GA4 Cost Data Import: Complete Step-by-Step Setup Guide

You're spending $20,000/month on LinkedIn Ads, TikTok, and Pinterest. Your GA4 shows beautiful conversion data. But when you try to calculate ROAS...

Cost: $0.00

GA4 has no idea how much you're spending because these platforms don't automatically send cost data like Google Ads and Facebook do.

The solution: Manual cost data import using GA4's Data Import feature.

This guide walks you through the complete setup process in under 30 minutes, with copy-paste-ready CSV templates and troubleshooting for common errors.

Prerequisites (Do This First)

Before setting up cost import, ensure you have:

✅ Requirement 1: utm_id in Your Campaign URLs

Every campaign URL must include utm_id:

✅ Correct:
https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo

❌ Wrong (no utm_id):
https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo

Why: GA4 uses utm_id to match your cost data to the correct campaigns. Without it, matching fails and cost import doesn't work.

Read this first if you haven't added utm_id: utm_id: The Missing Link for Cost Data Import

✅ Requirement 2: GA4 Admin Access

You need Editor or Administrator role in GA4 to set up data import.

Check your access:

1. GA4 → Admin (bottom left)
2. Account Access Management
3. Verify your role = Editor or Administrator

✅ Requirement 3: Cost Data from Your Ad Platforms

You need daily cost data from each platform you want to import.

Where to find it:

Step-by-Step Setup (30 Minutes)

Part 1: Create Data Import Source in GA4 (10 minutes)

Step 1: Open GA4 → Admin (bottom left)

Step 2: In the Property column, click Data import

Step 3: Click Create data source

Step 4: Select Cost data as the import type

Step 5: Click Next

Step 6: Configure data source settings:

Data source name: Ad Platform Cost Data (or be specific: "LinkedIn Cost Data")
Description: Daily cost data import for LinkedIn Ads campaigns

Step 7: Select data source parameters:

Key (required):

• ✅ Campaign ID ← This matches your utm_id

Imported dimensions (optional but recommended):

• ✅ Campaign
• ✅ Source
• ✅ Medium

Imported metrics (required):

• ✅ Cost ← Required for ROI calculations
• Clicks (optional)
• Impressions (optional)

Step 8: Click Next

Step 9: Schema mapping:

GA4 will show you the required CSV format. Note the column names (case-sensitive):

Date          ← Required (format: YYYYMMDD)
Campaign ID   ← Required (matches utm_id)
Cost          ← Required (numeric, no currency symbols)
Campaign      ← Optional
Source        ← Optional
Medium        ← Optional

Step 10: Click Create

Result: You now have a data import source. Next, you'll upload your first CSV.

Part 2: Prepare Your Cost Data CSV (10 minutes)

Step 1: Export cost data from your ad platform

Download daily cost data for your campaigns. Most platforms let you export as CSV or Excel.

Step 2: Create CSV in the GA4 format

Required column format:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250101,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50
20250102,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1024.80
20250103,LI-2025-01-DEMO,956.30
20250101,TT-2025-01-BRAND,456.20
20250102,TT-2025-01-BRAND,492.15
20250103,TT-2025-01-BRAND,478.90

Column requirements:

Optional columns (recommended):

Date,Campaign ID,Cost,Campaign,Source,Medium
20250101,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50,product-demo,linkedin,cpc
20250102,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1024.80,product-demo,linkedin,cpc

Step 3: CSV Template (Copy This)

Basic template (required fields only):

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250101,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50
20250102,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1024.80
20250103,LI-2025-01-DEMO,956.30

Full template (with optional fields):

Date,Campaign ID,Cost,Campaign,Source,Medium,Clicks,Impressions
20250101,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50,product-demo,linkedin,cpc,234,12500
20250102,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1024.80,product-demo,linkedin,cpc,256,13200
20250103,LI-2025-01-DEMO,956.30,product-demo,linkedin,cpc,221,11800

Step 4: Save as CSV (UTF-8 encoding)

• Excel: File → Save As → CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)
• Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv)

Important: Do NOT use Excel's default "CSV (Comma delimited)" - it may cause encoding issues. Use "CSV UTF-8" instead.

Part 3: Upload Cost Data to GA4 (5 minutes)

Step 1: GA4 → Admin → Data import

Step 2: Click on your data source name (e.g., "LinkedIn Cost Data")

Step 3: Click Upload file

Step 4: Click Select file and choose your CSV

Step 5: Click Import

Step 6: Wait for processing (usually 10-30 seconds)

Step 7: Verify upload status

You'll see one of these statuses:

If status = Failed or Partial:

Click View details to see error messages. Common errors covered in Troubleshooting section below.

