Oh, no! AdWords can now spend double your budget. Or not…

In case you hadn’t already heard, AdWords can now spend up to double your campaign’s daily budget… which is pretty darned irritating!

Fortunately, your favorite PPC superhero is here to save the day.

Yep, here I am! So let’s see if we can’t script our way out of this mess.

For 99 percent of campaigns, I’d normally recommend not using budget caps at all — I like to “tap it not cap it,” which basically means it’s better to control spend by bids (/ROI) rather than closing up shop with budgets.

However, there are certain instances where budgets are not just useful, but essential — for example, if a client has a specific budget attached to a particular campaign. Yes, Google, some people actually have limited marketing budgets!

At the very least, you should know when the overspend is happening, so you can judge for yourself whether said overspend should continue.

If you’d really like to keep a close eye on costs, have a look at our script to track your account’s spend every hour. For those who only want to be alerted when campaigns are over their budgets, this is where the new script comes in!

This latest script from Brainlabs (my employer) checks each campaign’s spend and budget. All you need to do is set a multiplier threshold — if the spend is larger than the budget multiplied by the threshold, then the campaign is labeled. You’ll get an email listing the newly labeled campaigns, along with their spend and budgets. And if you want, you can set another threshold so that if the spend gets too far over your budget, the campaign will be paused.

The script also checks if the campaign’s spend is under your labeling and pausing thresholds, so it can unlabel and unpause them. That means that when it’s a new day and nothing has been spent yet, the labels will be removed, and anything the script has paused will be reactivated. It also means that if a campaign is over budget, but you increase its budget, the labeling and status will reflect the new, increased budget.

To use the script, copy the code below into a new AdWords Script and change the settings at the top:

• campaignNameContains and campaignNameDoesNotContain filter which campaigns the script will look at. For example, if campaignNameContains is  [“Generic”, “Competitor”] then only campaigns with names containing “generic” or “competitor” will be labeled or paused. If campaignNameDoesNotContain is [“Brand”, “Key Terms”] then any campaigns containing “brand” or “key terms” in the name will be ignored (and can overspend as they like).
  • This is not case-sensitive.
  • Leave blank, [], to include all campaigns.
  • If you need to put a double quote into campaignNameContains or campaignNameDoesNotContain, put a backslash before it.
• email is a list of addresses that will be emailed when campaigns are labelled or paused.
  • Note that emails will be sent even when the script is being previewed and not making changes.
• currencySymbol, thousandsSeparator and decimalMark are used to format the budget and spend numbers in the email.
• labelThreshold determines how much the campaign must spend, compared to its budget, for the script to label it as overspending.
  • For example, if you set labelThreshold to 1, then campaigns will be labeled and you will be emailed if the spend is equal to the budget. If you set it to 1.2, then the campaign is labeled and email sent if spend is 120 percent of the budget.
• labelName is the name of the label that will be applied to overspending campaigns.
• Set campaignPauser to true if you want campaigns too far over their budgets to be paused. Set it to false if you do not want the script to pause campaigns, no matter how much they spend (the script will still label and email you according to the labelThreshold).
• pauseThreshold determines how much the campaign must spend, compared to its budget, for the script to pause it (if campaignPauser is true).
  • This works the same as labelThreshold: If it is 1.2, then campaigns will be paused if their spend is 120 percent of the budget.
  • This must be greater than or equal to the labelThreshold. The script needs the paused campaigns to be labeled so it knows which to reactivate when their spend becomes lower.

Preview the script to make sure it’s working as expected (and check the logs in case there are any warnings). Then set up a schedule so the script runs hourly.

A few things to note:

• The script only works with search and display campaigns! It can’t help with video, shopping or universal app campaigns.
• This script can’t completely prevent your going over budget. The script only runs hourly, so the campaign can go over the spend threshold between runs. And there’s a 15- to 20-minute lag in the spend data.
• Scheduled scripts don’t run on the hour, so campaigns will not be reactivated as soon as a new day begins. Instead, they’ll be reactivated when the script first runs on the new day, sometime between midnight and 1:00 a.m. Most campaigns receive little traffic at this time anyway — but if that’s not the case for you, you might want to set up automated rules to unpause things exactly as midnight strikes.
• You can set labelThreshold to be less than 1. For example, if you set it as 0.9, you’ll get an email when the campaign reaches 90 percent of its budget.

