Date Window
The date window is the time interval within which the system looks for a match between an ad click and a CRM deal. Configuring the date window correctly critically affects the accuracy and completeness of attribution.
How the date window works
- A user clicks an ad — the click date is recorded
- N days later, the user performs a target action — a deal is created in the CRM
- If N ≤ the date window, the deal is matched to this click
- If N > the date window, the deal is considered unrelated to this click
Available values
| Value | When to use |
|---|---|
| 1 day | Fast decisions (online purchases, instant sign-ups) |
| 3 days | Short deal cycle (simple services) |
| 7 days | Standard cycle (B2C services, average ticket size) |
| 14 days | Extended cycle (consultations, selection process) |
| 30 days | Long cycle (B2B, complex products) |
| 60 days | Very long cycle (large B2B deals) |
| 90 days | Maximum window (lengthy sales processes) |
How to choose a date window
By deal cycle
Analyze the average time from first touch to deal closure in your CRM. The date window should be slightly larger than this time.
Example:
- Average deal cycle = 12 days
- Recommended date window = 14 days
By business model
- E-commerce: 1-7 days (fast purchases)
- B2C services: 3-14 days (consultation → purchase)
- B2B services: 14-30 days (long sales cycle)
- Complex B2B products: 30-90 days (multiple touchpoints)
Impact on Match Rate
Too small a window
- Many deals fall outside the window
- Match Rate is understated
- Some genuinely related deals are counted as unmatched
Too large a window
- More matches, but the risk of incorrect attribution grows
- A single click may be matched to a deal it has nothing to do with
- Accuracy becomes diluted
Optimal window
- +20-30% over the average deal cycle
- Verify experimentally: increase the window while Match Rate keeps growing significantly (>5%)
- Once the Match Rate gain drops below 2% — that's the limit
Recommendations
- Start with 30 days — a universal value for most businesses
- Analyze your data — look at the distribution of time from click to deal
- Optimize — tune the window to your deal cycle
- Don't increase it too much — beyond a certain threshold, the Match Rate gain is minimal while accuracy declines