Part 4: Verify Cost Data Appears in GA4 (5 minutes)

Step 1: GA4 → Reports → Advertising (left sidebar)

If you don't see "Advertising":

1. GA4 → Admin → Property settings
2. Show advanced → Enable "Advertising features"
3. Wait 10 minutes for menu to appear

Step 2: Click Campaign performance

Step 3: Check for cost metrics:

Look for these new columns:

• Cost (should show $ values now!)
• ROAS (Return on ad spend)
• CPA (Cost per acquisition)

Step 4: Verify cost values match your CSV

Filter to one of your campaigns (use utm_campaign or Campaign ID) and verify the cost shown matches what you uploaded.

If cost still shows $0.00:

• Wait 24-48 hours (cost data can take time to process)
• Check utm_id matching (see Troubleshooting below)
• Verify CSV was uploaded successfully

Real Example: Multi-Platform Cost Import

Scenario: You're running ads on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Step 1: Add utm_id to All Campaign URLs

LinkedIn campaign:

https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo-jan

TikTok campaign:

https://yoursite.com/signup?utm_id=TT-2025-01-BRAND&utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand-awareness-jan

Pinterest campaign:

https://yoursite.com/products?utm_id=PIN-2025-01-SHOP&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping-jan

Step 2: Export Cost Data from Each Platform

LinkedIn Ads:

1. Campaign Manager → Performance
2. Date range: Last 30 days
3. Export → Download CSV
4. Open CSV, note daily cost for Campaign ID 123456789

TikTok Ads:

1. Ads Manager → Reports
2. Date range: Last 30 days
3. Export
4. Open CSV, note daily cost for Campaign ID 987654321

Pinterest Ads:

1. Ads Manager → Reporting
2. Select your campaign
3. Download data

Step 3: Create Combined CSV

Format:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost,Campaign,Source,Medium
20250101,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50,product-demo-jan,linkedin,cpc
20250101,TT-2025-01-BRAND,456.20,brand-awareness-jan,tiktok,cpc
20250101,PIN-2025-01-SHOP,234.80,shopping-jan,pinterest,cpc
20250102,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1024.80,product-demo-jan,linkedin,cpc
20250102,TT-2025-01-BRAND,492.15,brand-awareness-jan,tiktok,cpc
20250102,PIN-2025-01-SHOP,256.40,shopping-jan,pinterest,cpc
20250103,LI-2025-01-DEMO,956.30,product-demo-jan,linkedin,cpc
20250103,TT-2025-01-BRAND,478.90,brand-awareness-jan,tiktok,cpc
20250103,PIN-2025-01-SHOP,228.50,shopping-jan,pinterest,cpc

Tip: You can combine all platforms into one CSV or create separate data sources per platform. We recommend one CSV with all platforms for easier management.

Step 4: Upload to GA4

1. GA4 → Admin → Data import → Your data source
2. Upload CSV
3. Wait for "Completed" status
4. Verify in Advertising reports

Result: Cost data for all three platforms now appears in GA4, enabling full ROI analysis.

Automation Options (Advanced)

Manual CSV uploads work, but if you're running active campaigns, you'll want automation.

Option 1: GA4 Data Import API (Free, Requires Dev)

Google provides an API for automated cost uploads.

How it works:

1. Schedule daily script (Python, Node.js, etc.)
2. Script pulls cost data from ad platform APIs
3. Script formats data as JSON
4. Script posts to GA4 Data Import API
5. Cost data automatically updated daily

Pros:

• Free
• Fully customizable
• No third-party tools

Cons:

• Requires developer
• Must maintain scripts
• Must handle API changes

Documentation: GA4 Management API - Data Import

Option 2: Third-Party Automation (Paid, No Code)

Several tools automate cost data import:

How it works:

1. Connect your ad accounts
2. Connect your GA4 property
3. Tool automatically syncs cost data daily

Pros:

• No coding required
• Automatic daily updates
• Handles multiple platforms
• Built-in error handling

Cons:

• Monthly cost
• Less customization

Recommendation: If you're spending $10k+/month on ads, a $99/month automation tool is worth it to save 5+ hours/month of manual uploads.

Option 3: Google Sheets + Apps Script (Free, Semi-Automated)

How it works:

1. Manually paste cost data into Google Sheet (weekly)
2. Apps Script auto-formats to GA4 CSV format
3. Apps Script uploads to GA4 via API

Pros:

• Free
• Less manual work than pure CSV uploads
• No dev team needed (basic scripting)

Cons:

• Still requires weekly manual data paste
• Limited error handling

Tutorial: Automate GA4 Cost Import with Google Sheets (external resource)

Common CSV Formatting Errors (And Fixes)

Error 1: "Date column must be in YYYYMMDD format"

Wrong:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
01/09/2025,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50    ← Slashes not allowed
2025-01-09,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50    ← Dashes not allowed

Right:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50      ← No separators

Error 2: "Cost must be numeric"

Wrong:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,$987.50     ← Dollar sign not allowed
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1,024.80    ← Commas not allowed

Right:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50      ← Plain number
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1024.80     ← No comma separators

Error 3: "Campaign ID contains invalid characters"

Wrong:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI 2025 01 DEMO,987.50      ← Spaces cause issues
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO!,987.50     ← Special chars (!@#$%)

Right:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50      ← Alphanumeric + hyphens only

Error 4: "File encoding not supported"

Problem: CSV saved in wrong encoding (ANSI, Windows-1252, etc.)

