DV360 to Data Studio (Formerly Looker Studio): Setup & Dashboard Guide

A practical guide to connecting Display & Video 360 to Google Data Studio - formerly Looker Studio - and building a reporting dashboard that is useful for both campaign teams and stakeholders.

Last verified: September 10, 2026. Google renamed Looker Studio back to Data Studio in April 2026. Existing reports do not need to be rebuilt because of the rename, and the former Looker Studio domain redirects to the Data Studio domain. Connector fields, permissions and reporting behavior can change, so confirm the current Google documentation when implementing a new dashboard.

Google’s native Display & Video 360 connector lets advertisers and agencies visualize DV360 data in Data Studio without manually downloading and re-uploading campaign reports.

A useful DV360 dashboard can combine campaign delivery, cost, conversion, video and quality metrics into a reporting layer that is easier to share and interpret than a raw platform export.

But the connector is not a replacement for every DV360 report.

Google states that the fields available through the Data Studio DV360 connector are a subset of the dimensions and metrics available in DV360 Instant Reporting.

That distinction matters.

This guide explains how to connect DV360 to Data Studio, choose the right fields, structure the dashboard, manage credentials and troubleshoot the most common reporting problems.

For platform access and campaign support, see AdGeeks’ DV360 solution.

Quick answer

To connect DV360 to Data Studio:

1. Sign in to Data Studio.

2. Create a new data source.

3. Select the Display & Video 360 connector.

4. Choose the relevant DV360 partner and advertisers.

5. Click Connect.

6. Review the field list, data types and aggregations.

7. Create a report from the connected data source.

8. Add only the dimensions and metrics required for the reporting goal.

9. Set the correct data credentials before sharing the dashboard.

10. Validate dashboard totals against DV360 before using the report for client or management decisions.

Official setup source: Google Cloud - Connect to Display & Video 360

Looker Studio is now Data Studio

In April 2026, Google renamed Looker Studio back to Data Studio.

This is not a new reporting product that requires users to migrate all existing dashboards.

Google states that existing reports do not need to be updated because of the naming change and that the former Looker Studio URL redirects to the new Data Studio domain.

Sources:

• Google Cloud - Data Studio returns as the new home for Data Cloud assets

• Google Cloud - Welcome to Data Studio

For SEO and user clarity, this guide still uses “formerly Looker Studio” because many DV360 teams, saved resources and search queries continue to use the former product name.

Can DV360 connect directly to Data Studio?

Yes.

Google provides a native Display & Video 360 connector in Data Studio.

Google’s current connector documentation says the integration can be used to:

• visualize DV360 data;

• create branded reports;

• combine DV360 reporting with other supported data sources;

• share reports with people who do not necessarily have direct access to the underlying DV360 interface, depending on the credentials model;

• keep reports updated as the underlying data changes.

The Display & Video 360 connector is also listed among Google’s official Marketing Platform connectors.

Sources:

• Google Cloud - Connect to Display & Video 360

• Google Cloud - Available Data Studio connectors

What you need before connecting DV360

Before building the dashboard, confirm four things.

1. DV360 access

The Google account used to create the data source must have access to the DV360 partner or advertiser data required for the report.

If the expected partner or advertiser is not available in the connector, permissions should be checked before troubleshooting the dashboard itself.

2. A clear reporting goal

Do not start with charts.

Start with the questions the dashboard needs to answer.

Examples:

• Are campaigns pacing correctly?

• Which channels are driving the strongest outcomes?

• Which insertion orders or line items need optimization?

• Is CTV or video delivery reaching the intended scale?

• Are conversions moving with spend?

• Which markets, devices or inventory sources require attention?

3. A defined KPI framework

The dashboard should distinguish between:

• executive KPIs;

• optimization metrics;

• diagnostic metrics.

A stakeholder dashboard and a trader dashboard should not necessarily contain the same level of detail.

