This article will outline:

• How to configure and install Google Tag Manager templates to track Partnerize conversions

Index

• Overview

• Cookie Consent

• Implementation Steps

  • 1. GTM Web Based Templates

    • 1.1 Capture Partnerize Click Reference Template

      • 1.1.1 Import Capture Click Reference Template

      • 1.1.2 Click Reference Template Permissions

      • 1.1.3 Set Up Click Reference Tag

    • 1.2 Partnerize eCommerce Conversion Templates

      • 1.2.1 How to import eCommerce Templates

      • 1.2.2 eCommerce Permissions

      • 1.2.3 Set Up eCommerce Tag

  • 2. GTM Server Side (S2S) Template

    • 2.1. Partnerize (S2S) Tag Template 

      • 2.1.1 Import Partnerize (S2S) Template

      • 2.1.2 Set up Click Tag

      • 2.1.3 Set up Conversion Tag

  • 3. Adding Additional Conversion Parameters

    • 3.1 Country Tracking

    • 3.2 Currency Tracking

  • 4. Conversion Tag Triggering Events

    • 4.1 Basic Configuration

    • 4.2 When to Trigger GTM / Exclusive Codes

  • 5. Conversion Force Approvals

    • 5.1 Using fulfilment_date

• Testing

• Next Steps

• FAQ's

Overview

Partnerize offers multiple Google Tag Manager (GTM) templates that simplify conversion tracking implementation by allowing brands to configure Partnerize tracking tags directly within GTM.

The templates use first-party cookie tracking via the Partnerize Click Reference (clickref), avoiding reliance on third-party cookies and supporting compatibility with Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) and equivalent browser privacy protections.

They also automatically read the GTM dataLayer and format purchase data for submission to Partnerize, reducing integration complexity and development effort.

Cookie Consent

Partnerize first-party tracking relies on storing a Click Reference (clickref) in a first-party cookie. If the clickref is not stored and returned, conversions cannot be attributed to the originating click.

Brands are responsible for their own website privacy and compliance obligations. Partnerize cannot provide legal advice on cookie consent requirements or cookie classification

Partnerize tracking options can be configured to align with your consent model. For technical setup options, see Cookie Consent Options

Implementation Steps

Partnerize offers two GTM implementation options:

Option 1: Web/Client-Side Tracking (Requires two templates):

• 1. 1 Capture Partnerize Click Reference : Captures and stores the Partnerize Click Reference (clickref) on the brand’s landing pages
• 1.2 Partnerize eCommerce Tag : Uses the GTM dataLayer to populate the conversion tag and track purchases on the confirmation page

Option 2: Server-to-Server (S2S) Tracking (Requires one template) :

• Partnerize S2S Tracking Tag : Handles both click and conversion events through a single template, simplifying implementation

1. GTM Web Based Templates

1.1 Capture Partnerize Click Reference Template

This template will look for, capture, and save the Partnerize Click Reference (clickref) from the brands landing pages. The clickref will then be automatically retrieved at point of purchase and added to the conversion tracking pixel, which provides a 1st party cookie tracking solution.  This tag MUST be deployed on all possible landing pages.

❗1.1 NOTE :  If implementing Server Side GTM you do NOT need to implement this click reference template see GTM Server Side (s2s) Template Section ❗

1.1.1 Import Capture Click Reference Template

• In Google Tag Manager (GTM), navigate to Templates
• Select Search Gallery to open the Template Gallery
• Search for Partnerize to display the available templates
• Select Capture Partnerize Click Reference, then click Add to workspace
• Review the permissions required by the template in the confirmation window

1.1.2 Click Reference Template Permissions

Review the permissions, then click Add to add the template to the current workspace : 

• Logs to console : Outputs the tracking pixel URL and its parameters in the browser’s developer console during preview mode to support troubleshooting

• Reads URL : Accesses the landing page URL to retrieve the Click Reference (clickref)

• Accesses local storage : Stores and retrieves data in the browser’s local storage

1.1.3 Set Up Click Reference Tag

The template is now available to configure the tracking tag and its trigger rules.

• Select Tags from the left-hand menu
• Click New to create a tag

• Click Tag Configuration and select the installed Capture Partnerize Click Reference template
• Click Triggering and select All Pages

• Click Save to save changes

• Click Submit to commit the changes

1.2 Partnerize Web eCommerce Conversion Templates

Partnerize offers GTM conversion templates to support different eCommerce dataLayer structures, provided they follow the relevant format :

• Partnerize GA4 eCommerce Tag :   Uses the GA4 dataLayer format

• Partnerize Enhanced eCommerce Tag :  Uses the Enhanced dataLayer format

• Partnerize Standard eCommerce Tag  : Uses the Standard dataLayer format

All templates automatically read transaction data from the GTM eCommerce dataLayer and populate the Partnerize conversion tracking pixel.

