Why your platforms never agree
Every measurement platform counts differently, so some gap between GA4, Google Ads and Adobe Analytics is normal. The work is telling the normal gap from the broken one.
The gaps that are normal
- Attribution. Google Ads credits the click that led to a conversion, on the date of the click. GA4 reports on the date of the conversion, using its own attribution settings.
- Counting rules. Ads can count every conversion or one per click, depending on the conversion action. GA4 counts events.
- Consent and blocking. Visitors who decline consent or block scripts disappear from client-side tools in different ways.
The gaps that mean something is broken
- Two primary conversions for one order. A second primary conversion, often created through Visual Tagging, makes Smart Bidding chase an inflated number. Read: Visual Tagging Makes It Easy To Count The Same Order Twice
- Zeros that are really missing data. A report can't tell you whether nothing happened or nothing was measured. Read: Your Dashboard Cannot Tell You It Is Broken
- Timestamps that lie. Partially updated records carry today's date with months-old values. Read: The Date Column Is Lying To You
- A model change mid-period. Google Ads removed first click, linear, time decay and position-based attribution in 2026, so comparisons across that date compare two definitions. Read: Google Ads Just Removed Your Attribution Model: What Changed and the 15-Minute Check
- Stale dashboards. When a vendor retires an API, dashboards freeze instead of failing. Read: The API Retired Today. Your Dashboard Didn't Notice.
How we reconcile them
- Pick one system of record for each metric, usually the order or CRM system for revenue.
- Line up date basis, time zone and attribution model before comparing anything.
- Trace a handful of real conversions end to end through every platform.
- Document every filter and derived field the reports depend on. Read: Your BI Dashboard's Filters Are Undocumented Logic. Extract Them Before You Rebuild.