For a deeper KPI framework, see DV360 Reporting Metrics That Really Matter.

4. A sharing and credential plan

Decide who should be able to view the report and whether those users should need direct access to the underlying data.

This determines which Data Studio credentials model is appropriate.

How to connect DV360 to Data Studio step by step

Step 1: Create a Data Studio data source

Sign in to Data Studio.

From the home page, choose:

Create → Data source

Then select the Display & Video 360 connector.

Step 2: Authorize the connector

If prompted, authorize Data Studio to use the Google account connected to the relevant DV360 access.

Use the same organizational account that has the required partner or advertiser permissions where possible.

Step 3: Select the DV360 partner and advertisers

Choose the relevant DV360 partner and the advertisers that should feed the report.

Keep the scope intentional.

If the dashboard is for one client, avoid connecting unnecessary advertisers simply because they are available.

Step 4: Connect the data source

Click Connect.

Data Studio will load the available dimensions and metrics for the connected DV360 data source.

Official instructions: Google Cloud - Connect to Display & Video 360

Step 5: Review the field configuration

Before creating charts, inspect the fields panel.

Google allows you to:

• rename fields;

• add descriptions;

• create calculated fields;

• change data types;

• review aggregation behavior.

This is where many reporting problems can be prevented.

Do not assume every numeric field should use the same aggregation.

Step 6: Create the report

Choose Create Report, then add the connected data source.

Start with a simple validation page before building the full dashboard.

A useful first page contains:

• date range;

• advertiser;

• campaign;

• spend;

• impressions;

• clicks;

• conversions.

Compare these totals with DV360 before adding more complex charts.

What should a DV360 dashboard include?

A good dashboard is not a copy of every available DV360 field.

It should reduce reporting complexity.

A practical structure is:

The exact field names available in Data Studio can differ from the complete DV360 reporting field set.

Google explicitly notes that the native connector exposes only a subset of DV360 Instant Reporting fields.

Source: Google Cloud - DV360 connector limits

Which metrics should be on the first page?

The first page should answer:

Is the campaign on track, and where should I look next?

A simple executive layer can include:

Delivery

• Spend

• Impressions

• Clicks

Efficiency

• CPM

• CPC

• CPA

Outcomes

• Conversions

• Conversion rate

Video

• Video starts

• Quartile completion metrics

• Completed views

• Completion rate

Quality

• Viewability or other relevant quality metrics where available

Trend

At least one time-series chart showing a relationship such as:

• spend vs conversions;

• spend vs CPA;

• impressions vs completed views;

• spend by campaign over time.

Do not overload the top page with every dimension available in the connector.

A useful dashboard should reduce the number of decisions a stakeholder has to make, not increase the number of metrics they have to read.

Executive metrics vs optimization metrics vs diagnostic metrics

These three layers should be separated.

Executive metrics

Use these for management or client reporting.

Examples:

• Spend

• Impressions

• Conversions

• CPA

• CPM

• Video completion

• Reach metrics where available and relevant

Optimization metrics

Use these for campaign management.

Examples:

• line-item spend;

• pacing;

• CPM;

• CPC;

• CPA;

• CTR;

• conversion rate;

• video completion;

• inventory-source performance;

• geography and device performance.

Diagnostic metrics

Use these when performance or delivery does not look right.

Examples:

• line-item status;

• inventory source;

• environment;

• creative type;

• viewability;

• dates;

• delivery by campaign structure;

• detailed conversion or quality fields where available.

The primary dashboard should not become a diagnostic dump.

A cleaner approach is to keep the executive layer simple and create separate optimization or QA pages.

Recommended DV360 dashboard structure

Page 1: Executive overview

Include:

• reporting period;

• total spend;

• impressions;

• conversions;

• CPA;

• CPM;

• video completion if video is material;

• spend trend;

• conversion trend;

• campaign-level summary.

