Master Negative List - Single Account

This script is for a single account. For operating on multiple accounts in a manager account, use the Ads Manager version of the script.

Maintaining a master negative list of keywords and placements is a common task in Google Ads campaign management. This master list is generally used as a filter against keywords and placements that drive unwanted traffic to your website. In some cases, an advertiser may decide that a particular keyword is undesirable; in other cases, it may be to enforce a legal requirement (for example, a court order).

Google Ads supports negative criteria lists that can be shared with multiple campaigns in a single account. However, applying the list to multiple campaigns in a big account and keeping the list synced over time is still a difficult task. The Master Negative List Script simplifies this task by allowing you to manage the negative criteria through a spreadsheet.

How it works

The script reads negative criteria from a Google Spreadsheet. It creates a shared negative criteria list in the Google Ads account and syncs the list with the criteria from the spreadsheet. Separate lists are maintained for keywords and placements. The script then ensures that the negative criteria list is applied to all the campaigns in the account. If required, you can limit the list of campaigns by specifying a label in the configuration spreadsheet to filter for inclusion when processing campaigns.

The script optionally sends out an email summarizing its actions to an email address specified in the configuration spreadsheet.

Configuration

The script uses a spreadsheet for configuration. The following configuration settings are supported:

• The script processes all the ENABLED and PAUSED campaigns in an account by default. To limit the list of campaigns processed,
  1. Create a label in each account you want to process.
  2. Apply this label to the list of campaigns to be processed.
  3. Specify this label in cell C3 of the configuration spreadsheet.
• Specify an email address in cell C6 to receive a summary email once the script completes running.
• The script creates separate shared negative criteria lists for keywords and placements in the accounts it processes. Specify the name of the shared negative criteria lists in the configuration spreadsheet, cells C4 and C5.
• Omit any protocol prefix ("http://" or "https://") from any Placement URL in your placement list.
• Ensure that all Placement URLs do not have trailing slashes ("/").
• Ensure that all Placement URLs are in lower case in your spreadsheet.

Scheduling

Schedule the script to run daily or hourly.

Setup

• Set up a spreadsheet-based script with the source code below. Use this template spreadsheet.
• Don't forget to update your SPREADSHEET_URL in code.

Setting up a spreadsheet-based script

1. Open the template spreadsheet.
2. Make a copy of the spreadsheet and save it:
   • In the spreadsheet, menu, select "File -> Make a copy".
   • Enter the new spreadsheet name, click "OK".
3. In Google Ads, navigate to Scripts.
4. Create a new script and give it a name; authorize the script.
5. Copy-paste source code into the script (see below).
6. Replace
   

   var SPREADSHEET_URL = "[YOUR_URL]";

   with

   var SPREADSHEET_URL = "https://docs.google.com/...";

   Use the URL of the spreadsheet created in step 2.
7. Save the script, click "Close".
8. If necessary, schedule the script.
   

Source code

// Copyright 2015, Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
//
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
// You may obtain a copy of the License at
//
//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
//
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
// limitations under the License.

/**
 * @name Master Negative List Script
 *
 * @overview The Master Negative List script applies negative keywords and
 *     placements from a spreadsheet to multiple campaigns in your account using
 *     shared keyword and placement lists. The script can process multiple
 *     Google Ads accounts in parallel. See
 *     https://developers.google.com/google-ads/scripts/docs/solutions/master-negative-list
 *     for more details.
 *
 * @author Google Ads Scripts Team [[e-mail]]
 *
 * @version 1.0.2
 *
 * @changelog
 * - version 1.0.2
 *   - Added validation for external spreadsheet setup.
 * - version 1.0.1
 *   - Improvements to time zone handling.
 * - version 1.0
 *   - Released initial version.
 */

/**
 * The URL of the tracking spreadsheet. This should be a copy of
 * https://goo.gl/PZGKVn
 */
var SPREADSHEET_URL = 'INSERT_SPREADSHEET_URL_HERE';

