upload was accepted.
Uploads after the month-end freeze for pay for conversions
Google's page says conversions not uploaded within the deadline for pay for conversions processing are discarded, and it does not recommend offline uploads for those campaigns.
Leads that came before the conversion action existed
Not on Google's help page
In real accounts, uploads whose clicks came before the conversion action was created were returned as accepted and never reached the totals. Google credits an uploaded click only if the action existed when the click happened.
Uploads sent by email or phone alone that matched no click
Not on Google's help page
In one real account, about one in eight qualified uploads that Google accepted showed up in the action's totals. Google's upload summary reported every one as accepted, and does not say which ones matched.
Fix it in this order
- Open the conversion action and read its totals for the click dates the upload covers, or add Conversions (by conv. time). Compare them with the count you sent, not with the upload summary.
- Check the action's count setting and the repeat rate column. A high repeat rate under a count of One is the discard.
- Check the action was created before the earliest click in the upload. If it was not, the earlier rows will not be credited.
- Wait the full processing window before judging: up to 12 hours, or up to 72 hours for GBRAID and WBRAID keyed conversions.
- For uploads by email or phone alone, judge them only from the totals, since Google never reports which ones matched.
Rows that were discarded by the count or the spam filter stay discarded. The change applies to uploads from then on.
Often confused with
Awaiting conversions
The site or import recorded nothing for seven days. Here uploads were sent and accepted, and the totals are short.
No attempted imports
Nothing was uploaded. Here uploads were sent and the totals are short.