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This article will review:

• The process required for adding new tracking parameters
• Creating & Implementing a TEST- version of the tracking with the additional parameters
• Reviewing and monitoring the new data
• Switching the TEST- version live

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Index

• Overview
• Implementation Steps

Overview

This guide will outline the steps required for adding in new tracking parameters to your existing tracking. Making changes to your live tracking without any preparation could potentially cause issues with live tracking & reporting so we need to make sure the relevant steps are performed.

Common reasons for making changes are:

• Brand wanting to track more granular level data
• Reporting on data which was not included during initial launch

Implementation Steps

Our goal is to make sure that live tracking activity continues as normal while we test out the new parameter data. With this in mind, we urge clients to implement a TEST- version of the tracking so we can review this new data while LIVE tracking continues as normal.

Here is a quick overview of the steps required:

Step 1 - Discuss changes

The first step is for the brand to review exactly what parameter(s) need to be added to the existing tracking solution. The tracking solution will need to be checked to make sure the required data isn’t already being passed through in the live tracking. If the new tracking parameters are not already included in the pixel/S2S solution, then we can move onto implementing a 'TEST-' version of the tracking to add in the new data.

❗NOTE:

Changes should NOT be made to the existing solution at this stage.

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Step 2 - Implementation of TEST- version of tracking solution

The brand will need to implement a 'TEST-' version of the tracking solution to run in conjunction the existing tracking solution. This 'TEST-' version will need to include the new tracking parameter(s). The brand must follow the steps below to create the 'TEST-' tracking solution, depending on their current tracking solution:

Pixel:

• Brand makes a copy of their existing live pixel tracking solution
• Add in the new tracking parameter(s) into the copied pixel
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the Campaign ID - i.e. /campaign:TEST-1234/
• Implement this 'TEST-' pixel alongside the live pixel

Clickref Pixel:

• Brand makes a copy of their existing live clickref pixel tracking solution
• Add in the new tracking parameter(s) into the copied pixel
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the Campaign ID - i.e. /campaign:TEST-1234/
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the clickref  - i.e. /clickref:TEST-1234/
• Implement this 'TEST-' clickref pixel alongside the live clickref Pixel

S2S:

• Brand makes a copy of their existing live S2S tracking tracking solution
• Add in the new tracking parameter(s) into the S2s conversion call
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the Campaign ID - i.e. /campaign:TEST-1234/
• Add 'TEST-' to the beginning of the clickref  - i.e. /clickref:TEST-1234/
• Implement this 'TEST-' S2S conversion call alongside the live S2S solution

Pixel example:

Here is an example of how the 'TEST-' pixel could look using the instructions mentioned above - Please note the sections highlighted in BOLD:

https://prf.hn/conversion/campaign:TEST-XXXXXXX/conversionref:CONVERSIONREF[category:CATEGORY/sku:SKU/value:VALUE/quantity:QUANTITY/size:SIZE]

Bold Sections explained:

• TEST- has been added to the Campaign ID section of the pixel, essentially making this a test tracking solution
• The new tracking parameter (using SIZE as an example) has been added within the item brackets.

Clickref pixel / S2S example:

Here is an example of how the 'TEST-' S2S solution could look using the instructions mentioned above - Please note the sections highlighted in BOLD:

https://prf.hn/conversion/campaign:TEST-XXXXXXX/clickref:TEST-CLICKREF/tracking_mode:api/conversionref:CONVERSIONREF[category:CATEGORY/sku:SKU/value:VALUE/quantity:QUANTITY/size:SIZE]

Bold Sections explained:

• TEST- has been added to the Campaign ID section of the pixel / S2S conversion call
• TEST- has been added to the clickref ID section of the pixel / S2S conversion call
• The new tracking parameter (using SIZE as an example) as been adding within the 'TEST-' pixel / S2S conversion call

Once the 'TEST-' version of the tracking is implemented, please contact Partnerize in the first instance.

If you require assistance with creating your 'TEST-' pixel/S2S solution, please let us know.

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Step 3 - Review the TEST- tracking solution

Once the brand has contacted Partnerize to advise the 'TEST-' version has been implemented, the next part of the process is for Partnerize to review the new data.

Partnerize should expect to see both the live pixel/S2S solution and also a 'TEST-' version of the pixel/S2S solution for each conversion. The 'TEST-' version of the tracking will not track in the Partnerize platform, however we will still be able to review the data in our server logs.

Using this data, Partnerize can perform a number of comparison checks to make sure all the data being passed through is as expected while also monitoring the new data being passed through in the new tracking parameter(s).

The most important factor here is that live sales are tracking as normal while we review the new data in the 'TEST-' version of the tracking.

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Step 4 - Switch live

Once Partnerize and the brand are both happy with the new data being passed through in the 'TEST-' version of the tracking solution, the last part of the process is to make the 'TEST-' version tracking live and then remove the old tracking solution.

We would advise hiding or removing the old tracking rather than deleting completely, incase the tracking solution needs to be reverted.

The brand can do this by following the steps below (depending on the tracking method):

Pixel

• Remove 'TEST-' from the Campaign ID (essentially making this a LIVE pixel)
• Remove the old pixel

Clickref Pixel

• Remove 'TEST-' from the Campaign ID
• Remove 'TEST-' from the clickref
• Remove the old clickref pixel

S2S

1. Remove 'TEST-' from the Campaign ID
2. Remove 'TEST-' from the clickref
3. Remove the old S2S solution

❗NOTE:

The brand must let Partnerize know when the above changes have been made.

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Step 5 - Monitor the changes

Once the brand has removed the old tracking and replaced it with the new tracking, we should expect to see the new data being passed through into the Partnerize platform.

Both Partnerize and the brand must closely monitor the new data tracking in the Partnerize platform in the upcoming days to make sure everything is tracking as expected.