/**
 * Keep track of the spreadsheet names for various criteria types, as well as
 * the criteria type being processed.
 */
var CriteriaType = {
  KEYWORDS: 'Keywords',
  PLACEMENTS: 'Placements'
};

function main() {
  var emailParams = {
    // Number of placements that were synced.
    PlacementCount: 0,
    // Number of keywords that were synced.
    KeywordCount: 0,
    // Number of campaigns that were synced.
    CampaignCount: 0,
    // Status of processing this account - OK / ERROR.
    Status: ''
  };

  try {
    var syncSummary = syncMasterLists();

    emailParams.PlacementCount = syncSummary.PlacementCount;
    emailParams.KeywordCount = syncSummary.KeywordCount;
    emailParams.CampaignCount = syncSummary.CampaignCount;
    emailParams.Status = 'OK';
  } catch (err) {
    emailParams.Status = 'ERROR';
  }
  var config = readConfig();

  var spreadsheet = validateAndGetSpreadsheet(SPREADSHEET_URL);

  // Make sure the spreadsheet is using the account's timezone.
  spreadsheet.setSpreadsheetTimeZone(AdsApp.currentAccount().getTimeZone());
  spreadsheet.getRangeByName('LastRun').setValue(new Date());
  spreadsheet.getRangeByName('CustomerId').setValue(
      AdsApp.currentAccount().getCustomerId());

  sendEmail(config, emailParams);
}

/**
 * Sends a summary email about the changes that this script made.
 *
 * @param {Object} config The configuration object.
 * @param {Object} emailParams Contains details required to create the email
 *     body.
 */
function sendEmail(config, emailParams) {
  var html = [];
  var summary = '';

  if (emailParams.Status == 'OK') {
    summary = 'The Master Negative List script successfully processed ' +
        'Customer ID: ' + AdsApp.currentAccount().getCustomerId() +
        ' and synced a total of ' + emailParams.KeywordCount +
        ' keywords and ' + emailParams.PlacementCount + ' placements.';
  } else {
    summary = 'The Master Negative List script failed to process ' +
        'Customer ID: ' + AdsApp.currentAccount().getCustomerId() +
        ' and synced a total of ' + emailParams.KeywordCount +
        ' keywords and ' + emailParams.PlacementCount + ' placements.';
  }
  html.push('<html>',
              '<head></head>',
                 '<body>',
                  '<table style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica; ' +
                       'border-collapse:collapse;font-size:10pt; ' +
                       'color:#444444; border: solid 1px #dddddd;" ' +
                       'width="600" cellpadding=20>',
                     '<tr>',
                       '<td>',
                         '<p>Hello,</p>',
                         '<p>' + summary + '</p>',
                         '<p>Cheers<br />Google Ads Scripts Team</p>',
                       '</td>',
                     '</tr>',
                   '</table>',
                 '</body>',
             '</html>'
           );

  if (config.email != '') {
    MailApp.sendEmail({
      to: config.email,
      subject: 'Master Negative List Script',
      htmlBody: html.join('\n')
    });
  }
}

/**
 * Synchronizes the negative criteria list in an account with the master list
 * in the user spreadsheet.
 *
 * @return {Object} A summary of the number of keywords and placements synced,
 *     and the number of campaigns to which these lists apply.
 */
function syncMasterLists() {
  var config = readConfig();
  var syncedCampaignCount = 0;

  var keywordListDetails = syncCriteriaInNegativeList(config,
      CriteriaType.KEYWORDS);
  syncedCampaignCount = syncCampaignList(config, keywordListDetails.SharedList,
      CriteriaType.KEYWORDS);

  var placementListDetails = syncCriteriaInNegativeList(config,
      CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS);
  syncCampaignList(config, placementListDetails.SharedList,
      CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS);

  return {
    'CampaignCount': syncedCampaignCount,
    'PlacementCount': placementListDetails.CriteriaCount,
    'KeywordCount': keywordListDetails.CriteriaCount
  };
}

