Linking to Manager Accounts

Manager accounts are Google Ads accounts that are used for administrative purposes and not for serving ads. They act as single points of access for the accounts they manage, so are used in setting up consolidated billing and other features across multiple accounts.

Services

The two services that are used to create a link between two accounts in the Google Ads API are the CustomerClientLinkService and the CustomerManagerLinkService. In the names for these services, the word "Customer" refers to the current account in the context of the request.

  • If you're a manager account looking down at your managed clients, you would employ the CustomerClientLinkService.

  • If you're a client account interested in the link to a manager account above you in the hierarchy, you would select the CustomerManagerLinkService.

These two services are essentially two different views of the same link. If manager account M manages client account C, then the CustomerClientLink when viewed from account M is the same entity as the CustomerManagerLink viewed from account C.

Procedure

Linking two accounts must always be initiated from the manager account, and then the link must be accepted from the client account. The state of the link is stored in the status field of the CustomerClientLink or CustomerManagerLink. See the list of valid statuses. Use PENDING to initiate the link, and ACTIVE to accept the link.

Linking two pre-existing Google Ads accounts can be accomplished in three steps.

  1. While authenticating as the manager account, extend an invitation to the client account by creating a CustomerClientLink with status PENDING.
  2. While authenticating as the manager account, query the GoogleAdsService to find the manager_link_id of the CustomerClientLink you created.
  3. While authenticating as the client account, accept the invitation from the manager account by mutating the CustomerManagerLink to have status ACTIVE.

Example

The following code example demonstrates how to establish a link between a manager account and its client:

Java

private void runExample(GoogleAdsClient googleAdsClient, long clientCustomerId, long managerId) {
  // This example assumes that the same credentials will work for both customers, but that may not
  // be the case. If you need to use different credentials for each customer, then you may either
  // update the client configuration or instantiate two clients, one for each set of credentials.
  // Always make sure you use a GoogleAdsClient with the proper credentials to fetch any services
  // you need to use.

  // Extend an invitation to the client while authenticating as the manager.
  googleAdsClient = googleAdsClient.toBuilder().setLoginCustomerId(managerId).build();

  CustomerClientLinkOperation.Builder clientLinkOp = CustomerClientLinkOperation.newBuilder();
  clientLinkOp
      .getCreateBuilder()
      .setStatus(ManagerLinkStatus.PENDING)
      .setClientCustomer(ResourceNames.customer(clientCustomerId));

  String pendingLinkResourceName;

  try (CustomerClientLinkServiceClient customerClientLinkServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createCustomerClientLinkServiceClient()) {
    MutateCustomerClientLinkResponse response =
        customerClientLinkServiceClient.mutateCustomerClientLink(
            String.valueOf(managerId), clientLinkOp.build());

    pendingLinkResourceName = response.getResult().getResourceName();

    System.out.printf(
        "Extended an invitation from customer %s to customer %s with client link resource name"
            + " %s%n",
        managerId, clientCustomerId, pendingLinkResourceName);
  }

  // Find the manager_link_id of the link we just created, so we can construct the resource name
  // for the link from the client side.
  String query =
      "SELECT customer_client_link.manager_link_id FROM customer_client_link WHERE"
          + " customer_client_link.resource_name = '"
          + pendingLinkResourceName
          + "'";
  long managerLinkId;

  try (GoogleAdsServiceClient googleAdsServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createGoogleAdsServiceClient()) {
    SearchPagedResponse response =
        googleAdsServiceClient.search(String.valueOf(managerId), query);
    GoogleAdsRow result = response.iterateAll().iterator().next();
    managerLinkId = result.getCustomerClientLink().getManagerLinkId();
  }

