Understanding Data Settlement
The advertisers and partners integrated with Katalys Marketing Platform report data in real time. This data is collected in our Identity Graph, where we process each data in a private data silo and produce attribution results. If a traffic source from Katalys was associated with the order, then the system may produce a billable.
Learn more about our attribution process →
Unfortunately, not all systems know all attributes of an order when the order is created. Sometimes only the sale amount is known on a thank-you/post-sale page, and order line items / SKU information is available via an API call. This is especially true when using specialized funnel builders, hybrid technology stacks, and with the advent of “headless commerce” platforms, where the code delivering the user session is wholly independent of the code that knows order details.
This means that Katalys gets updates from multiple systems and has to stitch the data together. It might take several minutes (or in some cases up to an hour) for a system to send an update to Katalys. This makes Katalys’ job difficult – how can Katalys show data as fast as possible to our partners while also ensuring our systems are aligned with an advertiser’s CRM?
Answer: by building time windows where data can “settle”. The Katalys Attribution Engine will receive updates from advertisers, and the system will adjust our results to ensure contracts stay accurate. The attribution process is re-run every time we receive an update on the order, de-duplicating the results and producing a merged, fully up-to-date view of all recorded data associated with that record. This is our standard “Conversion Report” view.
Learn more about how our system works →
Common Windows
Because we know data can change, we have limits in place so that you can trust our reporting. These are some common features and limits we have created to ensure reporting is predictable.
Feature | Delays | Note |
|---|---|---|
Data Processing | Typically 10-15 seconds | Our system operates in real time, but data for some advertisers can be delayed up to an hour |
De-Duplication | Typically 0-5 minutes | Our system operates in real time, but certain rare data-cleaning operations can result in two orders being “merged” within the first couple minutes of being reported. You may see an order be marked PENDING for the first 5 minutes. |
Final Result | Typically 15-120 minutes | After 2 hours, most advertiser systems have reported their data to Katalys, and the Katalys system has reacted appropriately. |
Pending-status Resolution | Typically 1-4 business days | When an order remains in pending status, it is typically due to a pending payment by the customer. Advertiser operations usually resolve these issues within a couple business days, and their system notifies Katalys of the change. |
Automatic Rejections | Max: 72 hours (3 days) from time of order | Cancelled, refunded, rejected, or unpaid orders can result in a conversion being rejected after initially being reported. |
How To Be Accurate
To get the most up-to-date view of Katalys data, we highly recommend using our Postbacks feature. Using Postbacks, you can synchronize your Katalys data into third-party systems or into audience platforms, like Google Ads or Meta Ads.