Why would external reports not match the SourceMedium dashboard?

Common reasons for data discrepancies between SourceMedium and Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, or other external reporting tools

Most external-reporting mismatches come from one of four differences: order filters, revenue definitions, channel scope, or platform attribution windows.

Shopify Reports

Start with the Executive Summary vs. Shopify Sales Report FAQ. It covers the main Shopify reconciliation causes: valid-order filters, Exclude $0 Orders, channel mapping, and selected Shopify-related channels.

For field definitions, use Revenue Fields and Valid Orders.

Meta Ads Reports

Check that you are comparing the same attribution window assigned to each campaign in Meta. SourceMedium reports based on the attribution window configured in the platform, which can vary by campaign.

Google Ads Reports

Use the attribution window set in your account and compare against purchase conversions and purchase revenue.

Recent marketing data

Small differences in recent periods can happen when ad platforms continue attributing purchases during the day. Compare again after the next SourceMedium data refresh.

If numbers still differ after checking the above, confirm the data is fresh with Data Health and the metric is the one you expect with Metric Definitions.

Most dashboard modules support daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly granularity. Custom fiscal calendars and rolling-week calculations are not standard dashboard options.