  // Accept the link using the client account.
  CustomerManagerLinkOperation.Builder managerLinkOp = CustomerManagerLinkOperation.newBuilder();
  managerLinkOp
      .getUpdateBuilder()
      .setResourceName(
          ResourceNames.customerManagerLink(clientCustomerId, managerId, managerLinkId))
      .setStatus(ManagerLinkStatus.ACTIVE);

  managerLinkOp.setUpdateMask(FieldMasks.allSetFieldsOf(managerLinkOp.getUpdate()));

  googleAdsClient = googleAdsClient.toBuilder().setLoginCustomerId(clientCustomerId).build();

  try (CustomerManagerLinkServiceClient managerLinkServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createCustomerManagerLinkServiceClient()) {
    MutateCustomerManagerLinkResponse response =
        managerLinkServiceClient.mutateCustomerManagerLink(
            String.valueOf(clientCustomerId), Arrays.asList(managerLinkOp.build()));
    System.out.printf(
        "Client accepted invitation with resource name %s%n",
        response.getResults(0).getResourceName());
  }
}
LinkManagerToClient.java

C#

public void Run(GoogleAdsClient client, long managerCustomerId, long clientCustomerId)
{
    // Remarks: For ease of understanding, this code example assumes that managerCustomerId
    // and clientCustomerId have the login email (and hence the same credentials work for
    // both accounts). In real life, this might not be the case, so you'd have a separate
    // GoogleAdsClient for managerCustomerId and clientCustomerId.
    try
    {
        // Extend an invitation to the client while authenticating as the manager.
        string customerClientLinkResourceName = CreateInvitation(client, managerCustomerId,
            clientCustomerId);

        // Retrieve the manager link information.
        string managerLinkResourceName = GetManagerLinkResourceName(client,
            managerCustomerId, clientCustomerId,
            customerClientLinkResourceName);

        // Accept the manager's invitation while authenticating as the client.
        AcceptInvitation(client, clientCustomerId, managerLinkResourceName);
    }
    catch (GoogleAdsException e)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Failure:");
        Console.WriteLine($"Message: {e.Message}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Failure: {e.Failure}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Request ID: {e.RequestId}");
        throw;
    }
}

/// <summary>
/// Extends an invitation from a manager customer to a client customer.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="client">The Google Ads client.</param>
/// <param name="managerCustomerId">The manager customer ID.</param>
/// <param name="clientCustomerId">The client customer ID.</param>
/// <returns>The invitation resource name.</returns>
private string CreateInvitation(GoogleAdsClient client, long managerCustomerId,
    long clientCustomerId)
{
    // Get the CustomerClientLinkService.
    CustomerClientLinkServiceClient customerClientLinkService =
        client.GetService(Services.V18.CustomerClientLinkService);

    // Create a client with the manager customer ID as login customer ID.
    client.Config.LoginCustomerId = managerCustomerId.ToString();

    // Create a customer client link.
    CustomerClientLink customerClientLink = new CustomerClientLink()
    {
        ClientCustomer = ResourceNames.Customer(clientCustomerId),

        // Sets the client customer to invite.
        Status = ManagerLinkStatus.Pending
    };

    // Creates a customer client link operation for creating the one above.
    CustomerClientLinkOperation customerClientLinkOperation =
        new CustomerClientLinkOperation()
        {
            Create = customerClientLink
        };

    // Issue a mutate request to create the customer client link.
    MutateCustomerClientLinkResponse response =
        customerClientLinkService.MutateCustomerClientLink(
            managerCustomerId.ToString(), customerClientLinkOperation);

    // Prints the result.
    string customerClientLinkResourceName = response.Result.ResourceName;
    Console.WriteLine($"An invitation has been extended from the manager " +
        $"customer {managerCustomerId} to the client customer {clientCustomerId} with " +
        $"the customer client link resource name '{customerClientLinkResourceName}'.");

    // Returns the resource name of the created customer client link.
    return customerClientLinkResourceName;
}

/// <summary>
/// Retrieves the manager link resource name of a customer client link given its resource
/// name.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="client">The Google Ads client.</param>
/// <param name="managerCustomerId">The manager customer ID.</param>
/// <param name="clientCustomerId">The client customer ID.</param>
/// <param name="customerClientLinkResourceName">The customer client link resource
/// name.</param>
/// <returns>The manager link resource name.</returns>
private string GetManagerLinkResourceName(GoogleAdsClient client, long managerCustomerId,
    long clientCustomerId, string customerClientLinkResourceName)
{
    // Get the GoogleAdsService.
    GoogleAdsServiceClient googleAdsService =
        client.GetService(Services.V18.GoogleAdsService);

