For Developers: Tracking & Technical Implementation

This technical primer equips developers with an understanding of Everflow's core tracking flow, integration capabilities, and key developer resources like the API Portal.

Who This Guide is For

‍This guide is for Developers, DevOps, Technical Operations, or any technical team member responsible for implementing tracking, managing integrations, or using the API. Your role is to ensure data flows accurately between Everflow and your company's systems. This guide will provide the foundational knowledge you need to "speak the same language" as your marketing team and efficiently handle their technical requests.

Key Terms

Understanding this terminology is the key to working with Everflow's tracking and data systems.

➔ Postback URL (S2S Tracking): This is the most common and reliable method for tracking conversions. It's a secure, server-to-server call from your system to Everflow that reports a successful conversion.
➔ Pixel (JS SDK / Image): A client-side tracking method. This is a snippet of JavaScript or an HTML image tag placed on a confirmation page (like a "Thank You" page) that fires in the user's browser to report a conversion.
➔ Transaction ID (transaction_id): The single most important piece of data in tracking. It is a unique ID generated by Everflow for every single click. This ID is passed to your landing page and is used to attribute a conversion back to the original click.
➔ API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules and tools for building software and applications. The Everflow API allows you to programmatically manage entities (Offers, Partners), pull reports, and automate workflows.
➔ Integration: The process of connecting Everflow with third-party platforms, such as e-commerce systems (Shopify), advertising networks (Google/Meta), or fraud detection services.

Understanding Everflow's Tracking Logic

Before implementing any code, it's crucial to understand the conceptual flow of how Everflow attributes a conversion. At its core, it's a simple process of passing a unique ID from the initial click to the final conversion.

The Core Tracking Flow: From Click to Conversion

Your marketing team will talk about "tracking conversions," and this is the technical journey that happens behind the scenes:

A user clicks a Partner's Tracking Link.

Everflow instantaneously records the click and generates a unique Transaction ID (trans_id).

The user is redirected to your website's landing page, with the trans_id automatically appended to the URL as a query parameter (e.g., yourwebsite.com?trans_id=ABC123...).

Your website must be configured to store this trans_id, either in a cookie, local storage, or a backend session.

When the user completes the conversion (e.g., makes a purchase), your server uses the stored trans_id to fire a Postback URL back to Everflow.

Everflow receives the postback, matches the trans_id to the original click, and records a successful conversion for the correct Partner.

For a more detailed visual of this flow, see: this article

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Choosing Your Method: Postback vs. Pixel

You have two primary methods for reporting conversions back to Everflow.

Postback (S2S): This is the highly recommended method for its accuracy and reliability. It's a server-side process, meaning it isn't affected by browser privacy settings or ad blockers. It is required for tracking conversions that happen offline or in-app.

Pixel: This is a client-side method that's simpler to implement on basic websites. However, it can be less reliable as it is dependent on the user's browser, which can be affected by things like ITP (Intelligent Tracking Prevention) and ad blockers.

For a detailed comparison to help you choose the right method, see: this article

How to Find and Test Your Tracking

The Global Postback URL is the primary tool you'll use for S2S tracking. Your marketing team may ask you for help implementing it. You can find it by navigating to Advertisers > Manage > [Click on an Advertiser] > Postback. You will see a URL that you can copy and implement on your server. When a conversion occurs, your server should fire this URL, dynamically replacing the {transaction_id} macro with the actual trans_id captured from the click.

For a full guide on testing your implementation to ensure it's firing correctly, see: this article

Exploring Everflow Integrations

Your marketing team will likely want to connect Everflow with other tools in their marketing stack. Everflow supports this through a combination of built-in integrations and universal methods.

Built-In Integrations

Everflow has a growing library of plug-and-play integrations with major platforms to simplify setup. These are generally found in the Integrations section of the platform and fall into several categories:

Media Buying: For tracking cost and conversion data from major ad networks like Facebook, Google, and TikTok.

E-commerce: Deep integrations with platforms like Shopify to automatically track sales and order details.

Fraud Detection: Connections to industry-leading fraud prevention tools like Anura and Optizmo.

To browse our current list of direct integrations, see: this article

Universal Integration Methods

If you don't see a built-in integration for a specific platform, you can almost always connect it to Everflow using one of these methods:

Postbacks & Pixels: As covered in Step 1, these are the universal standards for affiliate tracking. Any platform that can fire a URL upon an event can be integrated with Everflow.

Zapier: For workflow automation, Everflow has a Zapier integration that allows you to connect to thousands of other applications without writing any code. This is great for tasks like sending a Slack message for a new high-value conversion or adding a new Everflow Partner to a mailing list.

To learn more about our Zapier integration and its capabilities, see: this article

Advanced Tools & Developer Resources

Beyond basic tracking and integrations, the Everflow API is your gateway to building custom solutions and automating complex workflows.

Introduction to the Everflow API

The Everflow API gives you programmatic access to nearly every aspect of the platform. It is a powerful tool for developers looking to:

Automate the creation of Offers or Partners.

Build custom dashboards with reporting data.

Synchronize Everflow data with an internal data warehouse.

Develop custom applications on top of the Everflow platform.

The API is a RESTful interface that uses API keys for authentication and returns data in JSON format.

Your Primary Resource: The Developer Portal

For all things API-related, the Everflow Developer Portal is your central source of truth. It contains comprehensive documentation, examples, and detailed references for every available endpoint.

Your complete API documentation can be found right here.

For a guide on getting your API key and making your first call, see: this article

Your Journey From Here

You now have the technical foundation for understanding how Everflow's tracking and integrations work. A great next step is to visit our Developer Portal to review the API endpoints or use the "Test Postback" feature to see the data flow firsthand.

As you work on specific implementations, this help desk and our developer docs are your primary resources for detailed instructions. When you're ready to master advanced integrations and API automation, email certification@everflow.io to learn about our technical certification courses.

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This technical primer equips developers with an understanding of Everflow's core tracking flow, integration capabilities, and key developer resources like the API Portal.

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Who This Guide is For

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