Google Ads: Sheet import vs PixelFly hold & fire

Both methods send a conversion after a COD order is confirmed — not at fake checkout. They are different Google products with different rules for time, click IDs, and setup. This guide explains which to use and how PixelFly’s hold → fire path maps to Google’s requirements.

Full COD setup: COD + server GTM. Official Google docs: offline import guidelines, import errors & 90-day GCLID.

Short answer: PixelFly hold & fire for Google Ads is valid and aligned with how delayed website conversions work (gclid + conversion hit inside your conversion window). Sheet import is Google’s classic Import from clicks path with an explicit conversion_date_time. Both need a real gclid (or wbraid / gbraid). Neither invents attribution without it.

Are PixelFly hold & fire OK for Google Ads?

Yes — when you do this:

Store gclid (and iOS wbraid / gbraid when present) at hold.
Send the confirmed purchase one of three ways:
- sGTM stores: fire path sGTM /data. PixelFly POSTs the purchase to /data with click IDs on page_location, and the Google Ads Conversion (COD confirmed) tag in our server container fires (Client Name = Data Client).
- Proxy stores, GA4 import: link GA4 to Google Ads and import the GA4 purchase. PixelFly sends the confirmed purchase to your GA4 Receiver with the shopper’s GA client and session IDs, so GA4 credits the ad click.
- Proxy stores, Google Ads API: a Google Ads (click conversions) Receiver uploads the purchase to an Import from clicks conversion action (needs a Google Ads API developer token).
Fire within your conversion window and within ~90 days of the click (Google retains GCLIDs ~90 days).
Do not also fire a browser Purchase for the same COD order (double counting).

Use one of these per conversion action: the same order through two of them (or alongside a browser Google Ads Purchase tag) counts twice.

Side-by-side comparison

Topic	Google Sheet / offline import	PixelFly hold → fire (sGTM)
What Google product	Conversion action: Import from clicks	Usually a Website (or GA4) conversion + sGTM Ads tag
How data is sent	Upload CSV / Sheet / API with gclid + time + value	Approve & Fire → `POST /data` → Data Client → Ads tag
Conversion time	You set `conversion_date_time` with timezone (`yyyy-mm-dd HH:mm:ss±HH:mm`). Must be after the click	Hit arrives at fire time; gclid links to the original click. PixelFly also stores checkout `event_time` (critical for Meta)
Click ID	gclid / wbraid / gbraid column required for click match	Same IDs held at checkout, replayed on `page_location` + event fields
GCLID age limit	Upload more than ~90 days after click → rejected	Fire outside window / ~90 days → usually not attributed
Speed	Batch; often ~3 hours to appear	Near real-time on Approve; UI can still lag hours
Meta / TikTok	Google Ads only	Same fire can hit Meta, GA4, TikTok tags
Deduping	order_id / unique gclid + name + datetime	`transaction_id` = Woo order id on the Ads tag
Common failure	Wrong timezone (“conversion precedes click”), late upload, wrong conversion action	No gclid at hold, fire path = Receivers only, browser Purchase still fires for COD

Event time explained (simple)

Day 0  Click ad (gclid created)
Day 0  COD order placed     → PixelFly HOLD (store gclid + checkout event_time)
Day 3  Order confirmed      → PixelFly FIRE

Sheet:  you upload conversion_date_time = Day 0 or Day 3 (your choice; must be after click)
sGTM:   Google Ads tag runs on Day 3; attribution still ties back via gclid to Day 0 click

Google Ads campaign reports usually credit the click / impression date, not the upload or fire date. To compare with your order list, add All conv. (by conv. time) in Google Ads (conversion reporting help).

Meta vs Google on time: PixelFly replays the original checkout event_time for Meta CAPI (correct for delayed events). Google Ads website tags primarily need a valid gclid on the fired hit; they are not the same as Sheet’s mandatory conversion_date_time column.

Architecture — PixelFly path for Google Ads

Web GTM: purchase + payment_method + email + phone + gclid → sGTM
  → PixelFly COD Protection tag → POST /cod/hold
  → Held Events (pending)

Confirm order
  → Approve & Fire (fire path = sGTM /data)
  → POST {host}/data  (gclid on page_location, transaction_id, value, user_data)
  → Data Client → Google Ads Conversion tag

Proxy store
  → Approve & Fire → Worker → GA4 Receiver → (GA4 → Google Ads import)
                            or → Google Ads Receiver → uploadClickConversions

Architecture — Sheet / offline import

Capture gclid at checkout (cookie / CRM / Sheet row)
Confirm COD order
  → Append row: Google Click ID | Conversion Name | Conversion Time | Value | Currency | Order ID
  → Upload to Google Ads (Import from clicks)
  → Google matches gclid → conversion

When to use which

Prefer PixelFly hold & fire if you already use server GTM, want Meta + Google from one approve, and want near real-time fire from the dashboard or Woo webhook.
Prefer Sheet / OCI if ops already live in Sheets/CRM, or you need an exact confirm timestamp in an Import from clicks action. (Proxy stores no longer need it: use the GA4 import or the Google Ads Receiver.)
Do not use both for the same COD purchase into the same “primary” conversion unless you intentionally want two actions and understand double counting.

Checklist — Google Ads with PixelFly

Web GTM forwards plaintext email, phone, payment_method, and gclid to sGTM (not hashed phone as the phone field).
sGTM COD tag holds COD only; browser Ads Purchase = prepaid only (payment_method ≠ cod).
sGTM: dashboard fire path = sGTM /data; Data Client accepts /data; Google Ads tag trigger = purchase + Client = Data Client + is_delayed = true. Proxy: a GA4 Receiver (with the GA4 import) or a Google Ads Receiver.
Pass transaction_id = order id on the Ads tag.
Confirm Held Event raw payload shows gclid before you rely on Ads attribution.
Fire within the conversion window (and < ~90 days from click).

FAQ

Is hold & fire “as good as” Sheet import?

For attribution quality, both depend on gclid and timing windows. Sheet gives stricter control of conversion_date_time. PixelFly is better for automation and multi-platform fire. Neither works without click IDs (or a strong Enhanced Conversions match on an import action).

Why did my held order have no gclid?

The visitor had no Google click cookie / parameter, or Web GTM did not forward gclid to sGTM. PixelFly stores what the hold receives — fix mapping, then test a new order from a Google Ads click.

Can I use Receivers /e for Google Ads?

Yes: add a Google Ads (click conversions) Receiver (Google Ads API: developer token, OAuth, customer ID and an Import from clicks action), or send the purchase to a GA4 Receiver and import it into Google Ads. Receivers don’t run sGTM tags, so on sGTM stores the server Google Ads tag with fire path sGTM /data is simpler.

Related guides

← Confirming orders

Full walkthrough →