# Connecting your first data source

> A quick guide to wiring up the first ad platform or analytics source after installing Ordinary. OAuth-based, no code required.

Source: https://help.tryordinary.com/getting-started/connect-first-source

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Shopify is connected automatically at install. Everything else — Meta
Ads, Amazon SP-API, Google Analytics 4, PostHog — is a one-time
OAuth flow on **Settings → Integrations**.

> Connecting additional data sources requires **Starter or higher**.
> On Free you can still see attribution from pixel-observed sessions.

## Where to start

Go to **Settings → Integrations**. Each connector has a card with:

- Current status (Not connected / Connected / Needs reauth)
- A **Connect** button for OAuth
- A "Last synced" timestamp once connected


## Which to connect first

Pick the platform you spend the most on. Most DTC brands:

1. **Meta** — Facebook + Instagram ads. Usually the first to connect.
2. **Google Analytics 4** — historical sessions from before Ordinary's
   pixel was installed.
3. **Amazon SP-API** — if you also sell on Amazon.
4. **PostHog** — if you already use PostHog for session analytics and
   want to backfill pre-install history.

## The OAuth flow

For any connector:

1. Click **Connect** on the card.
2. You're redirected to the platform's auth page (Meta, Google, Amazon, etc.).
3. Approve the requested scopes. These are read-only for your
   analytics, orders, and ad-reporting data — the one exception is
   Google Ads, which can also create draft ad creatives at your
   request (you review and publish them yourself).
4. You're returned to Ordinary with the connection active.

First sync begins immediately. Depending on the platform and your
account's history, it takes anywhere from 30 seconds to 20 minutes.

## Per-platform guides

- [Connecting Meta Ads](https://help.tryordinary.com/integrations/meta)
- [Connecting Amazon SP-API](https://help.tryordinary.com/integrations/amazon)
- [Connecting Google Analytics 4](https://help.tryordinary.com/integrations/ga4)
- [Connecting PostHog](https://help.tryordinary.com/integrations/posthog)

Each guide walks through the platform-specific quirks (e.g. Meta's
ad-account selector, Amazon's region picker).

## What if the OAuth fails?

Most OAuth failures fall into two buckets:

- **Insufficient permissions on the ad account.** You need admin or
  equivalent access on the Meta ad account / Amazon seller central /
  GA4 property — read-only user accounts can't grant OAuth.
- **The browser blocked the popup.** Disable popup blockers for
  `app.tryordinary.com` and retry.

If it still fails, see the platform's integration article linked above
for a troubleshooting section, or email
[support@tryordinary.com](mailto:support@tryordinary.com).

## What's next

- Once a source is connected, check **Reports → Attribution** — ad
  spend for the connected platform should start appearing in the UTM
  breakdown within a few minutes.
- To connect more sources later, come back to this page any time.