They work alongside the Partnerize Click Reference template to retrieve the click reference (clickref) stored in the browser's first-party cookie / local storage, reducing reliance on third-party cookies.

Deploy the appropriate conversion tag on the transaction confirmation page or event where the brand wants to send conversion data to Partnerize.

❗1.2 NOTE: Consult your GTM administrator to ensure the selected template matches your site's dataLayer structure. An incompatible template may result in incomplete conversion tracking❗

1.2.1 How to import web eCommerce Templates

• Navigate to Templates in Google Tag Manager
• Click Search Gallery to open the Template Gallery
• Search for Partnerize to view the available templates.
• Select the template that matches your dataLayer and click Add to workspace
• Review the permissions required by the template in the confirmation window

❗1.2.1 NOTE: If brand's dataLayer does not match Google's recommended structure Partnerize's templates will not be compatible and tracking may not work This may require a custom Template so please contact team❗

1.2.2 eCommerce Permissions

When importing a template, review the permissions required:

• Logs to console: Outputs the full pixel URL and data parameters in the browser console during preview mode, helping with debugging
• Sends pixels: Allows conversion pixels to be sent to Partnerize when the tag fires
• Reads data layer: Accesses eCommerce data from the dataLayer to populate the tag
• Accesses local storage: Allows the template to store and retrieve the click reference using browser storage and first-party cookies, as applicable

Click Add to add the template to the current workspace

1.2.3 Set Up eCommerce Tag

• Navigate to Tags in the left-hand menu and click New
• Click Tag Configuration
• Select the appropriate installed Partnerize template (e.g. Partnerize Enhanced eCommerce Tag)
• Configure the tag and its triggering rules

• Campaign ID: Enter the campaign ID provided by the Partnerize Integrations team

• Voucher code: Enable the voucher code parameter if required

• Automatic data mapping: The template reads the relevant values from the dataLayer and maps them to the appropriate Partnerize pixel parameters, formatting the pixel request automatically

• Custom conversion parameters: Click Add Row to specify additional parameter/value pairs. Use this for values not available in the dataLayer, such as Google Analytics data or hard-coded values

Example : Highlighted code below reads ecom.purchase.actionField.id from the dataLayer and passes its value to the Partnerize conversionref parameter

1.2.3.1 Template Customisation

The template code can be customised as necessary:

• Map dataLayer variables: For example  ecom.purchase.actionField.id may be better suited for the order ID, so this is mapped to the conversionref parameter
• Omit parameters: Comment out the relevant lines of code to exclude parameters from the Partnerize pixel.
• Rename parameters: Update the code to change parameter names
• Use a custom dataLayer: Modify the code to reference the brand's dataLayer if it does not use the Enhanced eCommerce format.
• Add additional values: Use Add Row in Tag Configuration to specify parameter names and values not available directly in the dataLayer.

Access the template code under Templates in Google Tag Manager, using the Template Editor

2. GTM Server Side (S2S) Template

2.1 Partnerize (S2S) Tag Template

Use this template when implementing Partnerize tracking through a server-side Google Tag Manager (GTM) container.

❗2.1 NOTE: Confirm with your GTM administrator that a Server container is configured and its tagging server is deployed before proceeding. If you only have a Web container, use the Partnerize Web-based template instead ❗

2.1.1 Import Server Side (S2S) Template

• In Google Tag Manager, navigate to Templates
• Under Tag Templates, click Search Gallery to open the Community Template Gallery
• Search for Partnerize to display the available Partnerize templates
• Select Partnerize S2S
• Review the template details, then click Add to workspace
• A confirmation window will appear, outlining the permissions requested by the template and the data or functionality it can access. Review these details before proceeding

Once the template has been added, create two new Tags in your GTM workspace using the same Partnerize template. The example below shows both tag configurations

The two tag configurations differ, and the template will guide you through the setup of each

2.1.2 Set up Click Tag

Configure this tag with PageView as the event type so it fires when a landing page loads. It captures the clickref from the specified URL parameter and creates the partnerizeClickReference HTTP-only cookie.

The tag should fire on all pages, subject to any applicable conditional logic, such as cookie consent and attribution rules. Ensure the cookie lifespan is configured to meet the requirements according to the brand's campaign requirements (E.g 30 days).

2.1.3 Set up Conversion Tag

3. Adding Additional Conversion Parameters

3.1. Country Tracking

Partnerize allows global brands to track the “country” of purchase.  This is extremely beneficial to identify which market generates the most spends and report back within the Partnerize platform. 