Page 2: Campaign and insertion-order performance

Show:

• campaign;

• insertion order;

• line item;

• spend;

• impressions;

• conversions;

• efficiency metrics;

• relevant video metrics.

This page is where traders should identify which structures require deeper analysis.

Page 3: Inventory and channel

Use available dimensions to compare:

• inventory source;

• environment;

• format;

• creative type;

• video / CTV performance.

Page 4: Audience and geography

Use only the audience, location and device dimensions that are actually available and decision-relevant.

Avoid creating dozens of low-volume rows that cannot support optimization.

Page 5: Conversion performance

Separate business outcomes from media-delivery metrics.

Useful views can include:

• conversions over time;

• CPA by campaign;

• conversion rate by major campaign structure;

• spend vs conversion trend.

Page 6: Video and CTV

For video-heavy accounts, add:

• video starts;

• quartiles;

• completed views;

• completion rate;

• relevant cost metrics;

• campaign / publisher / inventory breakdowns where supported.

Page 7: QA and diagnostics

This page can be less polished and more operational.

Use it to verify:

• advertiser;

• campaign;

• insertion order;

• line item;

• date ranges;

• status;

• unusual metric gaps;

• unexpected zero values;

• reporting discrepancies.

For broader campaign QA, use the 86-point DV360 Audit Checklist.

How should you configure Data Studio credentials?

Data credentials control who can see data through the report.

Google currently documents three credential models for Data Studio data sources:

Owner’s credentials

Other people can view or create reports using the data source without necessarily having their own direct access to the underlying dataset.

This can simplify stakeholder reporting, but it also means the report owner must think carefully about who is allowed to access the report.

Viewer’s credentials

Each viewer must use their own credentials and have appropriate access to the underlying data.

This can be useful when data access must follow each person’s individual permissions.

Service account credentials

A service account represents a non-human account used for authenticated access.

This can be useful in more controlled organizational reporting setups, subject to account configuration and permissions.

Source: Google Cloud - Connect to Display & Video 360

The correct choice depends on the organization’s data-governance requirements.

Do not use a more permissive credential model simply because it is easier to share.

How fresh is DV360 data in Data Studio?

Data Studio does not create a separate source of truth for DV360.

The connector depends on DV360 reporting data and its freshness rules.

Google currently states that:

• impression and click data is generally updated every 3–4 hours;

• conversion data is generally updated around every 6 hours;

• cross-environment conversion data can take around 24 hours;

• renamed entities such as line items or insertion orders can take around 24 hours to appear with the new names in reporting.

Google can also continue adjusting processed reporting data after initial availability.

Source: Google DV360 Help - Report data freshness and availability

This means a dashboard should not be treated as a second-by-second monitoring interface.

For same-day reporting, stakeholders should understand that recent values may still change.

Why dashboard numbers may not match another platform

Reporting discrepancies are normal when comparing different systems.

Google notes that discrepancies can occur between DV360, Campaign Manager 360 and third-party platforms because of differences in:

• latency;

• ad serving;

• tracking methods;

• network behavior;

• invalid-traffic processing;

• attribution;

• data processing.

Source: Google DV360 Help - Reporting discrepancies

Before labeling a dashboard “wrong,” compare:

1. date range;

2. timezone;

3. advertiser and campaign scope;

4. metric definition;

5. conversion definition;

6. attribution window;

7. filters;

8. currency;

9. data freshness;

10. report type.

Native connector vs DV360 Instant Reporting

The native Data Studio connector is useful for recurring dashboards, but it does not expose every possible DV360 field.

Google states that Data Studio dimensions and metrics are a subset of those available in DV360 Instant Reporting.

Use Data Studio when:

• the dashboard needs to stay current;

• recurring stakeholder reporting is the goal;

• the required fields exist in the native connector;

• the report needs visualization and sharing.

Use DV360 Instant Reporting when:

• you need fields not available in the connector;

• you are investigating a specific campaign issue;

• you need a more detailed ad-hoc report;

• the task is analysis rather than ongoing dashboarding.

