Offline Events

Offline events allow you to track conversions that happen outside of digital channels—such as in-store purchases, phone orders, email conversions, and other non-pixelable interactions—and attribute them to your Snapchat campaigns.

What Are Offline Events?

Offline CAPI events are conversion events that occur outside of traditional web or app environments. These events enable you to:

Measure in-store conversions — Track purchases made at physical retail locations
Capture phone-based sales — Attribute call center orders to ad exposure
Record email conversions — Connect email marketing conversions to Snapchat campaigns
Track chat-based sales — Measure conversions from customer service interactions
Upload historical data — Send batch files of past conversion data for attribution

Offline events close the attribution gap between digital ad exposure and real-world conversions. By sharing offline conversion data, you can get a more complete picture of your campaign ROI and enable better optimization.

How Offline Events Flow to Snap

Measurement & Reporting

Offline events are available in measurement reporting with the conversion_source_types=offline breakdown:

Breakdown Value	Description
`offline`	Events reported from offline sources (in-store, phone, etc.)
`total`	Combined events for web, app, offline, and on-platform
`total_off_platform`	Combined events for web, app, and offline

Action Sources for Offline Events

The action_source field determines how Snap classifies your event. You have two equivalent options for offline events:

Option 1: Snap Native Value

Use OFFLINE for a simple, explicit value that matches Snap's internal taxonomy:

"action_source": "OFFLINE"

Option 2: Meta-Compatible Aliases

Use semantic aliases if you're migrating from Meta's Conversions API or want channel-specific clarity in your own logging:

Action Source	Use Case
`physical_store`	In-store / brick-and-mortar purchases
`phone_call`	Call center or phone order conversions
`phone`	Phone number-based conversions
`email`	Conversions originating from email campaigns
`chat`	Live chat or messaging-based conversions
`system_generated`	Automated or backend-triggered conversions

All values are case-insensitive and map to the same OFFLINE conversion type internally. Whether you send "OFFLINE", "offline", "physical_store", or "phone_call" — they are all treated identically for attribution, reporting, and optimization.

Note: The original action_source value is not preserved in analytics — only the mapped conversion type (OFFLINE) is stored.

Offline Event Endpoint

Offline events use the same Conversions API endpoint as web events, but require a Pixel ID (not a Snap App ID):

POST https://tr.snapchat.com/v3/{PIXEL_ID}/events?access_token={TOKEN}

Create Access Token

Ingestion Methods

Snap supports three primary methods for sending offline conversion data:

1. API Upload

Send offline events directly via the Conversions API. This is ideal for:

Point-of-sale integrations
Call center systems
CRM triggers

Endpoints:

Service	Path
Conversions API V3	`POST /v3/{pixel_id}/events`
Conversions API V2 (deprecated)	`POST /v2/conversion`

Batch Requests

You can send multiple events in a single API request by including them in the data array. This is more efficient than sending individual requests for each event.

Max events per request: 2,000
Recommended QPS: 1,000 requests/sec (with Long-Lived Token)

See Rate Limits for complete details on request limits and constraints.

2. Batch File Upload

Upload CSV or JSON files containing historical offline conversion data. This method is ideal for:

Uploading historical sales data
Periodic bulk uploads from data warehouses
Large-scale offline conversion imports

Batch Processing Flow

Key Parameters for Batch Uploads:

Parameter	Description
`offline_event_set_id`	Groups related offline events from batch uploads
`offline_event_file_id`	Identifies the specific upload file

3. Partner Integration (mParticle)

mParticle is currently the only third-party partner that can send offline conversion events directly into Snap's Conversions API. Other partners like Adjust, AppsFlyer, and Kochava receive attribution data from Snap (outbound postbacks) but do not send conversion events to Snap.

mParticle Supported Inputs

For complete setup instructions, supported events, and custom mappings, see the mParticle Snapchat Conversions integration guide.

mParticle can forward events to Snapchat from the following sources:

Input Source	Event Conversion Type
iOS	`MOBILE_APP`
Android	`MOBILE_APP`
Web	`WEB`
Data Feeds	`OFFLINE`, `MOBILE_APP`, or `WEB`

Data Feeds are the key input for offline events — they allow you to forward offline conversion data (e.g., in-store purchases, call center orders) to Snap.