	/**
	*
	* Campaign Budget Overspend Monitoring
	*
	* This script labels campaigns whose spend today is more than their daily
	* budgets. Optionally, it also pauses campaigns whose spend exceeds the
	* budget by too much. An email is then sent, listing the newly labelled
	* and paused campaigns.
	* When spend no longer exceeds budget, the campaigns are reactivated and
	* labels are removed.
	*
	* Version: 1.0
	* Google AdWords Script maintained on brainlabsdigital.com
	*
	**/
	//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
	// Options
	var campaignNameContains = [];
	// Use this if you only want to look at some campaigns.
	// For example ["Generic"] would only look at campaigns with 'generic' in the name,
	// while ["Generic", "Competitor"] would only look at campaigns with either
	// 'generic' or 'competitor' in the name.
	// Leave as [] to include all campaigns.
	var campaignNameDoesNotContain = [];
	// Use this if you want to exclude some campaigns.
	// For example ["Brand"] would ignore any campaigns with 'brand' in the name,
	// while ["Brand", "Key Terms"] would ignore any campaigns with 'brand' or
	// 'key terms' in the name.
	// Leave as [] to not exclude any campaigns.
	var email = ["youremail@domain.com"];
	// The email address you want the hourly update to be sent to.
	// If you'd like to send to multiple addresses then have them separated by commas,
	// for example ["aa@example.com", "bb@example.com"]
	var currencySymbol = "£";
	// Used for formatting in the email.
	var thousandsSeparator = ",";
	// Numbers will be formatted with this as the thousands separator.
	// eg If this is ",", 1000 will appear in the email as 1,000
	// If this is ".", 1000 will appear in the email as 1.000
	// If this is "" 1000 will appear as 1000.
	var decimalMark = ".";
	// Numbers will be formatted with this as the decimal mark
	// eg if this is ".", one and a half will appear in the email as 1.5
	// and if this is "," it will be 1,5
	var labelThreshold = 1.0;
	// This is multiplied by the campaign's daily budget to create a threshold.
	// If the campaign spend is higher than the threshold, it will be labelled
	// (and you will be emailed).
	// For example if labelThreshold = 1.0 then campaigns are labelled when
	// their spend is greater than or equal to their budget.
	var labelName = "Over Budget";
	// The name of the label you want to apply to campaigns that have gone
	// over budget.
	var campaignPauser = false;
	// Set this to true to pause campaigns if spend exceeds the pauseThreshold.
	// Set to false if campaigns are to be kept enabled.
	var pauseThreshold = 1.2;
	// This is multiplied by the campaign's daily budget to create a threshold.
	// If campaignPauser is true and the campaign spend is higher than this threshold,
	// it will be paused (and you will be emailed).
	// For example if pauseThreshold = 1.2 then campaigns are paused when
	// their spend is greater than or equal to 120% of their budget.
	// pauseThreshold MUST be greater than or equal to the labelThreshold, so that all
	// campaigns that the script pauses are also labelled.
	//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
	//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~//
	// Functions
	function main() {
	checkInputs();
	//Get the campaign IDs (based on campaignNameDoesNotContain and campaignNameContains)
	var campaignData = getCampaignIds();
	var campaignsToAddLabel = [];
	var campaignsToRemoveLabel = [];
	var campaignsToPause = [];
	var campaignsToEnable = [];
	for (var campaignId in campaignData){
	var currentCampaign = campaignData[campaignId];
	var budget = currentCampaign.Budget;
	var status = currentCampaign.CampaignStatus;
	var spend = currentCampaign.Spend;
	var label = currentCampaign.Labels;
	var pauseBudgetCap = pauseThreshold * budget;
	var labelBudgetCap = labelThreshold * budget;
	if (status == 'enabled' && label.indexOf('"' + labelName + '"') == -1){
	if(spend >= labelBudgetCap){
	campaignsToAddLabel.push(currentCampaign);
	}
	}
	if (status == 'enabled'){
	if (spend >= pauseBudgetCap){
	campaignsToPause.push(currentCampaign);
	}
	}
	if (status == 'paused' && label.indexOf('"' + labelName + '"') != -1){
	if(spend <= pauseBudgetCap){
