Connect Google Ads

1Find your Customer ID

• Your Customer ID is the 10-digit id shown at the top-right of the Google Ads UI (like 123-456-7890). Enter it without dashes: 1234567890.
• If that account is managed under an MCC (manager) account, also note the manager's id — it goes in the optional Login customer ID field.

2Get a developer token

• In a manager account, open Tools & Settings → Setup → API Center and apply for API access.
• picoask only reads reporting data, which qualifies for Basic access; while your application is pending, a test-account token won't return production data — wait for at least Basic approval.
• Copy the developer token shown in the API Center.

3Create OAuth credentials

• In Google Cloud Console → APIs & Services, create (or reuse) a project and enable the Google Ads API.
• Under Credentials, create an OAuth client ID (Desktop app type is simplest). Note the client ID and client secret.
• Complete the OAuth consent once with a Google user that can access the ad account, requesting the https://www.googleapis.com/auth/adwords scope, and capture the issued refresh token (Google's OAuth playground or any standard helper works). The refresh token is long-lived — picoask uses it to mint fresh access tokens on every sync.

4Connect in picoask

In your project's Integrations tab, choose Google Ads → Connect and fill in:

• Customer ID — 10 digits, no dashes (step 1).
• Developer token — from the API Center (step 2).
• OAuth client ID and OAuth client secret — from Cloud Console (step 3).
• OAuth refresh token — captured in step 3.
• Login customer ID (optional) — the manager (MCC) id, only if the customer id sits under one.

picoask validates the credentials against the Google Ads API before saving. Credentials are stored encrypted and used only by the sync worker.

5Troubleshooting

• DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED — your API Center application is still pending. Wait for Basic access approval.
• USER_PERMISSION_DENIED — the Google user behind the refresh token can't access this customer id, or the MCC id is missing from Login customer ID.
• invalid_grant — the refresh token was revoked (password change, consent removed, or 6-month unused expiry). Re-run the consent flow and reconnect.
• Customer not found — dashes left in the id, or you entered the MCC id in the Customer ID field.