> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.metricanic.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Affiliate networks

> Connect an offer's click ID parameter with the network's conversion callback.

An affiliate network groups related offers and helps configure their attribution handoff. Metricanic sends its click ID in the offer URL. The network stores that value and returns it when it reports a conversion.

Use a network record when several offers share the same tracking parameter or when a supported template helps generate the network's callback. If you track your own offer page, you can leave the offer's **Affiliate network** empty and handle the click ID yourself.

## Follow the round trip

Suppose a network stores tracking data in `s2`. Configure the offer to send:

```text theme={null}
https://network.example.com/offer?offer=42&s2={click_id}
```

Metricanic replaces `{click_id}` with a signed ID. The network must preserve that value and use its own callback macro to return the stored `s2` value to Metricanic.

The names `s2`, `subid`, and similar parameters belong to the network. Choose the exact parameter it supports. They are not interchangeable merely because they look like tracking fields.

## Create the network record

1. Open **Affiliate networks** and click **Create**.
2. Choose the matching template or **Custom**, then enter **Name**.
3. Turn on **Append click ID to offer URLs** if offers should use the network's standard tracking parameter.
4. In **Parameter**, enter the parameter name only, such as `s2`. Check **Suffix**, which should show `s2={click_id}`.
5. Save the network.

When you select this network in an offer editor, Metricanic can add that parameter to the offer URL. Review the offer's **Append click ID** setting and its actual URL before saving.

These settings help build offer URLs. Changing the network later does not rewrite every existing offer URL. If you change the parameter convention, review and update the affected offers as well.

## Configure the network's callback

When a template supplies an **Affiliate network callback**, select a **Tracking domain** and copy the generated URL into the network's conversion settings.

Copy it while applying the template. If the callback panel is empty when you reopen the record, select the template and domain again to generate it.

For a custom network, construct the callback using the network's documented macros. Its shape is:

```text theme={null}
https://trk.example.com/event/NETWORK_CLICK_ID_MACRO?idx=1&payout=NETWORK_PAYOUT_MACRO
```

Replace both example macro names with the network's actual syntax. The click ID macro must return the Metricanic value previously stored in the offer parameter. The payout macro supplies the event amount. Add `txuid` when the network provides a transaction ID, as described in [incoming events](/conversions/incoming-events).

Use an Event ID configured in the receiving campaign. Simple mode uses Event ID `1`. In Advanced mode, choose the event whose conversion and revenue settings match this callback.

## Verify before using more offers

Open a real campaign tracking link and check that the request to the network contains one expanded Metricanic click ID in the expected parameter. A literal `{click_id}` indicates that the URL did not pass through the appropriate tracking flow.

Complete a test action or use the network's callback test with that actual recorded click ID. Check the campaign's event, conversion count, and revenue after processing.

If the network has no stored click ID, fix the offer URL first. If it sends a value but Metricanic rejects it, check whether it returned its own internal ID instead of the Metricanic ID. If the event arrives without a conversion, review the campaign's [event settings](/conversions/goals).

The affiliate callback sends data **into Metricanic**. To report that conversion onward to the ad platform, configure a separate [outgoing postback](/conversions/postbacks) in the campaign.