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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about the MCC PMax script.

General

What is the MCC PMax script?

The MCC PMax script is a Google Ads script that runs at the MCC (Manager) level to collect Performance Max, Shopping, and Demand Gen campaign data from all accounts in your MCC. It creates individual Google Sheets for each account with detailed insights including search terms, placements, assets, and performance metrics.

Who is this for?

This script is designed for agencies and consultants managing multiple Google Ads accounts through an MCC. It's perfect if you need consolidated reporting across 5-100+ accounts and want to save hours of manual data collection each week.

How much does it cost?

The MCC script is available for $399 USD. This is a one-time payment with lifetime access and free updates. There are no recurring fees.

What's the difference between MCC and individual account scripts?

The MCC script runs once in your manager account and processes all client accounts automatically. The individual account script (PMax Insights) runs separately in each account. Use the MCC version if you manage 5+ accounts - it will save you significant time.

Can I use this with Standard Shopping campaigns?

Yes! The script collects data from Performance Max, Standard Shopping, and Demand Gen campaigns. However, accounts with only Standard Shopping campaigns won't be auto-populated into the settings tab on first run (they'll appear in the 'all' tab and you can add them manually).

Does this work with Demand Gen campaigns?

Absolutely. The script auto-detects Demand Gen campaigns and sets the appropriate flags. Demand Gen data is collected in separate sheets for each account.

Setup

How long does setup take?

Initial setup takes about 10 minutes. The script then processes the first 3 accounts immediately (10-15 minutes) and continues initializing 3 accounts per hour until all accounts are ready.

Do I need to know coding?

No coding knowledge required. Just follow the Quick Start guide to copy/paste the code and add your sheet URL. The script handles everything else automatically.

Can I use someone else's sheet?

No, you need to create your own copy of the template sheet. This ensures you have full control and edit access. The script won't work with someone else's sheet due to permission restrictions.

What permissions do I need?

You need Editor access to the MCC account in Google Ads, and your Google account needs permission to create and edit Google Sheets.

Can I run this for a client's MCC?

Yes, as long as you have Editor access to their MCC account. The script and sheets will be associated with your Google account.

Processing

How long until all my accounts are initialized?

The script processes 3 accounts per hour. So if you have 30 accounts, all will be initialized in about 10 hours. You can track progress in the 'Initialized' column (O) in the settings tab.

Why only 3 accounts per run?

Google Apps Script has a 30-minute execution time limit. Processing 3 accounts per run ensures the script completes successfully without timeout errors, even for accounts with lots of data.

Can I process more accounts faster?

Yes, you can increase the MAX_INIT_PER_RUN constant (currently set to 3) if your accounts are small or you want to take the timeout risk. See the Advanced Configuration guide for details.

What happens if the script times out?

If a timeout occurs, that account won't be marked as initialized and will be retried on the next hourly run. The script is designed to be resilient - it will keep trying until all accounts are processed.

Do I need to run it manually after setup?

No. Once you've set up the hourly trigger in Step 5 of the Quick Start guide, the script runs automatically every hour. You never need to manually run it again unless you want to troubleshoot.

Data

How often is data updated?

Each account's data is refreshed hourly based on its 'Run At' time in the settings tab. For example, accounts set to run at '03' are updated between 3:00-3:59am in your MCC's timezone.

What date range does it cover?

By default, the script pulls the last 30 days of data. This is hard-coded and can't be changed without modifying the script.

Why are there multiple tabs?

Each tab serves a different purpose: 'all' shows all MCC accounts, 'settings' controls which accounts to process, 'totals' aggregates campaign data, 'daily/weekly/trend' show historical performance, and each account gets its own individual sheet with detailed insights.

Can I customize the metrics?

The core metrics are fixed, but you can add your own calculated columns in the sheets. Just don't delete or rename the existing columns as the script needs them.

Can I delete old data?

You can delete data from the individual account sheets if needed, but the script will re-populate it on the next run. The historical tabs (daily/weekly/trend) accumulate data over time.

Scheduling

What's the best schedule?

Hourly is required. The script uses the current hour to determine which accounts to process based on their 'Run At' time. Daily scheduling won't work properly.

Can I run it daily instead of hourly?

No. The script is specifically designed for hourly execution. Running it daily would mean all accounts try to process at once, causing timeouts.

What if I miss a day?

No problem. The script checks the 'Last Successful Run' timestamp. If an account hasn't been updated recently, it will process on the next hourly run when the time matches.

Can I pause the script?

Yes. Just disable or delete the hourly trigger in the Google Ads Scripts interface. You can re-enable it anytime. Data won't be lost, but it won't update while paused.

Costs

Are there Google Apps Script costs?

No. Google Apps Script is free for Google Ads scripts, even at MCC level.

Are there Google Ads API costs?

No. Google Ads Scripts use a different system than the API and don't count toward API quotas or costs.

Are there Sheets storage costs?

Google Sheets is free up to 15GB of storage per Google account. The MCC script creates one master sheet plus one sheet per account, but these are typically under 10MB each. You're unlikely to hit storage limits unless you have 100+ large accounts.

Errors & Problems

What if an account fails to initialize?

Check the error column (N) in the settings tab for that account's row. Common issues include invalid CID format, no PMax/Shopping/DG campaigns, or permission problems. The Troubleshooting guide has detailed solutions.

What if I see timeout errors?

Timeout errors usually mean an account has a lot of data. The script will retry on the next hourly run. If it keeps failing, you can try increasing run times or reducing PLACEMENT_LIMIT in the advanced settings.

What if data looks wrong?

First, check the 'Last Successful Run' timestamp to ensure the account is actually updating. Then verify the date range (last 30 days) and timezone. Data differences from the UI are usually due to timezone or removed campaigns.

Who do I contact for help?

For technical issues, check the Troubleshooting guide first. For purchase-related questions, email mike@mikerhodes.com.au. For community support, post in the Ads to AI Circle at mikerhodes.circle.so.

Customization

Can I add custom metrics?

You can add calculated columns in the sheets, but you can't add new Google Ads metrics without modifying the script code. The script pulls specific fields via GAQL queries.

Can I change the sheet layout?

You can add columns or tabs to the individual account sheets, but don't rename or delete the existing structure as the script expects specific column positions.

Can I add my own tabs?

Yes! Feel free to add additional tabs to the master sheet or individual account sheets for your own analysis. The script won't touch tabs it doesn't create.

Will updates break my customizations?

Script updates may add new columns or tabs but won't remove your custom additions. However, it's best practice to keep customizations in separate tabs rather than modifying the script's output tabs.

Updates

How do I know when there's a new version?

New versions are announced via email to purchasers and in the Ads to AI community. Check the script version number at the top of the code (currently v92).

How do I update?

Simply replace the script code in Google Ads with the new version. Your sheet URL and settings remain the same. No re-setup required.

Will I lose my data?

No. Updating the script code doesn't affect your Google Sheets. All historical data and settings are preserved.

Do I need to re-setup?

No. Just paste the new code and save. The script will continue using your existing sheet and settings.

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