Connection Settings for Offline Events

When configuring a Data Feed connection for offline events in mParticle:

Setting	Description
Pixel ID	Required for offline/web events. The Pixel ID for your Ad Account.
App ID	Optional. The iOS App ID or Android App URL (use this instead of Pixel ID for mobile app events).
Email Type	Required. The mParticle identity type to forward as hashed email to Snap.

Field Mappings

mParticle automatically maps and hashes user data before sending to Snap:

mParticle Field	Snapchat Field	Notes
`app_info.os`	`event_conversion_type`	Set to `WEB`, `MOBILE_APP`, or `OFFLINE`
`user_identities.email`	`hashed_email`	Automatically SHA256 hashed
`user_identities.mobile_number`	`hashed_phone_number`	Automatically SHA256 hashed
`ip`	`hashed_ip_address`	Automatically SHA256 hashed

Required Parameters

Minimum Required Fields

For offline events, you must include:

Parameter	Description	Required
`event_name`	The type of conversion event (e.g., `PURCHASE`, `SIGN_UP`)	✅ Yes
`event_time`	Unix timestamp (seconds or milliseconds) of when the event occurred	✅ Yes
`action_source`	Must be `OFFLINE` or a recognized offline source	✅ Yes

Required Identifiers

You must include at least one of the following hashed identifiers in user_data:

Parameter	Description
`em`	SHA256 hashed email address (normalized, lowercase)
`ph`	SHA256 hashed phone number (with country code, no special characters)
`madid`	Hashed Mobile Advertising ID

Events without at least one valid user identifier will be rejected with the error: "Incoming conversions requests must have at least one valid user ID parameter to perform the match"

Optional but Recommended

Parameter	Description
`event_id`	Unique identifier for deduplication
`client_dedup_id`	Alternative deduplication identifier
`currency`	Required if `event_name` is `PURCHASE`
`value`	Required if `event_name` is `PURCHASE`
`event_tag`	Custom label (e.g., "in-store", "call-center")

Request Limits & Validation

Rate Limits

API Upload (CAPI V3)

Limit Type	Value
Max events per batch request	2,000

Batch File Upload (Genesis)

Limit Type	Value
Max purchase events per chunk	100
Max non-purchase events per chunk	2,000

Timestamp / Time Frame Constraints

Constraint	Value	Behavior
Max Swipe/Click Attribution Window	28 days	Events can only be attributed to swipe/click ads within this window
Max View Attribution Window	7 days	Events can only be attributed to view ads within this window
API Warning - Old Timestamp	62 days	Warning issued (event still processed)
API Warning - Future Timestamp	10 minutes	Warning issued (event still processed)

Event Deduplication

Events are deduplicated based on event_id within a time window. The deduplication window varies by event type:

Event Type	Deduplication Window
`PURCHASE` (with `transaction_id`)	30 days
Standard events	48 hours (2 days)
`ADD_CART`	1 second
`PAGE_VIEW`	1 second

Validation Errors

Error Code	Error Name	Description
`003`	`INVALID_REQUEST_BODY_JSON`	Malformed JSON payload
`501`	`MISSING_EVENT_NAME`	`event_name` field is missing
`502`	`MISSING_EVENT_TIME`	`event_time` field is missing
`505`	`MISSING_USER_DATA`	No valid user identifier provided
`516`	`INVALID_EVENT_NAME`	Event name is not a valid conversion event
—	`INVALID_OFFLINE_EVENT_SET_ID`	The offline event set ID is not valid
—	`INVALID_PIXEL_ID`	Pixel ID is not authorized

Example Payloads

Using Snap Native Value

Use OFFLINE when you want a simple, explicit action source:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "event_name": "PURCHASE",
      "event_time": 1734567890,
      "action_source": "OFFLINE",
      "event_id": "offline_txn_12345",
      "user_data": {
        "em": [
          "7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"
        ]
      },
      "custom_data": {
        "value": "99.99",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    }
  ]
}

In-Store Purchase (Meta Alias)

Use physical_store for semantic clarity about the conversion channel:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "event_name": "PURCHASE",
      "event_time": 1734567890,
      "action_source": "physical_store",
      "event_id": "store_txn_12345",
      "user_data": {
        "em": [
          "7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"
        ]
      },
      "custom_data": {
        "value": "99.99",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Phone Order Event

{
  "data": [
    {
      "event_name": "PURCHASE",
      "event_time": 1734567890,
      "action_source": "phone_call",
      "event_id": "call_order_98765",
      "user_data": {
        "ph": [
          "959995162a8d9712427ae9c39676cde79bbfc9f560bc3911ec9edcf1f169e5f6"
        ]
      },
      "custom_data": {
        "value": "299.99",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Email Conversion Event

