Troubleshooting: when a client is stuck or waiting
Updated By Adcato
When a client cannot go further, their box on Clients says Stuck with a reason, and the client's own box shows a card with what to do. Below is each reason as the dashboard words it, what the client is told, and the guide for the fix on Meta's or Google's own screen. Where a step is yours, it says so.
Meta
"Stuck: the client declined a permission when signing in to Facebook"
The client's card says a permission was switched off. They choose Continue with Facebook again and leave every permission switched on.
"Stuck: the client has no Business Manager on that Facebook account"
The Facebook profile they used manages no business portfolio. They sign in with the profile they use for work, or create a business portfolio in Meta Business Suite and add the Page and ad account to it. See partner access in Meta Business Suite.
"Stuck: the client is not an admin of their Business Manager"
Only someone with full control of the business portfolio can give a partner access. The card tells the client to send the link to an admin, who does only this part; what the client did so far stays. See Meta sharing errors.
"Stuck: an asset belongs to another business"
The account sits in another business portfolio, and only its owner can share it. That owner can be a previous agency. See Meta sharing errors and removing an old agency's access.
"Stuck: the Business Manager requires two-factor authentication first"
The client switches on two-factor authentication in their Facebook security settings and connects Facebook again, or sends the link to an admin who already uses it. See two-factor authentication in a business portfolio.
"Stuck: the Instagram account is not in the Business Manager yet"
The client adds the account under Instagram accounts in their business settings, which needs the Instagram login, and comes back to check again. See giving an agency access to Instagram.
"Stuck: the ad account belongs to a person, not a business"
The client adds the ad account to their business portfolio first. The card warns that once an ad account belongs to a portfolio, Meta does not let it leave. See giving an agency access to a Meta ad account.
The ad account is restricted
This is not a stop. The client can still give access, and the card says ads will not run until Meta lifts the restriction. See Meta sharing errors.
"Stuck: the client signed in with a Google account that has none of these"
They connect again and choose the Google account they use for these, or send the link to whoever looks after them.
"Stuck: the client unticked a permission on Google's screen"
They connect Google again and tick every box on Google's screen.
"Stuck: Google asks the client for a passkey first"
The client creates a passkey in their Google Account. The card says a new passkey can take up to 7 days to work for Google Ads, so they finish Analytics and Tag Manager now and open the same link again later for Google Ads. The card also offers the other way: send the link to an admin of the Google Ads account who already uses a passkey. See Google Ads passkeys and 2-Step Verification.
"Stuck: the client is not an admin of the Google Ads account"
The card says only a user with Admin access can link a manager account. The client sends the link to someone with Admin access, who does only this part. See giving an agency access to Google Ads.
"Stuck: the client picked a manager account instead of the ad account"
They go back and choose the ad account itself, which has its own 10-digit customer ID. See linking a client's Google Ads account to your manager account.
"Stuck: the Google Ads account is canceled or suspended"
Nothing can be linked to it in that state. The client reactivates it in Google Ads, or leaves it out and carries on with the rest.
"Stuck: the Google Ads account already has five manager accounts"
One of the linked manager accounts has to be removed in Google Ads before yours can be added. See linking to your manager account and removing an old agency's access.
"Stuck: the client is not an admin of the Analytics property"
They send the link to whoever set up Analytics, who does only this part. See giving an agency access to Google Analytics 4.
"Stuck: the client is not an admin of the Tag Manager account"
The same, for whoever set up Tag Manager. See giving an agency access to Google Tag Manager.
Waiting on a platform
- "The client has to add you as a partner on the platform's own screen." The Meta ad account or pixel step is not done or not seen yet. The client finishes it in Meta Business Settings; the box moves on by itself, or the client chooses Check again. An ad account shared at a lower level than you asked for (View performance instead of Manage campaigns) does not count: the client switches on the level the steps name. If they finished after closing the box, Adcato reads it from your side within six hours (sooner in the first hours), as long as your Meta connection on Connections is still signed in. See the ad account guide and sharing a pixel (dataset).
- A second admin at Meta. Meta can ask a second admin of the client's business portfolio to approve under Requests in the business settings.
- A second Google Ads admin. On an account with more than three admins, Google asks another admin to approve under Security requests; the request expires after 20 days. See Google Ads multi-party approval.
- "An invitation is sent. It counts when it is accepted." Google mailed the Google user on your link; accept it from that inbox. The client's box says it expires after 20 days.
- "Send a link request from your manager account to this account in Google Ads; the client accepts it there." This step is yours: the service could not send the request for you. Send it from your manager account in Google Ads. If the Google box on Connections says Sign in again, reconnect first, so the service can see when the client accepts.
- "Waiting. Google no longer accepts your sign-in." This is yours too. Choose Reconnect on the Google box on Connections.
- "Waiting. Facebook no longer accepts your sign-in." The same for Meta: choose Reconnect on the Meta box on Connections.
A Google Ads request that ended
Beside the account, the client page says what happened, followed by The client can try again from the link. For example:
- The client declined the link request from your manager account.
- The link request from your manager account was withdrawn before it was accepted.
- Your manager account could not send the link request. Check on Connections that your Google sign-in is an admin of it.
- This Google Ads account is already under your manager account through another one.
A request nobody accepted in time says The request ran out before it was accepted. Ask the client to open the same link and try again.
Not about a platform
- The page is open inside another app. Google's buttons are switched off, and the box tells the client to open the page in Safari or Chrome.
- "Your sign-in has ended." The client's sign-in lasts 30 minutes; they sign in again on the same link.
- "This link has been started too many times." Create a new link for the client.
- "This sign-in is not available here yet." The service is not set up for that platform yet; leave it out of the link for now.
If none of these match
Ask your client for the exact words in their box, and look at the client's page for the line beside each account.
Questions
Can I fix a stuck client from my side?
Only the items that are yours: a Facebook or Google sign-in that Connections or the client's page asks you to renew, a link request your manager account has to send, and a Google invitation to your Google user that you have to accept. The rest is done by someone at the client, and the client's box tells them what.
Does the client know what to do?
Yes. Each reason has a card in the client's box with what is wrong and the steps, and where someone else has to do it, a way to pass the same link on.
Why is the Meta ad account a step the client does on Meta's screen?
Meta has closed partner sharing of ad accounts to new apps, so the client switches it on in Meta Business Settings and the box reads Meta to check it arrived. The ad account guide explains the steps.
The client fixed it. Do they need a new link?
No. They open the same link again. What they gave before stays given, and the fix cards ask them to sign in again or choose Check again.