Journeys and identities
Why is a conversion not attributed?
“Unattributed” means the model found no touchpoint for this conversion that it considers. Either none falls inside the attribution window and is linked by a shared identifier, or there are only touchpoints of a kind the model does not distribute. Metrunio does not invent a contact in that case.
What does “unattributed” mean, and how do I improve coverage?
- 01Check whether any touchpoint was measured before the conversion at all (open the journey; the side column “Attribution of this conversion” names the same reason as the list).
- 02Make sure tracking is active on every page, not only the home page.
- 03For server conversions, pass the same order number as the shop does.
- 04Check that consent was in place before the purchase completed.
- 05Check the attribution windows: touchpoints outside the window do not count.
Another common case: the conversion arrives server-side without a shared identifier. Pass the anonymous_id, session_id or click_id from the session in which the purchase happened.
Funnel steps add one more cause: if metrunio.identify(userId) is missing in the browser before the step, it arrives under the browser ID and is not credited to the signed-in customer.
A long quiet spell, on the other hand, is not a cause. Whether a contact receives a share is decided solely by the click or view window, even if weeks without measured activity sit between it and the conversion.
Under “Last non-direct click” there is one more cause: if only viewable impressions precede the conversion, it remains unattributed in this model. The model distributes among clicks and visits only. The other models attribute it to the viewable impressions. “Unattributed” in the overview, the conversion list and the model comparison therefore always refers to the selected model, and without a choice to your default model.
If the reason says that every touchpoint comes from a bot, Metrunio recognised the visits as automated, for example a browser without a window as used by testing tools. Such touchpoints count towards no attribution. This often affects your own test purchase: for a test, buy in an ordinary browser.
If the reason reads “No consent”, your server reported the order without consent, with no decision in the banner or after a refusal, and it was stored for revenue reconciliation: with its order number, without browser, customer or advertising identifiers. After a refusal this only happens with an activated additional instruction for revenue reconciliation. The revenue is measured and counts in the totals. It is attributed to a channel only through “Order attribution via checkout” under “Privacy”, if you have switched it on: when the same checkout was completed in the browser with consent that already existed at the time of purchase, and never after a refusal. That is why such an order can appear as attributed later on. Otherwise there is nothing to improve for this order; more attributed orders only come with more consent in the banner.
A subscription renewal does not look for touchpoints of its own. It takes over the shares of the first order of the same subscription. If the reason says that the first order is not known, the subscription started before measurement, the subscription ID is missing, or the first order arrived without consent; report the first order with the same subscription_id. If it says that the first order is not attributed, the actual reason is shown on that order.
Note
We do not invent touchpoints. If a signal is missing, the conversion stays visible as “unattributed”. That is a statement about the data, not a software fault.
Last reviewed on 16 Oct 2026
In the customer portal
Also asked
- Unattributed conversions
- Conversion without a channel
- Why is the source missing?
- What does “No consent” mean for an unattributed conversion?
- Why was an order without consent attributed later after all?
- Why is a conversion unattributed only under “Last non-direct click”?
- Why is my test purchase not attributed?
- Why is a subscription renewal not attributed?
Related articles
- Which attributes are linked?
How does Metrunio know that two signals belong together?
Only through unambiguous identifiers: session ID, pseudonymous first-party ID, click ID, impression ID, view identifier, pseudonymised customer identifier, and order or lead number. Nothing else.
- What are the click window and view window?
How long does a touchpoint before the conversion count?
The click window sets how long a click before the conversion still counts (30 days by default); the view window does the same for a viewable impression (one day by default). You set both under “Settings”, together with the default model.
- How do I report conversions server-side?
How do I send events from my shop, CRM or backend?
Through POST /v1/server/events to the collector, with the server key in the authorization header. The portal shows the address and the ready-made call for your website under “Setup” on the “Server Events API” tab. The call is independent of the browser and therefore robust against ad blockers and short-lived cookies.
- What is a funnel step?
How do I measure a funnel when there is no purchase?
A funnel step is a conversion a customer reaches rather than buys: signed up, set up, first payment. Each step has a key and a position and counts exactly once per customer, however often it is reported. Several steps in order make up the funnel in the “Orders & goals” report.
- Does consent apply to server events too?
Do I need consent when I send server-side?
Yes, because server-side processing does not mean exemption from consent: pass consent_state and consent_purposes in the event; without matching consent an event is rejected. The exception is purchases and refunds with consent_state unknown: they are stored for revenue reconciliation, with their order number and without browser, customer or advertising identifiers, count towards measured revenue and appear as not attributed with the reason “No consent”. With denied this only applies if the additional instruction for revenue reconciliation is activated for your account. You can switch revenue reconciliation off in the portal under Privacy; such an order can only be attributed via the checkout, if you switch that on.
- Attributing orders via the checkout
How does Metrunio attribute orders without a consent decision?
Not at all, as long as you have not switched on order attribution via the checkout. With it, we attribute such an order to the visit when the same checkout was completed in the browser with consent and that consent already existed at the time of purchase.
- How does Metrunio count subscription renewals?
How do I mark subscription renewals, and which channel are they attributed to?
You report a renewal as a purchase with the subscription ID (subscription_id) and the flag subscription_renewal; Metrunio marks renewals from Stripe itself. It counts in measured revenue, appears separately in the reports and receives the shares of the first order of the same subscription, because it has no ad contact of its own. Without a known first order or without consent, it stays unattributed with a reason.