	campaignsToEnable.push(currentCampaign);
	}
	}
	if (status == 'enabled' && label.indexOf('"' + labelName + '"') != -1){
	if(spend <= labelBudgetCap){
	campaignsToRemoveLabel.push(currentCampaign);
	}
	}
	}
	//Change and update campaigns
	if (campaignsToEnable.length > 0 && campaignPauser === true){
	Logger.log(campaignsToEnable.length + " campaigns to enable");
	enableCampaigns(campaignsToEnable);
	}
	if (campaignsToRemoveLabel.length > 0){
	Logger.log(campaignsToRemoveLabel.length + " campaigns to unlabel");
	removeLabel(campaignsToRemoveLabel);
	}
	if (campaignsToAddLabel.length > 0){
	Logger.log(campaignsToAddLabel.length + " campaigns to label");
	addLabel(campaignsToAddLabel);
	}
	if (campaignsToPause.length > 0 && campaignPauser === true){
	Logger.log(campaignsToPause.length + " campaigns to pause");
	pauseCampaigns(campaignsToPause);
	}
	// Send an email, if actions were taken
	sendSummaryEmail(campaignsToAddLabel, campaignsToPause, campaignPauser, email);
	}
	// Check the inputs
	function checkInputs() {
	if (!isValidNumber(labelThreshold)) {
	throw "labelThreshold '" + labelThreshold + "' is not a valid, positive number.";
	}
	if (labelThreshold > 2) {
	Logger.log("Warning: labelThreshold '" + labelThreshold + "' is greater than 2. As AdWords does not spend more than twice the budget, this threshold will not be reached.");
	}
	if (campaignPauser) {
	if (!isValidNumber(pauseThreshold)) {
	throw "pauseThreshold '" + pauseThreshold + "' is not a valid, positive number.";
	}
	if (pauseThreshold < labelThreshold) {
	throw "pauseThreshold '" + pauseThreshold + "' is less than labelThreshold '" + labelThreshold + "'. It should be greater than or equal to labelThreshold.";
	}
	if (pauseThreshold > 2) {
	Logger.log("Warning: pauseThreshold '" + pauseThreshold + "' is greater than 2. As AdWords does not spend more than twice the budget, this threshold will not be reached.");
	}
	}
	}
	// Checks the input is a number that's finite and greater than zero
	function isValidNumber(number) {
	var isANumber = !isNaN(number) && isFinite(number);
	var isPositive = number > 0;
	return isANumber && isPositive;
	}
	// Get the IDs of campaigns which match the given options
	function getCampaignIds() {
	var whereStatement = "WHERE CampaignStatus IN ['ENABLED','PAUSED'] ";
	var whereStatementsArray = [];
	var campData = {};
	for (var i=0; i<campaignNameDoesNotContain.length; i++) {
	whereStatement += "AND CampaignName DOES_NOT_CONTAIN_IGNORE_CASE '" + campaignNameDoesNotContain[i].replace(/"/g,'\\\"') + "' ";
	}
	if (campaignNameContains.length == 0) {
	whereStatementsArray = [whereStatement];
	} else {
	for (var i=0; i<campaignNameContains.length; i++) {
	whereStatementsArray.push(whereStatement + 'AND CampaignName CONTAINS_IGNORE_CASE "' + campaignNameContains[i].replace(/"/g,'\\\"') + '" ');
	}
	}
	for (var i=0; i<whereStatementsArray.length; i++) {
	var report = AdWordsApp.report(
	"SELECT CampaignId, CampaignName, CampaignStatus, Amount, Labels, LabelIds, Cost " +
	"FROM CAMPAIGN_PERFORMANCE_REPORT " +
	whereStatementsArray[i] +
	"AND AdvertisingChannelType IN ['SEARCH', 'DISPLAY'] " +
	"DURING TODAY");
	var rows = report.rows();
	while (rows.hasNext()) {
	var row = rows.next();
	var budget = parseFloat(row['Amount'].replace(/,/g, ""));
	var spend = parseFloat(row['Cost'].replace(/,/g, ""));
	var campaignId = row['CampaignId'];
	campData[campaignId] =
	{CampaignId : campaignId,
	CampaignName : row['CampaignName'],
	CampaignStatus : row['CampaignStatus'],
	Spend : spend,
	Budget : budget,
	Labels : row['Labels'],
	LabelId : row['LabelIds']
	};
	}
	}
	var campaignIds = Object.keys(campData);
	if (campaignIds.length == 0) {
	throw("No campaigns found with the given settings.");
	}
	Logger.log(campaignIds.length + " campaigns found");
	return campData;
	}
	// Create the label if it doesn't exist, and return its ID.
	// (Returns a dummy ID if the label does not exist and this is a preview run,
	// because we can't create or apply the label)
	function getOrCreateLabelId(labelName) {
	var labels = AdWordsApp.labels().withCondition("Name = '" + labelName + "'").get();
	if (!labels.hasNext()) {
	AdWordsApp.createLabel(labelName);