/**
 * Synchronizes the list of campaigns covered by a negative list against the
 * desired list of campaigns to be covered by the master list.
 *
 * @param {Object} config The configuration object.
 * @param {AdsApp.NegativeKeywordList|AdsApp.ExcludedPlacementList}
 *    sharedList The shared negative criterion list to be synced against the
 *    master list.
 * @param {String} criteriaType The criteria type for the shared negative list.
 *
 * @return {Number} The number of campaigns synced.
 */
function syncCampaignList(config, sharedList, criteriaType) {
  var campaignIds = getLabelledCampaigns(config.label);
  var totalCampaigns = Object.keys(campaignIds).length;

  var listedCampaigns = sharedList.campaigns().get();

  var campaignsToRemove = [];

  while (listedCampaigns.hasNext()) {
    var listedCampaign = listedCampaigns.next();
    if (listedCampaign.getId() in campaignIds) {
      delete campaignIds[listedCampaign.getId()];
    } else {
      campaignsToRemove.push(listedCampaign);
    }
  }

  // Anything left over in campaignIds starts a new list.
  var campaignsToAdd = AdsApp.campaigns().withIds(
      Object.keys(campaignIds)).get();
  while (campaignsToAdd.hasNext()) {
    var campaignToAdd = campaignsToAdd.next();

    if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
      campaignToAdd.addNegativeKeywordList(sharedList);
    } else if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
      campaignToAdd.addExcludedPlacementList(sharedList);
    }
  }

  for (var i = 0; i < campaignsToRemove.length; i++) {
    if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
      campaignsToRemove[i].removeNegativeKeywordList(sharedList);
    } else if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
      campaignsToRemove[i].removeExcludedPlacementList(sharedList);
    }
  }

  return totalCampaigns;
}

/**
 * Gets a list of campaigns having a particular label.
 *
 * @param {String} labelText The label text.
 *
 * @return {Array.<Number>} An array of campaign IDs having the specified
 *     label.
 */
function getLabelledCampaigns(labelText) {
  var campaignIds = {};

  if (labelText != '') {
    var label = getLabel(labelText);
    var campaigns = label.campaigns().withCondition(
        'Status in [ENABLED, PAUSED]').get();
  } else {
    var campaigns = AdsApp.campaigns().withCondition(
        'Status in [ENABLED, PAUSED]').get();
  }

  while (campaigns.hasNext()) {
    var campaign = campaigns.next();
    campaignIds[campaign.getId()] = 1;
  }
  return campaignIds;
}

/**
 * Gets a label with the specified label text.
 *
 * @param {String} labelText The label text.
 *
 * @return {AdsApp.Label} The label text.
 */
function getLabel(labelText) {
  var labels = AdsApp.labels().withCondition(
      "Name='" + labelText + "'").get();
  if (labels.totalNumEntities() == 0) {
    var message = Utilities.formatString('Label named %s is missing in your ' +
        'account. Make sure the label exists in the account, and is applied ' +
        'to campaigns and adgroups you wish to process.', labelText);
    throw (message);
  }

  return labels.next();
}

/**
 * Synchronizes the criteria in a shared negative criteria list with the user
 * spreadsheet.
 *
 * @param {Object} config The configuration object.
 * @param {String} criteriaType The criteria type for the shared negative list.
 *
 * @return {Object} A summary of the synced negative list, and the number of
 *     criteria that were synced.
 */
function syncCriteriaInNegativeList(config, criteriaType) {
  var criteriaFromSheet = loadCriteria(criteriaType);
  var totalCriteriaCount = Object.keys(criteriaFromSheet).length;

  var sharedList = null;
  var listName = config.listname[criteriaType];

  sharedList = createNegativeListIfRequired(listName, criteriaType);

  var negativeCriteria = null;

  try {
    if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
      negativeCriteria = sharedList.negativeKeywords().get();
    } else if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
      negativeCriteria = sharedList.excludedPlacements().get();
    }
  } catch (e) {
    Logger.log('Failed to retrieve shared list. Error says ' + e);
    if (AdsApp.getExecutionInfo().isPreview()) {
      var message = Utilities.formatString('The script cannot create the ' +
          'negative %s list in preview mode. Either run the script without ' +
          'preview, or create a negative %s list with name "%s" manually ' +
          'before previewing the script.', criteriaType, criteriaType,
          listName);
      Logger.log(message);
    }
    throw e;
  }

  var criteriaToDelete = [];

  while (negativeCriteria.hasNext()) {
    var negativeCriterion = negativeCriteria.next();
    var key = null;

    if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
      key = negativeCriterion.getText();
    } else if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
      key = negativeCriterion.getUrl();
    }

    if (key in criteriaFromSheet) {
      // Nothing to do with this criteria. Remove it from loaded list.
      delete criteriaFromSheet[key];
    } else {
      // This criterion is not in the sync list. Mark for deletion.
      criteriaToDelete.push(negativeCriterion);
    }
  }

