How to Obtain the Access Token for the Google Ads Source

To connect to the Google Ads API and start importing data with OWOX Data Marts, follow the steps below.

Prerequisites:

You must have a Manager (MCC) account in Google Ads.
If you don’t have one yet, follow Google’s instructions to create it:
Create a Manager Account

Step 1. Register in the API Center

1. In your Manager (MCC) account, open Admin → API Center.
2. Fill out the registration form with the following details:
   • API Contact Email
   • Company Name
   • Company URL
   • Company Type
   • Intended Use — for example:
     “For in-house marketing analytics and retrieving ad data for reporting.”
   • Principal Place of Business
3. Check the box to accept the Terms and Conditions.
4. Click Create Token.

Step 2. Request Basic Access for the Developer Token

By default, new developer tokens can only access test accounts.
To retrieve data from active Google Ads accounts, you must apply for Basic Access.

In the Basic Access application form:

1. Fill in your company details.
2. Describe your company’s business model and how you use Google Ads.
   Example:
   “We leverage Google Ads to execute targeted campaigns that increase customer acquisition and brand awareness.”
3. Attach a document or PDF with a sample of your planned report design.
4. For the question “Do you plan to use your Google Ads API token with a tool developed by someone else?”, select Yes and include the OWOX Data Marts URL:
   https://github.com/OWOX/owox-data-marts
5. For the question “Do you plan to use your token for App Conversion Tracking and Remarketing API?”, select No.
6. Under “Which of the following Google Ads capabilities does your tool provide?”, check at least Campaign Management and Reporting.
7. Submit the application.

Within approximately three business days, the Google Ads team will respond to your registered email address.
If approved, you’ll see your access level updated in the API Center:

Service Account Authentication

Step 1: Create a Service Account in Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

1. Open your GCP project and navigate to
   IAM & Admin → Service Accounts → Create Service Account.
2. Enter a name and description, then click Create and Continue.
3. Assign the following roles:
   • BigQuery User
   • BigQuery Data Editor
4. Click Continue, then Done.
5. Locate the newly created service account, click the three dots (⋮) on the right-hand side, and select Manage Keys.
6. In the Keys tab, click Add Key → Create New Key → JSON.
7. The JSON key file will be downloaded automatically — please store it securely, as you will need it later.

Step 2: Set Up Access in Google Ads

Add the Service Account to Google Ads:

1. Open your Google Ads account and go to Admin → Access and Security.
2. Click the + (plus) icon to add a new user.
3. Paste your service account email address.
4. Assign Read-only permissions.
5. Click Add Account.
6. Repeat the same steps for your Manager (MCC) account.

Step 4: Save Your Developer Token and Customer ID

After completing, make sure to collect and securely store the following information:

• Developer Token — copy it from the API Center in your Manager (MCC) account.
• Customer ID — copy it from the top-right corner of your ad account (the account from which you want to retrieve data).
• Login Customer ID — copy the ID of your Manager (MCC) account.

At this point, you should have the following credentials:

Credential	Description
Service Account Key (JSON)	Used for authentication from your GCP project
Developer Token	Authorizes access to the Google Ads API
Customer ID	Identifies the ad account you’re retrieving data from
Login Customer ID	Identifies your Manager (MCC) account used for authentication

Step 5: Use the Credentials to Obtain the Access Token

Use the credentials you gathered above to retrieve the access token and connect to Google Ads, as described in the
👉 GETTING_STARTED guide.

OAuth2 Authentication

This section is currently under development.
OAuth2 authentication will allow connection using individual user consent instead of a service account.

✅ You’re all set!
You can now use your service account, developer token, and customer ID to access and import data from Google Ads via OWOX Data Marts.