    // Create a client with the manager customer ID as login customer ID.
    client.Config.LoginCustomerId = managerCustomerId.ToString();

    // Creates the query.
    string query = "SELECT customer_client_link.manager_link_id FROM " +
        "customer_client_link WHERE customer_client_link.resource_name = " +
        $"'{customerClientLinkResourceName}'";

    // Issue a search request by specifying the page size.
    GoogleAdsRow result = googleAdsService.Search(
        managerCustomerId.ToString(), query).First();

    // Gets the ID and resource name associated to the manager link found.
    long managerLinkId = result.CustomerClientLink.ManagerLinkId;
    string managerLinkResourceName = ResourceNames.CustomerManagerLink(
        clientCustomerId, managerCustomerId, managerLinkId);
    // Prints the result.
    Console.WriteLine($"Retrieved the manager link of the customer client link: its ID " +
        $"is {managerLinkId} and its resource name is '{managerLinkResourceName}'.");
    // Returns the resource name of the manager link found.
    return managerLinkResourceName;
}

/// <summary>
/// Accepts the invitation.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="client">The Google Ads client.</param>
/// <param name="clientCustomerId">The client customer ID.</param>
/// <param name="managerLinkResourceName">The manager link resource name.</param>
private void AcceptInvitation(GoogleAdsClient client, long clientCustomerId,
    string managerLinkResourceName)
{
    // Get the CustomerManagerLinkService.
    CustomerManagerLinkServiceClient customerManagerLinkService =
        client.GetService(Services.V18.CustomerManagerLinkService);

    // Create a client with the client customer ID as login customer ID.
    client.Config.LoginCustomerId = clientCustomerId.ToString();

    // Creates the customer manager link with the updated status.
    CustomerManagerLink customerManagerLink = new CustomerManagerLink()
    {
        ResourceName = managerLinkResourceName,
        Status = ManagerLinkStatus.Active
    };

    // Creates a customer manager link operation for updating the one above.
    CustomerManagerLinkOperation customerManagerLinkOperation =
        new CustomerManagerLinkOperation()
        {
            Update = customerManagerLink,
            UpdateMask = FieldMasks.AllSetFieldsOf(customerManagerLink)
        };

    // Issue a mutate request to update the customer manager link.
    MutateCustomerManagerLinkResponse response =
            customerManagerLinkService.MutateCustomerManagerLink(
        clientCustomerId.ToString(), new[] { customerManagerLinkOperation }
    );

    // Prints the result.
    Console.WriteLine($"The client {clientCustomerId} accepted the invitation with " +
        $"the resource name '{response.Results[0].ResourceName}");
}
LinkManagerToClient.cs

PHP

public static function runExample(int $managerCustomerId, int $clientCustomerId)
{
    // Extends an invitation to the client while authenticating as the manager.
    $customerClientLinkResourceName = self::createInvitation(
        $managerCustomerId,
        $clientCustomerId
    );

    // Retrieves the manager link information.
    $managerLinkResourceName = self::getManagerLinkResourceName(
        $managerCustomerId,
        $clientCustomerId,
        $customerClientLinkResourceName
    );

    // Accepts the manager's invitation while authenticating as the client.
    self::acceptInvitation($clientCustomerId, $managerLinkResourceName);
}

/**
 * Extends an invitation from a manager customer to a client customer.
 *
 * @param int $managerCustomerId the manager customer ID
 * @param int $clientCustomerId the customer ID
 * @return string the resource name of the customer client link created for the invitation
 */
private static function createInvitation(
    int $managerCustomerId,
    int $clientCustomerId
) {
    // Creates a client with the manager customer ID as login customer ID.
    $googleAdsClient = self::createGoogleAdsClient($managerCustomerId);

    // Creates a customer client link.
    $customerClientLink = new CustomerClientLink([
        // Sets the client customer to invite.
        'client_customer' => ResourceNames::forCustomer($clientCustomerId),
        'status' => ManagerLinkStatus::PENDING
    ]);