Source: Google DV360 Help - Instant reporting

When the native connector is not enough

Some organizations need a more customized reporting pipeline.

Google documents the Bid Manager API as the programmatic interface for DV360 reporting. It can be used to build and run report queries and download report results.

That route is more appropriate when a team needs:

• automated reporting outside the native connector;

• custom data processing;

• warehouse storage;

• scheduled pipelines;

• advanced transformations;

• fields or workflows that do not fit the standard dashboard setup.

Source: Google DV360 Help - Use the Display & Video 360 API

For most marketing teams, the native connector is the simpler starting point.

Troubleshooting DV360 to Data Studio

A practical dashboard QA process

Before sending a DV360 dashboard to a client or manager, validate it in this order.

1. Validate access

Can the intended viewer open the report and see the correct data?

2. Validate scope

Check:

• advertiser;

• campaign;

• date range;

• filters;

• timezone;

• currency.

3. Validate core totals

Compare a simple Data Studio table with the corresponding DV360 report.

Start with:

• spend;

• impressions;

• clicks;

• conversions.

4. Validate derived metrics

Check any calculated fields or custom KPIs separately.

5. Validate recent data

If the report includes today or yesterday, account for DV360 reporting freshness.

6. Validate sharing

Test the report using the same access conditions the stakeholder will have.

7. Validate interpretation

Make sure each chart has a clear reporting purpose.

If no one can explain what decision a chart supports, it probably does not belong in the primary dashboard.

Common dashboard design mistakes

Too many scorecards

A page with 20 top-level KPIs does not create clarity.

Choose the metrics that describe campaign health.

Mixing stakeholder and trader reporting

Executives need outcomes and direction.

Traders need operational detail.

Trying to satisfy both with one crowded page usually makes the dashboard worse for everyone.

Using CTR as the main success metric

CTR can be useful diagnostically, but it should not automatically define success for video, CTV or awareness campaigns.

Hiding the date range

Every dashboard should make the reporting period obvious.

Ignoring pacing

A performance dashboard without budget context can make an underspending campaign look efficient.

Reporting without QA

Automated does not mean automatically correct.

A connected dashboard still needs source validation.

What should be automated and what should still be reviewed manually?

Data Studio is useful for automating:

• data visualization;

• recurring reporting views;

• date filtering;

• campaign comparisons;

• stakeholder access;

• routine trend monitoring.

Human review is still required for:

• KPI selection;

• campaign interpretation;

• attribution context;

• unusual data movements;

• optimization recommendations;

• business conclusions.

Automation should remove repetitive reporting work, not remove judgment from reporting.

If dashboard delivery is part of a wider service model, see the DV360 Managed Service Guide.

Does Data Studio replace DV360 reporting?

No.

Data Studio is a visualization and reporting layer.

DV360 remains the source platform for campaign setup, media buying, detailed reporting and optimization.

The right workflow is usually:

DV360 → validated reporting data → Data Studio dashboard → stakeholder interpretation

For day-to-day campaign diagnosis, DV360 Instant Reporting may still be the better tool.

For recurring communication and visualization, Data Studio can make the reporting process substantially easier.

Final DV360 dashboard checklist

Before publishing the dashboard, confirm:

• the correct DV360 partner and advertisers are connected;

• access permissions are correct;

• the credential model is intentional;

• the date range is visible;

• timezone and currency are understood;

• core totals match DV360;

• only decision-relevant KPIs are on the executive page;

• detailed optimization data is separated from management reporting;

• missing fields have not been replaced with misleading proxies;

• calculated fields have been validated;

• current-day reporting latency is understood;

• video and CTV metrics are included only when relevant;

• filters work correctly;

• stakeholder access has been tested;

• the dashboard has an owner responsible for ongoing QA.

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Frequently Asked Questions