Connect TikTok
Whence sends your store events to TikTok from the server, through the Events API. You copy three values in TikTok’s Events Manager, paste them in Whence, and send a test. Plan on about 5 minutes.
What Whence sends to TikTok
With your visitor’s marketing consent only, from the server, to your TikTok pixel:
- Checked by default: Product view (ViewContent), Add to cart (AddToCart), Checkout started (InitiateCheckout), Payment info (AddPaymentInfo) and Purchase, with value, currency and products.
- Page views are not sent: TikTok has no standard page view event for server events.
- Matching details: hashed email, phone and visitor ID; TikTok’s ad click (ttclid) and browser ID (ttp); IP address and browser.
Each event carries an event ID, so TikTok keeps only the first copy when your browser pixel sends the same event. See Deduplication.
In TikTok Events Manager
Step 1: Copy your Pixel Code
In TikTok Ads Manager, open Tools > Events, then Data sources. The Pixel Code is shown under your pixel name (for example CUSG5HBC77UD11VVRQEG). Copy it.
Step 2: Generate an Events API access token
Open your pixel, then Settings, and click Generate Access Token. Copy the token and keep it for step 5.
Step 3: Copy a test event code
Open the Test Events tab of your pixel, then Test Server Events, and copy the test code. You only need it to send tests.
In Whence
Step 4: Open TikTok in Conversions
Open Marketing > Conversions and click Set up (1) on the TikTok row.
Step 5: Paste your IDs and send a test
The panel guides you in three numbered steps. Each field shows below it where to find the value in TikTok.
- Paste your Pixel ID (Pixel Code) (1).
- Paste your Events API access token (2).
- Paste your Test event code, then click Save and send a test (3).
Whence saves the settings, sends one test event, and opens Details with TikTok’s answer.
More options, at the bottom of the panel, holds the pixel name, the events to send, Product ID sent (the ID your TikTok catalog uses), Limited Data Use, Test mode, and Whence also runs the TikTok pixel in the browser (browser pixel).
Test the connection
Step 6: Send a test event and read the answer
Click Details on the TikTok row. Under Send a test event, pick a Step and click Send test event (1). Open Recent activity (2) to see the last 50 events, newest first, with what TikTok answered for each.
The test goes out with your test event code: it appears in TikTok’s Test Server Events and never counts in your campaigns. Whence then shows “TikTok received the test event. It answered: TikTok received the event (request …).”
Common errors
| Message | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Add a TikTok test event code (Events Manager > your pixel > Test Events > Test Server Events) to send a test. | No test event code is saved. | Copy it from Test Server Events (step 3) and paste it. |
| Test mode needs a TikTok test event code (Events Manager > your pixel > Test Events). | Test mode is on without a code. | Paste a test event code, or turn Test mode off. |
| Pixel ID (Pixel Code) doesn’t look right. Check the format. | The Pixel Code is 10 to 32 letters and digits. | Copy it again from Events Manager. |
| TikTok: … (code …) | TikTok’s own message and code. TikTok can answer with an error code even when the request went through; Whence reads the code, not only the HTTP status. A token problem shows as Problem: token refused. | Generate a new token, click Fix, then Update the settings, paste it and send a test. |
| Retrying (attempt 2) (in Recent activity) | A TikTok rate limit or outage. | Nothing: Whence retries automatically, up to 6 attempts. |
| TikTok: your sales may be counted twice | Another TikTok pixel sends events. | In Shopify admin, open the TikTok app > Settings > Data sharing and disconnect the pixel, or let Whence run the TikTok pixel in the browser. |
In Shopify admin, the Whence app has the same setup: turn on the TikTok switch under Conversions sent to your ad platforms, fill in the same fields in Add a TikTok pixel, click Save, then Send test event.
Connecting TikTok in Setup > Connections reads your ad spend for the Ads screen. While the tile says Whence is waiting for TikTok for Business to approve its developer app, spend is not available. Conversions work without it.