    // Creates a customer client link operation for creating the one above.
    $customerClientLinkOperation = new CustomerClientLinkOperation();
    $customerClientLinkOperation->setCreate($customerClientLink);

    // Issues a mutate request to create the customer client link.
    $customerClientLinkServiceClient = $googleAdsClient->getCustomerClientLinkServiceClient();
    $response = $customerClientLinkServiceClient->mutateCustomerClientLink(
        MutateCustomerClientLinkRequest::build(
            $managerCustomerId,
            $customerClientLinkOperation
        )
    );

    // Prints the result.
    $customerClientLinkResourceName = $response->getResult()->getResourceName();
    printf(
        "An invitation has been extended from the manager customer %d" .
        " to the client customer %d with the customer client link resource name '%s'.%s",
        $managerCustomerId,
        $clientCustomerId,
        $customerClientLinkResourceName,
        PHP_EOL
    );

    // Returns the resource name of the created customer client link.
    return $customerClientLinkResourceName;
}

/**
 * Retrieves the manager link resource name of a customer client link given its resource name.
 *
 * @param int $managerCustomerId the manager customer ID
 * @param int $clientCustomerId the customer ID
 * @param string $customerClientLinkResourceName the customer client link resource name
 * @return string the manager link resource name
 */
private static function getManagerLinkResourceName(
    int $managerCustomerId,
    int $clientCustomerId,
    string $customerClientLinkResourceName
) {
    // Creates a client with the manager customer ID as login customer ID.
    $googleAdsClient = self::createGoogleAdsClient($managerCustomerId);

    // Creates the query.
    $query = "SELECT customer_client_link.manager_link_id FROM customer_client_link" .
        " WHERE customer_client_link.resource_name = '$customerClientLinkResourceName'";

    // Issues a search request.
    $googleAdsServiceClient = $googleAdsClient->getGoogleAdsServiceClient();
    $response = $googleAdsServiceClient->search(
        SearchGoogleAdsRequest::build($managerCustomerId, $query)
    );

    // Gets the ID and resource name associated to the manager link found.
    $managerLinkId = $response->getIterator()->current()
        ->getCustomerClientLink()
        ->getManagerLinkId();
    $managerLinkResourceName = ResourceNames::forCustomerManagerLink(
        $clientCustomerId,
        $managerCustomerId,
        $managerLinkId
    );

    // Prints the result.
    printf(
        "Retrieved the manager link of the customer client link:" .
        " its ID is %d and its resource name is '%s'.%s",
        $managerLinkId,
        $managerLinkResourceName,
        PHP_EOL
    );

    // Returns the resource name of the manager link found.
    return $managerLinkResourceName;
}

/**
 * Accepts an invitation.
 *
 * @param int $clientCustomerId the customer ID
 * @param string $managerLinkResourceName the resource name of the manager link to accept
 */
private static function acceptInvitation(
    int $clientCustomerId,
    string $managerLinkResourceName
) {
    // Creates a client with the client customer ID as login customer ID.
    $googleAdsClient = self::createGoogleAdsClient($clientCustomerId);

    // Creates the customer manager link with the updated status.
    $customerManagerLink = new CustomerManagerLink();
    $customerManagerLink->setResourceName($managerLinkResourceName);
    $customerManagerLink->setStatus(ManagerLinkStatus::ACTIVE);

    // Creates a customer manager link operation for updating the one above.
    $customerManagerLinkOperation = new CustomerManagerLinkOperation();
    $customerManagerLinkOperation->setUpdate($customerManagerLink);
    $customerManagerLinkOperation->setUpdateMask(
        FieldMasks::allSetFieldsOf($customerManagerLink)
    );

    // Issues a mutate request to update the customer manager link.
    $customerManagerLinkServiceClient =
        $googleAdsClient->getCustomerManagerLinkServiceClient();
    $response = $customerManagerLinkServiceClient->mutateCustomerManagerLink(
        MutateCustomerManagerLinkRequest::build(
            $clientCustomerId,
            [$customerManagerLinkOperation]
        )
    );

