Open Tracked/Templates and checklists/Server side tracking setup checklist

Server side tracking setup checklist

Forty items in nine groups, in the order that avoids rework. Your ticks are saved in this browser.

5 min read · Updated October 26, 2026

In this guide

1. Plan 2. Domain and DNS 3. Containers 4. Platform tags in the server container 5. Deduplication and matching 6. Cookies and loader 7. Consent 8. Test 9. Go live and the first week Common slips on this list How long it takes Frequently asked questions

Before you start

Do the plan and domain groups first. They decide everything after.
Send a test purchase before you touch the live site, and compare it with the platform test tools.
The first week after launch matters: compare platform counts with store orders every day.

A server-side tracking project has the same shape every time. A short plan, a domain, two containers, a small change in the website, a few extras for matching and cookies, consent, testing and a careful launch. The checklist below follows that order. Tick items as you go: they are saved in your browser, so you can come back. For the idea behind it, read what server-side tracking is. Open Tracked notes are included where a step has a button or a setting there.

1. Plan

0 of 5 done

List the platforms you send to: GA4, Google Ads, Meta, TikTok, othersList the events you need: purchase, add to cart, lead, sign upWrite the fields each event must carry: value, currency, transaction ID, itemsCheck that the site already pushes these to the data layerDecide who owns DNS and who can publish the website

Set up in minutes

Connected in minutes

Add your domain, install the pixel, connect your ad platforms and watch the first events land.

2. Domain and DNS

0 of 5 done

Choose a neutral subdomain, for example data.yourstore.comAdd the domain in your host (in Open Tracked: Settings, Domains)Add the DNS record the host gives youPress Verify and wait until it shows VerifiedOpen https://your-domain/healthy and check it answers ok

3. Containers

0 of 5 done

Create or confirm the web container and the server containerDownload the ready container files from the Setup Wizard (in Open Tracked)Import them into the web and server containersSet the server container URL in the Google tag of the web containerOpen both Previews and confirm a page view reaches the server

Try it

Works with your stack

Grab a logo and throw it. These are the tools Open Tracked already talks to.

Grab one. Throw it.

4. Platform tags in the server container

0 of 5 done

GA4 tag set up and receiving eventsMeta Conversions API tag with the pixel ID and access tokenGoogle Ads conversion tag with conversion ID and labelTikTok Events API or other platform tags as neededEach tag has a trigger on the right event names

5. Deduplication and matching

0 of 5 done

Browser and server events share an event IDHashed e-mail and phone are sent where you have consentThe fbp and fbc cookies are passed to MetaVisitor Location and Device Info are on if you want them (every plan)The Data Store and Enricher are on to remember returning visitors (every plan)

6. Cookies and loader

0 of 4 done

Cookie Keeper is on for the platform cookies you use (every plan)Custom Loader generated and pasted into the site head and bodyThe old Tag Manager code is removed from the pagesThe loader address is on your own domain in the page source

0 of 4 done

Your consent banner sets Consent Mode default and update signalsTags have consent settingsServer tags do not send personal data without the allowed consentYou tested accept and reject in a private window

8. Test

0 of 5 done

A test purchase shows value, currency and transaction ID in PreviewMeta Test Events shows the browser and server copy, deduplicatedGoogle Ads conversion shows in the diagnosticsGA4 DebugView shows the purchase onceNo errors in the server logs for the test

9. Go live and the first week

0 of 6 done

Publish the web containerPublish the server containerCheck the first real orders arrive on every platformCompare platform counts with store orders each day for seven daysSet an alert or a weekly reminder to check eventsNote the date and the changes in a handover document

Common slips on this list

SymptomEvents arrive but purchases are doubled

Likely causeMissing shared event ID.

FixFix step 5, then recheck in Test Events.

SymptomWorks in your browser, not for others

Likely causeAn ad blocker or a consent default blocks it.

FixTest with blockers on and with consent rejected.

SymptomNothing arrives at the server

Likely causeThe server container URL is not set in the web tag, or DNS is not verified.

FixRecheck steps 2 and 3. See server container not receiving requests.

How long it takes

For a standard store with the ready container files, the first test purchase usually takes a few hours, most of it waiting for DNS. A careful launch with consent and a week of checks takes about a week of calendar time. A custom site with unusual events takes longer.

Print this page or keep it open. Your ticks stay in this browser until you clear its data.

Works worldwide

Runs on your domain, anywhere

Your tracking runs on your own domain, so a visit from any country is handled the same way.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a server-side tracking setup take?

A few hours for the technical part on a standard store, plus a week of comparing numbers after launch.

Can I do this without a developer?

For a standard store with ready container files, usually yes. A developer helps with a custom data layer.

What should I test first?

A single test purchase, in Preview and in each platform's test tool.

When do I know it is working?

When platform counts for orders are close to your store's orders for a full week.

Where is my progress saved?

In your browser on this device. Clearing site data removes it.

Do I need spreadsheets to read my results?

No. Once tracking is live, the Open Tracked analytics shows spend, revenue, ROAS and profit, and you can ask Ari, the built-in AI assistant, questions about your own numbers in plain words. Ari's allowance depends on your analytics plan.

Is Open Tracked different from Open Track or Open Space Track?

No. Open Tracked is the official name of our server-side tracking platform, and the website is opentracked.io. Many people search for it as Open Track, OpenTrack or Open Space Track. All of them lead to the same product: server-side Google Tag Manager hosting, first-party analytics and a CRM pipeline.

Fix your tracking at the source

Open Tracked hosts your server-side Tag Manager, keeps first-party cookies alive and shows what each ad is really worth.

Start free More in Templates and checklists →

Written by

The Open Tracked team

We build Open Tracked: server-side tracking hosting, analytics and the tools around them, for stores that spend on ads. Questions about this guide, or an idea for the next one?

Write to us Read the docs

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