{
  "data": [
    {
      "event_name": "SIGN_UP",
      "event_time": 1734567890,
      "action_source": "email",
      "event_id": "email_signup_001",
      "user_data": {
        "em": [
          "7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Multiple Offline Events (Batch)

{
  "data": [
    {
      "event_name": "PURCHASE",
      "event_time": 1734567000,
      "action_source": "physical_store",
      "event_id": "order_001",
      "user_data": {
        "em": [
          "7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"
        ]
      },
      "custom_data": {
        "value": "50.00",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    },
    {
      "event_name": "PURCHASE",
      "event_time": 1734567100,
      "action_source": "phone_call",
      "event_id": "order_002",
      "user_data": {
        "ph": [
          "959995162a8d9712427ae9c39676cde79bbfc9f560bc3911ec9edcf1f169e5f6"
        ]
      },
      "custom_data": {
        "value": "75.00",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    },
    {
      "event_name": "SIGN_UP",
      "event_time": 1734567200,
      "action_source": "email",
      "event_id": "signup_003",
      "user_data": {
        "em": [
          "7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

cURL Examples

Test Event (Validate Endpoint)

Use the /events/validate endpoint to test your payload without sending a live event:

curl -X POST "https://tr.snapchat.com/v3/{PIXEL_ID}/events/validate?access_token={TOKEN}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "data": [
      {
        "event_name": "PURCHASE",
        "event_time": 1734567890,
        "action_source": "physical_store",
        "event_id": "test_offline_001",
        "user_data": {
          "em": ["7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"]
        },
        "custom_data": {
          "value": "99.99",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      }
    ]
  }'

Response:

{
  "status": "VALID",
  "test_event": true,
  "reason": "Events have been processed successfully.",
  "event_logs": [{ "event": 1, "status": "VALID" }]
}

Production Event

Send an offline conversion event to be recorded and attributed:

curl -X POST "https://tr.snapchat.com/v3/{PIXEL_ID}/events?access_token={TOKEN}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "data": [
      {
        "event_name": "PURCHASE",
        "event_time": 1734567890,
        "action_source": "physical_store",
        "event_id": "live_offline_001",
        "user_data": {
          "em": ["7b17fb0bd173f625b58636fb796407c22b3d16fc78302d79f0fd30c2fc2fc068"]
        },
        "custom_data": {
          "value": "99.99",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      }
    ]
  }'

Response:

{
  "status": "VALID",
  "reason": "Events have been processed successfully."
}

Best Practices for Offline Events

Timing

Send events promptly — Real-time or near-real-time sends improve attribution accuracy
Stay within attribution windows — Events can only be attributed within 28 days (swipe/click) or 7 days (view) of ad exposure
Use accurate timestamps — Ensure event_time reflects when the conversion actually occurred

Batch Uploads

Keep batches under 2,000 events — Larger batches will be rejected
Monitor status reports — Check the Ads API for upload success/failure rates
Handle errors gracefully — Implement retry logic for transient failures

Parameters Reference — Full list of all CAPI parameters
Getting Started — Initial setup and access token generation
Best Practices — General CAPI best practices
Verify Setup — Validate your integration

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What Are Offline Events?​

How Offline Events Flow to Snap​

Measurement & Reporting​

Action Sources for Offline Events​

Option 1: Snap Native Value​

Option 2: Meta-Compatible Aliases​

Offline Event Endpoint​

Ingestion Methods​

1. API Upload​

Batch Requests​

2. Batch File Upload​

3. Partner Integration (mParticle)​

mParticle Supported Inputs​

Connection Settings for Offline Events​

Field Mappings​

Required Parameters​

Minimum Required Fields​

Required Identifiers​

Optional but Recommended​

Request Limits & Validation​

Rate Limits​

API Upload (CAPI V3)​

Batch File Upload (Genesis)​

Timestamp / Time Frame Constraints​

Event Deduplication​

Validation Errors​

Example Payloads​

Using Snap Native Value​

In-Store Purchase (Meta Alias)​

Phone Order Event​

Email Conversion Event​

Multiple Offline Events (Batch)​

cURL Examples​

Test Event (Validate Endpoint)​

Production Event​

Best Practices for Offline Events​

Timing​

Batch Uploads​

Related Resources​