	labels = AdWordsApp.labels().withCondition("Name = '" + labelName + "'").get();
	}
	if (AdWordsApp.getExecutionInfo().isPreview() && !labels.hasNext()) {
	var labelId = 0;
	} else {
	var labelId = labels.next().getId();
	}
	return labelId;
	}
	//Pause Campaigns
	function pauseCampaigns(campaignData) {
	for(j=0; j <campaignData.length; j++){
	var campaignIterator = AdWordsApp.campaigns()
	.withCondition('CampaignId = '+ campaignData[j].CampaignId)
	.get();
	if (campaignIterator.hasNext()) {
	var campaign = campaignIterator.next();
	campaign.pause();
	campaignData[j].CampaignStatus = 'paused';
	}
	}
	}
	//Enable Campaigns that were paused
	function enableCampaigns(campaignData) {
	for(j=0; j <campaignData.length; j++){
	var campaignIterator = AdWordsApp.campaigns()
	.withCondition('CampaignId = '+ campaignData[j].CampaignId)
	.get();
	if (campaignIterator.hasNext()) {
	var campaign = campaignIterator.next();
	campaign.enable();
	campaignData[j].CampaignStatus = 'enabled';
	}
	}
	}
	//Add Labels to campaigns
	function addLabel(campaignData){
	for(j=0; j <campaignData.length; j++){
	var campaign = AdWordsApp.campaigns()
	.withCondition('CampaignId = '+ campaignData[j].CampaignId).get().next();
	getOrCreateLabelId(labelName);
	campaign.applyLabel(labelName);
	}
	}
	//Remove Labels from campaigns
	function removeLabel(campaignData){
	for(j=0; j <campaignData.length; j++){
	var campaign = AdWordsApp.campaigns()
	.withCondition('CampaignId = '+ campaignData[j].CampaignId).get().next();
	campaign.removeLabel(labelName);
	}
	}
	// Combines information on labelled and paused campaigns and emails this
	function sendSummaryEmail(campaignsToAddLabel, campaignsToPause, campaignPauser, email) {
	var localDate = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), AdWordsApp.currentAccount().getTimeZone(), "yyyy-MM-dd");
	var localTime = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), AdWordsApp.currentAccount().getTimeZone(), "HH:mm");
	// Assemble the email message
	var subject = AdWordsApp.currentAccount().getName() + " - Budget Overspend Email";
	var message = "";
	message += makeChangeMessage(campaignsToAddLabel, 'labelled');
	if (campaignPauser) {
	message += makeChangeMessage(campaignsToPause, 'paused');
	}
	if (message == "") {
	Logger.log("No message to send.");
	return;
	}
	message = localDate +" at " + localTime +" :" + message;
	MailApp.sendEmail({
	to: email.join(','),
	subject: subject,
	htmlBody: message
	});
	Logger.log("Message to " + email.join(',') + " sent.");
	}
	// Turns campaign data into an HTML table
	function makeChangeMessage(campaignData, changed) {
	if (campaignData.length == 0) {
	return "";
	}
	var message = "<br><br>Campaigns that have been " + changed + "<br><br>";
	var table = "<table border=1 style='border: 1px solid black; border-collapse: collapse;'>";
	table += "<tr><th>Campaign ID</th><th>Campaign Name</th><th>Status</th><th>Spend</th><th>Budget</th></tr>";
	for (var k=0; k<campaignData.length; k++){
	table += "<tr><td>"+campaignData[k].CampaignId+"</td><td>"+campaignData[k].CampaignName+"</td><td>"+
	campaignData[k].CampaignStatus+"</td><td>"+formatNumber(campaignData[k].Spend, true)+"</td><td>"+formatNumber(campaignData[k].Budget, true)+"</td>";
	table += "</tr>";
	}
	table += "</table>";
	message += table;
	return message;
	}
	// Formats a number with the specified thousand separator and decimal mark
	// Adds the currency symbol and two decimal places if isCurrency is true
	function formatNumber(number, isCurrency) {
	if (isCurrency) {
	var formattedNumber = number.toFixed(2);
	formattedNumber = formattedNumber.substr(0,formattedNumber.length-3);
	formattedNumber = formattedNumber.split('').reverse().join('').replace(/(...)/g,"$1 ").trim().split('').reverse().join('').replace(/ /g,thousandsSeparator);
	formattedNumber = currencySymbol + formattedNumber + decimalMark + number.toFixed(2).substr(-2);
	} else {
	var formattedNumber = number.toFixed(0).split('').reverse().join('').replace(/(...)/g,"$1 ").trim().split('').reverse().join('').replace(/ /g,thousandsSeparator);
	}
	return formattedNumber;
	}

view raw Campaign Budget Overspend Monitoring hosted with ❤ by GitHub

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