  // Whatever left in the sync list are new items.
  if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
    sharedList.addNegativeKeywords(Object.keys(criteriaFromSheet));
  } else if (criteriaType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
    sharedList.addExcludedPlacements(Object.keys(criteriaFromSheet));
  }

  for (var i = 0; i < criteriaToDelete.length; i++) {
    criteriaToDelete[i].remove();
  }

  return {
    'SharedList': sharedList,
    'CriteriaCount': totalCriteriaCount,
    'Type': criteriaType
  };
}

/**
 * Creates a shared negative criteria list if required.
 *
 * @param {string} listName The name of shared negative criteria list.
 * @param {String} listType The criteria type for the shared negative list.
 *
 * @return {AdsApp.NegativeKeywordList|AdsApp.ExcludedPlacementList} An
 *     existing shared negative criterion list if it already exists in the
 *     account, or the newly created list if one didn't exist earlier.
 */
function createNegativeListIfRequired(listName, listType) {
  var negativeListSelector = null;
  if (listType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
    negativeListSelector = AdsApp.negativeKeywordLists();
  } else if (listType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
    negativeListSelector = AdsApp.excludedPlacementLists();
  }
  var negativeListIterator = negativeListSelector.withCondition(
      "Name = '" + listName + "'").get();

  if (negativeListIterator.totalNumEntities() == 0) {
    var builder = null;

    if (listType == CriteriaType.KEYWORDS) {
      builder = AdsApp.newNegativeKeywordListBuilder();
    } else if (listType == CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS) {
      builder = AdsApp.newExcludedPlacementListBuilder();
    }

    var negativeListOperation = builder.withName(listName).build();
    return negativeListOperation.getResult();
  } else {
    return negativeListIterator.next();
  }
}

/**
 * Loads a list of criteria from the user spreadsheet.
 *
 * @param {string} sheetName The name of shared negative criteria list.
 *
 * @return {Object} A map of the list of criteria loaded from the spreadsheet.
 */
function loadCriteria(sheetName) {
  var spreadsheet = validateAndGetSpreadsheet(SPREADSHEET_URL);
  var sheet = spreadsheet.getSheetByName(sheetName);
  var values = sheet.getRange('B4:B').getValues();

  var retval = {};
  for (var i = 0; i < values.length; i++) {
    var keyword = values[i][0].toString().trim();
    if (keyword != '') {
      retval[keyword] = 1;
    }
  }
  return retval;
}

/**
 * Loads a configuration object from the spreadsheet.
 *
 * @return {Object} A configuration object.
 */
function readConfig() {
  var spreadsheet = validateAndGetSpreadsheet(SPREADSHEET_URL);
  var values = spreadsheet.getRangeByName('ConfigurationValues').getValues();

  var config = {
    'label': values[0][0],
    'listname': {
    },
    'email': values[3][0],
  };
  config.listname[CriteriaType.KEYWORDS] = values[1][0];
  config.listname[CriteriaType.PLACEMENTS] = values[2][0];
  return config;
}

/**
 * DO NOT EDIT ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE.
 * Please modify your spreadsheet URL at the top of the file only.
 */

/**
 * Validates the provided spreadsheet URL and email address
 * to make sure that they're set up properly. Throws a descriptive error message
 * if validation fails.
 *
 * @param {string} spreadsheeturl The URL of the spreadsheet to open.
 * @return {Spreadsheet} The spreadsheet object itself, fetched from the URL.
 * @throws {Error} If the spreadsheet URL or email hasn't been set
 */
function validateAndGetSpreadsheet(spreadsheeturl) {
  if (spreadsheeturl == 'INSERT_SPREADSHEET_URL_HERE') {
    throw new Error('Please specify a valid Spreadsheet URL. You can find' +
        ' a link to a template in the associated guide for this script.');
  }
  var spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(spreadsheeturl);
  return spreadsheet;
}

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