What Is Microsoft Ads Offline Conversions? Bing Ads Offline Tracking Explained

Microsoft Ads offline conversions allow you to upload conversion data from your CRM, call tracking tool, or field service management software back to Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads). By connecting the MSCLKID from the original ad click to the downstream conversion (a booked job, closed deal, or completed service), you enable Microsoft’s automated bidding to optimize for real business outcomes.

The Upload Offline Conversions App (TUOCA) supports Microsoft Ads as a destination platform, enabling automated offline conversion uploads alongside Google Ads, Meta, and TikTok.

How Microsoft Ads Offline Conversions Work

The workflow mirrors Google Ads:

1. User clicks your Microsoft ad on Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or Microsoft Audience Network
2. MSCLKID is captured — Your website, CRM, or call tracking tool stores the MSCLKID
3. Lead converts offline — Phone call, booked appointment, completed service
4. You upload the conversion — CSV or API with MSCLKID + conversion data
5. Microsoft attributes it — The conversion is credited to the original click

Prerequisites

Before uploading offline conversions to Microsoft Ads:

• ✅ Auto-tagging enabled — Settings → Account Settings → Auto-tagging (OFF by default — must enable)
• ✅ MSCLKID capture — Your website/CRM stores MSCLKIDs from ad clicks
• ✅ Offline conversion goal created in Microsoft Ads
• ✅ UET tag installed on your website (optional but recommended)

Creating an Offline Conversion Goal

1. Go to Tools → Conversion tracking → Conversion goals
2. Click Create conversion goal
3. Select Offline conversions
4. Configure:
   • Name: Descriptive (e.g., “Booked Job”)
   • Revenue: “Each conversion action may have a different value”
   • Count: “Unique” (for service businesses)
   • Conversion window: Match your sales cycle (30, 60, or 90 days)

Microsoft Ads vs. Google Ads: Key Formatting Differences

Feature	Microsoft Ads	Google Ads
Click ID parameter	msclkid	gclid
CSV column header	Microsoft Click ID	Google Click ID
Date format	MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm:ss	yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss±HH:mm
Value column	Revenue	Conversion Value
Timezone handling	Goal-level setting	Parameters:TimeZone= row
Auto-tagging default	Off	On
MSCLKID format	32-char hex	50-100 char Base64
Enhanced Conversions	Supported	Supported

The date format difference is the most common source of upload errors when switching between platforms.

CSV Upload Format

Microsoft Click ID,Conversion Name,Conversion Time,Revenue,Currency
a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6,Booked Job,04/10/2026 14:30:00,4500.00,USD
b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6a1,Booked Job,04/11/2026 09:15:00,1200.00,USD

No Parameters row — Unlike Google Ads, Microsoft doesn’t use a timezone parameter row. The timezone is set in the conversion goal settings.

Why Microsoft Ads Is Underutilized

Microsoft Ads is often an afterthought for agencies and marketers, but it offers compelling advantages for offline conversion tracking:

Advantage	Detail
Often a cheaper click	The same service keyword often has fewer bidders than on Google Ads, so the click can cost less. There is no published discount.
Business audience	Microsoft Edge is the default browser on Windows PCs
LinkedIn integration	Unique targeting using LinkedIn profile data
Less competition	Fewer advertisers, better positions
90-day limit	Microsoft Advertising rejects an offline conversion whose time is more than 90 days before the upload and will not count one more than 90 days after the click, so keep the MSCLKID for those 90 days: a sale on August 1 can be uploaded on October 20, and a job that closes 100 days after the click cannot be counted even if you upload it that day.
Import from Google	Campaign structure can be imported from Google Ads

The Arbitrage Opportunity

Most agencies implement offline conversion tracking for Google Ads but skip Microsoft Ads. This means:

• Their Google campaigns are optimized with real revenue data
• Their Microsoft campaigns are still optimizing for clicks/forms
• Microsoft ROAS is likely much higher than reported (because revenue isn’t tracked)

Adding offline conversions to Microsoft Ads often reveals that Microsoft campaigns are already profitable — they just couldn’t prove it.

How TUOCA Handles Microsoft Ads

TUOCA manages Microsoft Ads offline conversions through the same relay pipeline as other platforms:

1. MSCLKID detection — Identifies MSCLKIDs by their 32-character hex format
2. Platform routing — Routes records with MSCLKIDs to the Microsoft Ads API
3. Date formatting — Converts timestamps to MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm:ss format
4. Goal mapping — Maps conversions to your Microsoft offline conversion goal
5. Enhanced Conversions — Falls back to hashed PII when MSCLKID is unavailable
6. Error handling — Logs Microsoft-specific errors

Next Steps

1. Enable auto-tagging — This is the #1 missed step for Microsoft Ads
2. Create an offline conversion goal in Microsoft Ads
3. Verify MSCLKID capture — Use the Click ID Tester
4. Set up a TUOCA relay with Microsoft Ads as destination
5. Read the full guide — Microsoft/Bing Ads Offline Conversions Guide