    // Prints the result.
    printf(
        "The client %d accepted the invitation with the resource name '%s'.%s",
        $clientCustomerId,
        $response->getResults()[0]->getResourceName(),
        PHP_EOL
    );
}
LinkManagerToClient.php

Python

def main(client, customer_id, manager_customer_id):
    # This example assumes that the same credentials will work for both
    # customers, but that may not be the case. If you need to use different
    # credentials for each customer, then you may either update the client
    # configuration or instantiate two clients, where at least one points to
    # a specific configuration file so that both clients don't read the same
    # file located in the $HOME dir.
    customer_client_link_service = client.get_service(
        "CustomerClientLinkService"
    )

    # Extend an invitation to the client while authenticating as the manager.
    client_link_operation = client.get_type("CustomerClientLinkOperation")
    client_link = client_link_operation.create
    client_link.client_customer = customer_client_link_service.customer_path(
        customer_id
    )
    client_link.status = client.enums.ManagerLinkStatusEnum.PENDING

    response = customer_client_link_service.mutate_customer_client_link(
        customer_id=manager_customer_id, operation=client_link_operation
    )
    resource_name = response.results[0].resource_name

    print(
        f'Extended an invitation from customer "{manager_customer_id}" to '
        f'customer "{customer_id}" with client link resource_name '
        f'"{resource_name}"'
    )

    # Find the manager_link_id of the link we just created, so we can construct
    # the resource name for the link from the client side. Note that since we
    # are filtering by resource_name, a unique identifier, only one
    # customer_client_link resource will be returned in the response
    query = f'''
        SELECT
            customer_client_link.manager_link_id
        FROM
            customer_client_link
        WHERE
            customer_client_link.resource_name = "{resource_name}"'''

    ga_service = client.get_service("GoogleAdsService")

    try:
        response = ga_service.search(
            customer_id=manager_customer_id, query=query
        )
        # Since the googleads_service.search method returns an iterator we need
        # to initialize an iteration in order to retrieve results, even though
        # we know the query will only return a single row.
        for row in response.result:
            manager_link_id = row.customer_client_link.manager_link_id
    except GoogleAdsException as ex:
        handle_googleads_exception(ex)

    customer_manager_link_service = client.get_service(
        "CustomerManagerLinkService"
    )
    manager_link_operation = client.get_type("CustomerManagerLinkOperation")
    manager_link = manager_link_operation.update
    manager_link.resource_name = (
        customer_manager_link_service.customer_manager_link_path(
            customer_id,
            manager_customer_id,
            manager_link_id,
        )
    )

    manager_link.status = client.enums.ManagerLinkStatusEnum.ACTIVE
    client.copy_from(
        manager_link_operation.update_mask,
        protobuf_helpers.field_mask(None, manager_link._pb),
    )

    response = customer_manager_link_service.mutate_customer_manager_link(
        customer_id=customer_id, operations=[manager_link_operation]
    )
    print(
        "Client accepted invitation with resource_name: "
        f'"{response.results[0].resource_name}"'
    )
link_manager_to_client.py

Ruby

def link_manager_to_client(manager_customer_id, client_customer_id)
  # GoogleAdsClient will read a config file from
  # ENV['HOME']/google_ads_config.rb when called without parameters
  client = Google::Ads::GoogleAds::GoogleAdsClient.new

  # This example assumes that the same credentials will work for both customers,
  # but that may not be the case. If you need to use different credentials
  # for each customer, then you may either update the client configuration or
  # instantiate two clients, one for each set of credentials. Always make sure
  # to update the configuration before fetching any services you need to use.

  # Extend an invitation to the client while authenticating as the manager.
  client.configure do |config|
    config.login_customer_id = manager_customer_id.to_i
  end

  client_link = client.resource.customer_client_link do |link|
    link.client_customer = client.path.customer(client_customer_id)
    link.status = :PENDING
  end

  client_link_operation = client.operation.create_resource.customer_client_link(client_link)

  response = client.service.customer_client_link.mutate_customer_client_link(
    customer_id: manager_customer_id,
    operation: client_link_operation,
  )

  client_link_resource_name = response.result.resource_name
  puts "Extended an invitation from customer #{manager_customer_id} to " \
      "customer #{client_customer_id} with client link resource name " \
      "#{client_link_resource_name}."

