Real-time postback vs batch/CSV reconciliation — use both, here's the split

Real-time postback vs batch/CSV reconciliation — use both, here's the split

Two ways to get conversions into your tracker. They serve different jobs. Run both, not one.

Real-time postback — primary:
— Fires within seconds of the conversion.
— Feeds auto-optimization and live ROI.
— Use as your operational signal for pausing/scaling.

Batch reconciliation (daily CSV/API pull) — audit layer:
— Catches conversions the postback dropped (timeouts, downtime).
— Reflects reversals, chargebacks, and held conversions postbacks rarely send.
— Use as your source of truth for payout and final ROI.

Why you need both:
— Postback-only = you trust live numbers that ignore reversals; you'll overscale.
— Batch-only = you fly blind during the day; no optimization signal.
— Gap between the two is your data-quality metric. Postback should land within 3-5% of batch.

Rule: optimize on real-time, reconcile and report on batch. Investigate any day where the gap exceeds 5%.

Save this SOP. Run this before every launch.