Within Tag Configuration section 

• Add Row

• Set Parameter Name to country 

• Set Parameter Value to the corresponding variable containing the country value

• Click Save

• If there are other variables to include repeat the above steps and map the Parameter Name with corresponding Parameter Value

❗3.1 NOTE : Only applicable if the country data is available in the purchase dataLayer 

The country code must follow the ISO 3166-1 two-letter country code (e.g. GB, US) ❗

3.2 Currency Tracking

If your brand operates across multiple regions, confirm which currencies will be passed in the currency parameter for tracked sales:

• Single currency: All sales are tracked in one currency (e.g., GBP).
• Multiple currencies: Sales may be tracked in different currencies (e.g., GBP, EUR, and USD).

Discuss your requirements with the Partnerize Integration team during the implementation phase to ensure currencies are tracked in accordance with your billing requirements.

4. Conversion Tag Triggering Events

4.1 Basic Configuration

• Configure the trigger to determine when the Partnerize pixel should fire. This should be based on the event that indicates a completed sale and the sale data is ready to be passed to Partnerize.
• In the example below, the trigger fires the pixel whenever the completeCheckout event occurs : 
  • Click Save to save the changes
  • Click Submit to publish the changes to your GTM container

❗ 4.1 NOTE: Disable GTM's Enable Cache Busting feature for the Partnerize integration to avoid appending additional values (E.g gtmcb=XXXX) that could interfere with tracking❗ 

To check or disable this setting:

• Navigate to Tag Configuration.
• If Enable Cache Busting is checked, uncheck it
• Click Submit and publish the changes

4.2 When to Trigger GTM / Exclusive Codes

The GTM conversion tag should typically fire at checkout when a clickref value is present.

If using Partnerize's Exclusive Codes functionality, ensure voucher / coupon codes are passed in the voucher parameter.

Exclusive Codes also supports clickless tracking, enabling brands to work with partners who don't use tracking links. To use this functionality, the conversion tag must fire unconditionally for every sale, regardless of whether a clickref value is present.  

The clickref parameter can be left empty using /clickref:/. The template's default configuration will work without modification

❗ 4.2 NOTE: Although tracking fires for every sale, Partnerize only attributes sales referred by its partners❗ 

5. Conversion Force Approvals

Conversions (sales) tracked in Partnerize are set to pending by default. Once the return window or internal validation period has passed, brands should approve or reject conversions to determine partner commission payouts. 

Your account may be subject to a contractual Force Approval Period, which determines when pending conversions are automatically approved. For configuration details, see the Force Approval Period section of our Payment Settings Guide

5.1 Using fulfilment_date

By default, the force-approval timeframe is calculated from the purchase date (conversion_date). Brands can provide an alternative reference date, such as a travel check-out date, event date, or physical goods fulfilment date, using the fulfilment_date parameter (if available within dataLayer)

When valid, fulfilment_date replaces conversion_date for the force-approval calculation. If missing or incorrectly formatted, Partnerize reverts back to conversion_date instead

Examples (70-day Force Approval Period):

• Without fulfilment_date: Conversion date 2026-10-01 → auto approved date 2026-12-10
• With fulfilment_date: Fulfilment date 2027-01-01 → auto approved approval date 2027-03-12

❗ 5.1 Note: fulfilment_date must use the ISO 8601 date format YYYY-MM-DD

Testing

Test the implementation by completing a purchase through the brand’s live website. Include a non-session test to verify attribution when a customer returns to purchase later, within the cookie period.

Testing Instructions

• Click a test partner link : Find the test partner under Partners in Partnerize, copy its tracking link and open it in a browser. Contact Integration Support if you cannot locate the link
• Simulate a returning customer : Close the browser, reopen it and navigate directly to the brand’s website without using the test link again.
• Complete a purchase : Ideally including multiple items / voucher code where applicable
• Send the order details :  

  • Provide source code from thank you page and order/transaction ID to integrations.support@partnerize.com

Expected Outcome

• Test conversion(s) are recorded in the Partnerize dashboard

• Conversion data is correctly populated from the GTM dataLayer, including the net item value, transaction currency and expected Click Reference (clickref)

• Check that the tracking solution has been fired from the live confirmation page

Next Steps

• Obtain a campaign_id  :  Contact Partnerize Integration Support
• Install the GTM templates : Using the instructions above and notify the Integration team once complete
• Test tracking : Submit transactions through the brand’s live website, following the testing instructions above

FAQ's

For answers to common questions about Google Tag Manager (GTM) tracking, please refer to our GTM FAQs