Fix:

• Excel: Save As → CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)
• Google Sheets: Download → CSV (already UTF-8)
• Notepad: Save As → Encoding: UTF-8

Error 5: "No matching Campaign ID found"

Problem: utm_id in your URLs doesn't match Campaign ID in CSV

URL utm_id:

?utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO

CSV Campaign ID:

linkedin-demo-jan-2025    ← Doesn't match!

Fix: Ensure exact match (case-sensitive):

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50    ← Matches URL exactly

Error 6: "Duplicate rows for same date + Campaign ID"

Wrong:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,450.00    ← Duplicate date+ID

Fix: Combine costs for same day:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,1437.50   ← Sum of both

Troubleshooting: Cost Data Not Showing

Issue: Cost uploaded but still shows $0.00 in reports

Possible causes:

Cause 1: utm_id mismatch

Check:

1. GA4 → Reports → Engagement → Pages and screens
2. Add secondary dimension: "Campaign ID"
3. Verify Campaign ID values match your CSV

Fix: Update CSV to match exact Campaign ID shown in GA4.

Cause 2: Date range mismatch

Check: Your GA4 report date range vs your CSV date range

Fix: Ensure CSV covers same dates as your report.

Cause 3: Processing delay

Wait: Cost data can take 24-48 hours to fully process and appear in reports.

Cause 4: Wrong data source

Check: Did you upload to the correct data source? (If you created multiple)

Fix: Admin → Data import → Verify upload in correct source.

Issue: "Partial" upload status with some rows failing

Check error log:

1. Admin → Data import → Your source
2. Click on upload with "Partial" status
3. View details → Download error log

Common errors:

• Row X: Date format invalid → Fix date format
• Row Y: Cost not numeric → Remove currency symbols
• Row Z: Campaign ID not found → Check utm_id matching

Prevention Checklist

✅ Add utm_id to all paid campaign URLs (non-auto-tagged platforms) ✅ Create cost data CSV in correct format (YYYYMMDD dates, numeric cost) ✅ Verify Campaign ID in CSV exactly matches utm_id in URLs ✅ Save CSV as UTF-8 encoding ✅ Upload to GA4 data import ✅ Wait 24-48 hours for cost data to appear ✅ Verify in Advertising reports (cost > $0.00) ✅ Set up weekly/monthly uploads (or automate)

FAQ

How often should I upload cost data?

Manual uploads:

• Daily for active campaigns (most accurate ROI)
• Weekly for lower-spend campaigns
• Monthly minimum (stale data hurts decision-making)

Automated:

• Daily (recommended for $10k+/month spend)

Can I import historical cost data?

Yes! GA4 allows up to 90 days of backdated cost import.

Example:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost
20241010,LI-2024-Q4-DEMO,850.00    ← 90 days ago, works!
20241120,LI-2024-Q4-DEMO,920.00
20250109,LI-2024-Q4-DEMO,987.50

Limitation: Cannot import data older than 90 days.

What if I change my utm_id mid-campaign?

Problem: Historical cost data won't match new utm_id.

Solution:

1. Keep old utm_id for historical data
2. Create new row in CSV with new utm_id for future costs
3. Or create two separate campaigns in GA4

Recommendation: Don't change utm_id mid-campaign. Plan it correctly from the start.

Can I delete old cost uploads?

No. GA4 doesn't allow deletion of imported cost data. You can only:

• Upload new data (overwrites same date + Campaign ID)
• Stop future uploads

Workaround: Upload a CSV with Cost = 0 for dates you want to "remove."

Do I need separate data sources for each platform?

No. You can combine all platforms in one CSV and upload to one data source:

Date,Campaign ID,Cost,Source
20250109,LI-2025-01-DEMO,987.50,linkedin
20250109,TT-2025-01-BRAND,456.20,tiktok
20250109,PIN-2025-01-SHOP,234.80,pinterest

Recommendation: Use one data source for all platforms (easier management).

What's the maximum CSV file size?

GA4 limits:

• File size: 1 GB max
• Rows: Unlimited (but upload time increases)

Practical limit: 50,000 rows upload quickly. Above 100,000 rows, consider splitting into multiple files.

Conclusion

GA4 cost data import in 4 steps:

1. Add utm_id to campaign URLs (required for matching)
2. Create data source in GA4 (Admin → Data import → Cost data)
3. Prepare CSV (Date, Campaign ID, Cost in correct format)
4. Upload and verify (wait 24-48 hours, check Advertising reports)

Once set up, you'll have full ROI visibility in GA4:

• Cost per acquisition (CPA)
• Return on ad spend (ROAS)
• Campaign profitability
• Data-driven budget allocation

Manual uploads take 10 minutes/week. For automation, consider Supermetrics, Windsor.ai, or custom API integration.

Related: When to Use utm_id (And When to Skip It)