Why This Matters
When you connect an advertising platform to Shape, the connection is tied to the specific user account that authorizes it. If that person leaves your organization, changes roles, or loses access to your ad accounts, Shape's connection breaks — and with it, Shape's ability to manage your budgets.
When Shape loses its connection to a platform:
AutoPilot can no longer adjust campaign daily budgets
Budget pacing stops working, which can lead to overspend
Campaign data stops syncing, so your Shape dashboard goes stale
You won't be notified until you notice the issue or budgets exceed their targets
The fix is simple: connect Shape using a service account instead of a personal employee account.
What Is a Service Account?
A service account is a dedicated login that belongs to your organization, not to any individual person. It's created specifically for third-party tools like Shape to maintain a persistent connection to your ad platforms.
Examples:
The key characteristics of a service account:
Not tied to an individual — it doesn't leave when an employee does
Dedicated purpose — it exists solely for API integrations
Managed centrally — credentials are controlled by your team lead or IT
Persistent access — it maintains access to your ad accounts regardless of staffing changes
How to Set Up a Service Account
Step 1: Create the Account
Create a new email address in your organization's email system. We recommend a clear, descriptive name:
Store the credentials in a shared password manager accessible to your team leads.
Step 2: Grant Access in Each Ad Platform
Add the service account to each advertising platform with the appropriate permission level.
Google Ads
Sign in to Google Ads
Go to Admin > Access and security
Click the + button to invite a new user
Enter your service account email
Set access level to Standard (required for Shape to manage budgets)
Click Send invitation and accept it from the service account's inbox
Note: Read-only access is not sufficient. Shape needs Standard or Admin access to adjust campaign daily budgets.
Meta (Facebook) Ads
Go to Meta Business Suite
Navigate to Settings > People
Click Invite People
Enter your service account email
Assign Campaign management access to the relevant ad accounts
Accept the invitation from the service account's inbox
Note: "Analyze" (read-only) access is not sufficient. Shape needs "Manage campaigns" or "Full control" to adjust budgets.
LinkedIn Ads
Navigate to Account Settings > Manage access
Click Add user to account
Enter your service account email (must have a LinkedIn profile)
Set role to Campaign Manager or higher
Accept the invitation from the service account
Note: "Viewer" role is read-only and will not allow Shape to manage campaigns.
Microsoft Advertising (Bing)
Sign in to Microsoft Advertising
Go to Tools > Account access
Click Invite user
Enter your service account email
Set role to Standard User or Advertiser Campaign Manager
Accept the invitation from the service account
Step 3: Connect to Shape
Log in to Shape
Go to Settings > Data Sources
Click Add Data Source
Select your ad platform
Sign in with your service account (not your personal account)
Authorize Shape to access the ad accounts
Step 4: Verify the Connection
After connecting, verify that Shape can see all expected ad accounts and campaigns. Check that budget controls are working by confirming AutoPilot can adjust daily budgets.
Migrating Existing Connections
If you currently have datasources connected through individual employee accounts, we recommend migrating to a service account:
Create your service account following the steps above
Grant it access to all ad accounts currently managed in Shape
Add a new datasource in Shape using the service account
Reassign campaigns from the old datasource to the new one
Verify that all budgets and campaigns are working correctly
Remove the old datasource once everything is confirmed
If you need help migrating, contact Shape support and we can assist with the transition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use one service account for all platforms?
A: You'll need a separate login for each platform (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, etc.), but they can all use the same base email with aliases (e.g., [email protected], [email protected]) or a single shared email if the platforms allow it.
Q: What happens if the service account's password changes?
A: Shape connects via OAuth tokens, not passwords. Changing the password won't break the connection. The connection only breaks if the account is deleted, the OAuth authorization is revoked, or the account loses access to the ad platform.
Q: Does the service account need to be a real person?
A: For Google and Meta, the account just needs a valid email. For LinkedIn, the account must have an associated LinkedIn profile. For Microsoft Advertising, the account needs a Microsoft account.
Q: What permission level should the service account have?
A: The service account needs write access to campaigns. Read-only access is not sufficient for Shape's budget management features. The specific role name varies by platform — see the setup instructions above for each platform's requirements.
Q: Can multiple people manage the service account?
A: Yes. Store the credentials in a shared password manager and give access to your team leads or IT administrators. The key benefit is that no single person's departure will disrupt the connection.
Q: We're an agency managing many clients. Should we have one service account per client?
A: It depends on your setup. If all client ad accounts are accessible from a single master account (like a Google Ads MCC), one service account may be sufficient. If clients have separate ad accounts with independent access controls, you may need service accounts per client or per platform. Contact Shape support for guidance on your specific setup.