To check that the Meta Conversions API is working, open your dataset in Events Manager and look for events marked Server, then use the Test events tab to watch a live test order arrive. If the events show, carry the same event ID as the browser, and have a healthy Event Match Quality score, CAPI is working. This guide shows each check, in order, and the usual errors. Meta changes its menus often, so names may shift a little.
Where do I see CAPI events?
CAPI results live in Events Manager, not in Ads Manager. Ads Manager only shows the effect: purchases and cost per purchase in your campaign columns.
- Go to business.facebook.com/events_manager.
- Click your dataset (the new name for a pixel).
- On the Overview tab, find your events (Purchase, InitiateCheckout and so on).
- Look at the connection method next to each event: Browser, Server, or both.
If a Purchase shows both Browser and Server, you are running the pixel and CAPI together, which is what you want. If you have not set CAPI up yet, start with Meta Pixel vs Conversions API and then connect your token in Paylead.
How to use the Test events tool
- In your dataset, click Test events.
- Under Website, enter your store link and click Open website.
- In the window that opens, view a product and place a small test order.
- Go back to Test events. Within about a minute you should see the events arrive.
Server events are marked Server in the list. Click one to see the parameters that were sent. Also check the event ID: the browser and server versions of the same action should share it, and Meta shows a note when it has deduplicated them.
If you use CAPI from your own code, Meta gives you a test event code to add to your server request, so your test events show up here without affecting your real data. Remove it when you go live.
What is the Payload Helper?
The Payload Helper is a tool in Meta's developer documentation for the Conversions API. You paste or build your request, and it checks the structure and tells you what is missing or wrong, before you send anything. It is useful if you write your own CAPI code or work with a developer. It is not needed if your platform sends events for you, as Paylead does.
Use it to check four things:
- Required fields are present: event name, event time, action source, and user data
- Customer details are hashed the way Meta expects (lowercase, trimmed, then SHA-256)
- Purchase events include
valueandcurrency - The event ID is set
What is Event Match Quality?
Event Match Quality (EMQ) is a score out of 10 that Meta shows for each event. It tells you how well the details you send can be matched to a Facebook or Instagram account. Higher scores help Meta attribute sales to ads and find similar buyers.
You raise it by sending more of these, hashed where needed:
- Email address and phone number
- First and last name
- The
fbpandfbcbrowser cookies, which link to the ad click - IP address and user agent
Do not chase a perfect 10. Ask first whether your Purchase event is arriving, matching and not doubled.
Common errors and how to fix them
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Server events at all | Token missing or pasted with a space | Generate a new access token and paste it again |
| Events only show as Browser | CAPI not switched on in the platform | Add the token and save |
| Double Purchases | Event IDs differ between browser and server | Send the same event ID from both |
| Low match quality | Little customer data sent | Send email, phone and cookies where you can |
| Purchase has no value | Value or currency left out | Send both with every Purchase |
| Events arrive late | Sent in a batch hours later | Send events as they happen |
How do I know my sales are being counted in Ads Manager?
Events can reach Events Manager and still not show in your campaign. Check that your campaign's optimisation event is set to Purchase and the correct dataset is selected on the ad set. Reporting can lag, so compare after a day, not after a minute. If numbers still differ from your own sales list, remember Meta only counts sales it can match to an ad within its attribution window, so it will rarely match your order list exactly. Read how to track sales from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok ads for comparing the two.
FAQ
Why do I see more purchases after turning on CAPI?
Sales that the pixel missed, such as mobile money buyers who closed the page, are now counted.
Can I test CAPI without real sales?
Yes. Use the Test events tab and a small test order, or a test event code if you send events from your own code.
Where is the Payload Helper?
In Meta's developer documentation for the Conversions API. Search for "Conversions API Payload Helper".
How long until events show?
Usually within a minute in Test events. Other reports can take longer.
