Processing Item Validations on Optimise
Introduction
Item validation allows advertisers to validate conversions at product or item level rather than validating the entire basket as a single outcome. This is commonly used where certain products within an order may qualify for commission while others do not.
Processing item validations correctly ensures:
- Publishers are rewarded accurately
- Advertisers only pay commission on eligible items
- Reporting and invoicing remain aligned
- Partial approvals and rejections can be managed transparently
This article explains how item validation files work on Optimise and how advertisers should process and return them.
How Item Validation Works
Unlike basket-level validation, item validation processes each product within an order separately.
This means:
- One order may contain multiple validation outcomes
- Some items may be approved
- Some items may remain pending
- Some items may be rejected
The overall conversion status is then determined automatically based on the individual item outcomes.
Step 1 – Access the Validation File
Each month, Optimise will provide a validation file either:
- Through Insights File Explorer
- Via email
For item-level campaigns, the file structure differs from standard basket-level validation files.
Step 2 – Understand the File Format
Item validation files contain one row per purchased item.
Basket-level information is repeated on each row alongside item-specific data.
Typical fields include:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| AdvertiserName | Advertiser name |
| OrderID | Advertiser order reference |
| ConversionID | Optimise conversion reference |
| ConversionDate | Date of tracked conversion |
| CampaignName | Campaign associated with the conversion |
| PID | Programme (campaign) ID |
| AID | Affiliate/Publisher ID |
| ConversionValue | Total conversion value |
| Standard Cost | Total cost of the conversion, including any override |
| Item-Specific Data | Data specific to the individual item |
Step 3 – Update the Item Status
For each item, update the ItemStatus column (Column V) with one of the following values:
- Approved
- Pending
- Rejected
Rejected Items
If an item is rejected, a rejection reason code must also be supplied in the RejectionReason column (Column W).
The system will not accept rejected items without a valid rejection reason.
For a full list of supported rejection reason codes, see the Rejection Reasons article.
Validation Outcome Logic
Optimise automatically determines the overall conversion status based on the status of the individual items within the order.
This allows advertisers to partially approve or reject orders while ensuring commission is only paid on eligible items.
Returning the Validation File
Once all item statuses have been reviewed and updated:
- Save the completed validation file.
- Ensure all rejected items include a valid rejection reason code.
- Return the file to Optimise using the agreed validation process.
Files containing rejected items without valid rejection reason codes may be rejected and require correction before processing.
Need Help?
If you have any questions about item validation files or require assistance processing validations, please contact your Optimise account manager or the Optimise Support team.