Access to Data Transfer storage buckets previously required adding users to Google Groups during setup. Starting in Q4 2024, access to the storage buckets begins moving to a new permission in Google Ad Manager:
- View data transfer buckets: This new permission lets users view and access files in your Data Transfer storage buckets.
If needed, you can enable the permission for any custom roles in your network.
Listen to an audio overview about the migration:
About Administrator users
Users with the Administrator user role have the "View data transfer buckets" permission enabled by default.
Networks should review users with the Administrator role to confirm who can access data transfer storage buckets. Administrators that don’t need the permission may be placed in other roles.
Migration timeline
The permission migration rolls out in 3 phases.
Overview
- Phase 1: A preparatory phase for you to review and update user roles as needed. During this phase, access remains available only through Google Groups.
- Phase 2 (now in progress): A transitional phase when access through the user role permission begins and access through Google Groups continues to apply.
- Phase 3: End of migration. At this point, access through Google Groups ends. Access is available only through the user role permission.
Key details for each phase
Note that at no point in the migration do you have to take any action in Google Groups. We will simply turn off access for the group members. Your role is to allocate the new Ad Manager permission to the appropriate users.
- Phase 1: Early November 2024 (Preparation)
As of November 1, 2024, the new permission will be available in Ad Manager to allow you to begin configuring roles and adding users. You’ll notice the permission in the Administrator role. However, the permission is not yet active, allowing time to adjust user role memberships as desired. During this preparatory period, access to the storage buckets remains available only through Google Groups, but you should begin configuring and adding users via the Ad Manager permission. - Phase 2 (now in progress): Early December 2024 (Access via user roles begins)
In early December, Administrators and user roles with the "View data transfer buckets" permission can access Data Transfer storage buckets. At the same time, users with access through Google Groups maintain their access.- To maintain Data Transfer access for your users, be sure to update your user roles as needed before phase 3 of the migration.
- If no action is taken by phase 3, access to new and historical files will be impacted. For example, users that only have access through Google Groups will lose access to Data Transfer files (new and historical) in phase 3. These users will regain access when they’re in a user role with the "View data transfer buckets" permission enabled.
- Note that any networks now applying for regional data access or Data Transfer must use the permission to control access to the storage buckets. The Google Groups option is not available for newly added networks.
- Phase 3: Late January 2025 (End of migration)
As of January 31, 2025, access to Data Transfer storage buckets is available only through the Ad Manager user role permission. Access provided by Google Groups ends. To maintain the desired level of access, be sure to make any changes to your user roles before this date.
View the new permission
- Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
- Click Admin, then Access & authorization.
- Click Roles, and then the name of a role.
- Under "Reporting," locate the "View data transfer buckets" permission.
Migrate your Data Transfer users to maintain access
For the migration:
- Determine which users require access to the Data Transfer storage buckets.
- (Optional) If you have users that have access to Google Groups but not Ad Manager, add those users (including service account users) to your Ad Manager network as needed.
- Choose an option:
- Assign new or existing users to the "Administrator" role, which grants access to the "View data transfer buckets" permission as well as default access to all Ad Manager permissions.
- Add the "View data transfer buckets" permission to custom roles, which will apply to existing users and new users with the given role. Learn how to edit your custom user roles.
- Create a new custom role, such as "View data transfer buckets," and only apply the "View data transfer buckets" permission. Assign new and existing users to this role if they only require access to view data transfer buckets and no other access to Ad Manager.
Example scenarios
Scenario 1: In your review of users with the Administrator role, you find several users that don’t require access to Data Transfer storage buckets. Since all Admin users can now access the storage buckets, you want to move the users that don’t need access to a role without the permission. To do so, you could copy the Admin role (making it a custom role), remove the "Access data transfer buckets" permission from the new role, and then add the users to the new role. Alternatively, you could assign the users to a built-in role without the permission.
Scenario 2: Let’s say you have a custom role already set up and you want users in that role to have access to the Data Transfer storage buckets. You can enable the "View data transfer buckets" permission for users in the custom role.
Scenario 3: You have users in the Administrator role, and you want them to have access to Data Transfer storage buckets. Since the permission will be enabled by default for Admins, no action is needed for these users.
Scenario 4: You have a user in Google Groups who doesn’t have an Ad Manager account. You add the user to your Ad Manager network and assign them a role with the permission. If desired, you can create a role for them with only the "View data transfer buckets" permission. Note that the members of a Google Group can’t be directly transferred to Ad Manager. If a user is not already in your Ad Manager network, they must be added individually.
FAQ
Do I have to remove users from Google Groups?
No. The change in access only requires that your intended users have the new "View data transfer buckets" permission in Ad Manager. Review your user roles and make updates as needed.
No action is needed in Google Groups.
Can I have users in multiple user roles?
