Importing Ad Units from GAM
Bring Google Ad Manager ad units into Anima so you can map them to ad slots and serve through the wrapper. Import lives under Inventory → GAM → Ad Units, not under Ad Slots.
Why import from GAM
| Manual entry | Import from GAM |
|---|---|
| Enter each ad unit by hand | Pulled from your linked GAM network |
| Prone to typos in code / path | Code matches GAM exactly |
| Slow for large networks | Bulk import in one action |
Before you begin
- GAM connected and Connection Status shows a green
Successfulbadge on Account → Setup → GAM. See Connecting GAM. - You have permission to import ad units (
gam.import_adunits). Ask your onboarding specialist if the import buttons don't appear.
Where to import from
- Switch to Ad Manager (main) mode
- Inventory → GAM → Ad Units
This is the list of ad units you've imported from your GAM network. The import actions live in the page header as a single split button.
Three ways to import
Import all
Pulls every ad unit from your linked GAM network into Anima.
- Click the primary Import button (top-right of the page)
- Confirm the dialog — it shows the GAM network name and links out to
admanager.google.comso you can double-check you're on the right account - Wait for the import to complete
Best for initial onboarding, or when you want a full refresh after a bulk change in GAM.
Filter by Placement
Pull only the ad units that belong to a specific GAM placement — a grouping concept in GAM used to bundle related ad units.
- Open the dropdown next to Import
- Click Filter by Placement
- In the modal, enter the placement identifier
- Submit
Best for selectively importing a subset of a large network — you import the logical group without the rest.
Exact Code
Pull a single ad unit by its exact GAM code.
- Open the dropdown next to Import
- Click Exact Code
- In the modal, enter the ad unit's GAM code
- Submit
Best for one-offs — testing a new ad unit before deciding whether to import more, or pulling in an ad unit that was created in GAM after your last bulk import.
What gets imported
| GAM property | Anima property | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ad unit name | Ad unit name | Preserved as-is |
| Ad unit code / path | Internal reference | Used for mapping |
| Sizes | Ad unit sizes | All sizes on the ad unit import |
| Status | Active / Archived | Matches GAM |
Not imported (configured in Anima separately):
- Bidder / demand configuration
- Floor prices
- Lazy loading and refresh settings
- Layout assignment
Imported ad units appear in Inventory → GAM → Ad Units. To serve ads through them, map an Anima ad slot to each ad unit on the slot's Insert tab (see Creating an ad slot).
After importing
Imported ad units aren't yet serving. You still need to:
- Create ad slots that reference them — on each ad slot's Insert tab, pick the imported ad unit in the Ad unit field
- Add those slots to layouts — Inventory → Layouts
- Ship a release — Wrapper → Releases → Create Release
See Creating layouts for step 2.
Handling existing ad units
| Scenario | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Same GAM code, no prior change in Anima | Updates the Anima record with the latest GAM data |
| Same GAM code, edited in Anima since last sync | Import is non-destructive for the fields you've changed; GAM-authoritative fields (name, sizes) may refresh |
| New GAM code not seen before | New record created |
Anima never modifies GAM. Imports only read from your linked network.
Re-syncing specific ad units
Each row in Inventory → GAM → Ad Units has a Sync from GAM action in its row actions — use it to re-pull that single ad unit from GAM without importing everything again. Useful when you've just edited an ad unit in GAM (renamed it, changed sizes) and want to pull the change in right away.
For broader re-syncs, run Import again — it's idempotent across ad units that haven't changed.
Anima doesn't auto-refresh imported ad units on a schedule. They update only when you run Import or the per-row Sync from GAM. See Connecting GAM → How refreshes work.
Troubleshooting
Import button doesn't appear
You likely don't have the gam.import_adunits permission. Ask your onboarding specialist to grant it, or have an admin on your account run the import.
"No ad units found" after import
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| GAM connection not yet verified | Check Account → Setup → GAM — Connection Status should be green |
| GAM network has no ad units | Create ad units in GAM first |
| Import failed silently | Try Import again; check for modal error messages |
Ad unit imported but sizes look wrong
The ad unit in GAM may have been edited after your last sync. Open the ad unit row and use the per-row Sync action to re-pull the latest from GAM.
Large networks take a long time
Networks with thousands of ad units can take several minutes on the initial import. Progress is indicated in the UI. If it appears stuck for more than 15 minutes, contact your onboarding specialist.
Common questions
Can I rename an imported ad unit?
Name changes belong in GAM — Anima treats GAM as the source of truth for the ad unit's identity. Rename in GAM, then run Sync or Import to pick up the change.
What happens if I delete an ad unit in GAM?
The Anima record remains (it's not auto-deleted on the next sync). Archive it from the row's actions column if you no longer need it. Any Anima ad slots that referenced the deleted ad unit will fail to serve until you reassign them.
Should I import archived ad units?
Usually not — archived units in GAM are typically out of use. The Import action imports active ad units by default; use Exact Code if you need to pull a specific archived unit for a migration.