  # Find the manager_link_id of the link we just created, so we can construct
  # the resource name for the link from the client side.
  query = <<~QUERY
    SELECT
      customer_client_link.manager_link_id
    FROM
      customer_client_link
    WHERE
      customer_client_link.resource_name = '#{client_link_resource_name}'
  QUERY

  response = client.service.google_ads.search(customer_id: manager_customer_id, query: query)
  manager_link_id = response.first.customer_client_link.manager_link_id

  # Accept the link using the client account.
  client.configure do |config|
    config.login_customer_id = client_customer_id.to_i
  end

  manager_link_resource_name = client.path.customer_manager_link(
    client_customer_id,
    manager_customer_id,
    manager_link_id,
  )

  manager_link_operation =
      client.operation.update_resource.customer_manager_link(manager_link_resource_name) do |link|
    link.status = :ACTIVE
  end

  response = client.service.customer_manager_link.mutate_customer_manager_link(
    customer_id: client_customer_id,
    operations: [manager_link_operation],
  )

  puts "Client accepted invitation with resource name " \
      "#{response.results.first.resource_name}."
end
link_manager_to_client.rb

Perl

sub link_manager_to_client {
  my ($api_client, $manager_customer_id, $api_client_customer_id) = @_;

  # Step 1: Extend an invitation to the client customer while authenticating
  # as the manager.
  $api_client->set_login_customer_id($manager_customer_id);

  # Create a customer client link.
  my $api_client_link =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Resources::CustomerClientLink->new({
      clientCustomer =>
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Utils::ResourceNames::customer(
        $api_client_customer_id),
      status => PENDING
    });

  # Create a customer client link operation.
  my $api_client_link_operation =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Services::CustomerClientLinkService::CustomerClientLinkOperation
    ->new({
      create => $api_client_link
    });

  # Add the customer client link to extend an invitation to the client customer.
  my $api_client_link_response =
    $api_client->CustomerClientLinkService()->mutate({
      customerId => $manager_customer_id,
      operation  => $api_client_link_operation
    });

  my $api_client_link_resource_name =
    $api_client_link_response->{result}{resourceName};

  printf "Extended an invitation from the manager customer %d to the " .
    "client customer %d with the customer client link resource name: '%s'.\n",
    $manager_customer_id, $api_client_customer_id,
    $api_client_link_resource_name;

  # Step 2: Get the 'manager_link_id' of the client link we just created,
  # to construct the resource name of the manager link from the client side.
  my $search_query =
    "SELECT customer_client_link.manager_link_id FROM customer_client_link " .
"WHERE customer_client_link.resource_name = '$api_client_link_resource_name'";

  my $search_response = $api_client->GoogleAdsService()->search({
    customerId => $manager_customer_id,
    query      => $search_query
  });

  my $manager_link_id =
    $search_response->{results}[0]{customerClientLink}{managerLinkId};

  my $manager_link_resource_name =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Utils::ResourceNames::customer_manager_link(
    $api_client_customer_id, $manager_customer_id, $manager_link_id);

  # Step 3: Accept the manager customer's link invitation while authenticating
  # as the client.
  $api_client->set_login_customer_id($api_client_customer_id);

  # Create a customer manager link.
  my $manager_link =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Resources::CustomerManagerLink->new({
      resourceName => $manager_link_resource_name,
      status       => ACTIVE
    });

  # Create a customer manager link operation.
  my $manager_link_operation =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Services::CustomerManagerLinkService::CustomerManagerLinkOperation
    ->new({
      update     => $manager_link,
      updateMask => all_set_fields_of($manager_link)});

  # Update the customer manager link to accept the invitation.
  my $manager_link_response =
    $api_client->CustomerManagerLinkService()->mutate({
      customerId => $api_client_customer_id,
      operations => [$manager_link_operation]});

  printf "The client customer %d accepted the invitation with " .
    "the customer manager link resource name: '%s'.\n",
    $api_client_customer_id,
    $manager_link_response->{results}[0]{resourceName};

  return 1;
}
link_manager_to_client.pl

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