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Test & Troubleshoot Server Postback Tracking
Test & Troubleshoot Server Postback Tracking

A Step-by-Step Guide to Testing Your Server Postback Integration

Heather Clark avatar
Written by Heather Clark
Updated today

Follow these steps to complete a test purchase and verify that your Server Postback tracking is set up correctly to record clicks and conversions.

Step 1: Copy your Offer ID

Go to Reporting > Sales Tracking, then select an offer. Click the information icon ("i") next to the offer name, then click “Instructions”.
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Locate the postback URL in the highlighted box. Copy the number that appears immediately after offer_id=.
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For example, in the URL below, the offer ID is 12345.
​https://get.aspr.app/aff_lsr?offer_id=12345&amount=AMOUNT

Step 2: Create a test link

To create a test link, take the Offer ID you copied in Step 1 and paste it into the URL below, replacing OFFER_ID with your Offer ID.
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http://aspireiq.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=OFFER_ID&aff_id=1&source=testoffer&aff_sub=testoffer

Step 3: Click on the test link and make a test purchase

Click on the test link you created in Step 2. Add an item to your cart and complete the purchase as a regular customer would.

Important: Avoid using a 100% discount code so we can confirm the recorded amount reflects the actual sale amount. You may apply a partial discount if needed and can cancel the order immediately after placing it.

Step 4: Confirm your test purchase was tracked

After placing the test order, reach out to Aspire’s Support Team at [email protected], or contact your CSM or Implementation Manager. Please provide the following details:

  • Offer ID

  • Order subtotal amount

  • Order number

Note: This test purchase will not appear as a conversion in your Sales Tracking dashboard. Our team will verify if the conversion was recorded on our end and notify you of the results.

Once confirmed, your offer is ready to track clicks and conversions driven by your creators! 🎉

Troubleshooting Tips

  1. Check the Offer URL format

    • Ensure the Offer URL is correctly formatted and contains the required parameters, such as amount, transaction_id or affiliate_id (depending on which method you're using), as well as adv_unique1.

    • The Offer URL must include the variable {transaction_id} or {affiliate_id} based on your chosen method and match your store's parameter for this value.

      • The query parameter name will vary depending on your implementation. Please confirm with your engineering or e-commerce team to ensure the Offer URL is using the correct parameter.
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  2. Verify dynamic parameter replacements

    • Confirm that placeholders such as AMOUNT, TRANSACTION_ID or AFFILIATE_ID, and ORDER_ID are being correctly replaced with actual values before firing the postback.
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  3. Confirm the postback is firing at the right time

    • The postback should trigger after a successful conversion event (e.g. order completion or lead submission).
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the recorded sale amount different from the order subtotal?

  • Ensure the correct amount is passed in the postback URL.

  • If the order was placed using a non-USD currency, make sure the amount is properly converted to USD before being sent in the postback URL. See this article on Aspire's recommendations for managing currency conversions.

I placed a test order, but it’s not appearing in the Sales Tracking dashboard. Why?

  • Test purchases made using a test link will not show up in the dashboard and will only be tracked in Aspire’s backend. Contact Aspire Support at [email protected] to confirm if the conversion was recorded.

  • If you made a test purchase using a unique link generated within an offer, there may be a delay before the conversion appears in your reporting. Wait one hour and check again.

I placed two test orders, but the second one wasn’t recorded as a conversion. Why?

When testing an offer that uses Javascript Postback or Server Postback with Transaction ID as the conversion tracking method, the transaction id is generated based on:

  • Date

  • Offer ID

  • IP Address (unique to your computer)

  • User-Agent (browser used to place the order)

If you click an affiliate link multiple times without changing any of the above factors, the same transaction ID will be generated. Since conversions with duplicate transaction IDs are rejected by default, your second test order won’t be recorded.

To test again, try one of the following:

  • Use a different browser

  • Connect to a VPN to change your IP address

  • Wait until the next day before retesting

How can I check if the postback is firing correctly?

To verify that the postback request is being sent, use your browser’s developer tools to check if the postback URL is triggered when an order is placed.

The steps below use Chrome's DevTools. If you're using a different browser, the process may vary slightly.
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Step 1: Open Developer Tools before clicking the test link

  1. Open a new browser window or tab

  2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select Inspect to open the Developer Tools.

  3. Navigate to the Network tab

  4. Clear existing network logs by clicking the 🚫 icon

Step 2: Verify Request URL

  1. Copy and paste the Aspire test link into your browser's address bar and press Enter

  2. In the Network tab, locate the request with a name that begins with transaction_id or affiliate_id

  3. Click on the request, then navigate to the Headers tab

  4. Under Request URL, confirm that the transaction id or affiliate id is correctly populated after transaction_id= or affiliate_id=
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    ​Note: The parameter names may vary based on your implementation. If the expected values are missing, consult your engineering team to verify the correct query parameters.
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Step 3: Complete a test purchase

  1. Place a test order on your website, keeping the Developer Tools open throughout the process.
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    ​Note: If you're not tracking purchases, complete whichever action you want to track as a conversion (e.g., filling out a lead gen form or making a reservation).

Step 4: Review the Network Call

  1. After the order is placed, go to the Network tab in your browser’s developer tools

  2. Use the filter bar and enter aff_lsr to search for the relevant request

  3. Click on the request name that begins with aff_lsr

  4. Click on Headers and look under the General section:

    1. Request Method should be GET

    2. Status Code should be 200 OK, which means the postback was received successfully

    3. If you see a 400 or 500 error, this may indicate a formatting issue or a server error
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Step 5: Review the Payload

  1. Click on the Payload tab to inspect the values passed in the request URL

  2. Under Query String Parameters, you should see these parameters:

    • transaction_id or affiliate_id

    • amount (sale amount)

    • adv_unique1 (containing the order ID)
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