Custom columns let you define your own calculated metrics and add them to the Ads Manager table view. Instead of being limited to the default metric set, you can write a formula using existing metrics and mathematical operators to track any calculation that matters to your workflow.
This article explains the three custom column types and how to create each one.
To add or manage standard columns instead, see Customize table columns in Ads Manager.
Before you start
Custom columns are created from within the column editor. They are saved to your account and can be applied across sessions.
There are three custom column types, and the type you choose determines which layers the column is available on and whether it requires a goal or app selection.
Default custom columns are available across all layers except Negative Keywords. They are not tied to a specific app or goal, so they work broadly across your account. Goal selection for Default custom columns can be applied through Ads Manager after the column is created.
Goal-Based custom columns are scoped to a single app and are only applicable to one app at a time. Use this type when your formula depends on goal event data from a specific app.
Category-Based custom columns can be applied across multiple apps within the same category. Use this type when you want a formula that works consistently across several apps at once.
Neither Goal-Based nor Category-Based custom columns are available at the Negative Keywords layer.
Create a custom column
From any layer in Ads Manager, click Columns above the table and select Edit Columns. 
In the column editor, scroll to the bottom of the center panel and click + New Custom Column.
Step 1: Choose a type
A screen appears asking you to choose a column type (if all column types are available for that level). Select Default, Goal-Based, or Category-Based based on your needs. Click the arrow to continue to the formula builder.
Step 2: Build your formula
The formula builder shows a canvas where you construct your calculation.
At the top of the canvas, use the toolbar to add components:
Metric opens a dropdown of all available metrics you can include in the formula. Click it and select the metric you want to add.
Number lets you add a fixed numeric value to use in your formula, for example, multiplying a metric by 100 to express it as a percentage.
The operator buttons — +, −, ×, ÷, (, ) — let you combine metrics and numbers into a complete formula. Click them in sequence to build your expression in the canvas area.
For example, to calculate a custom revenue-per-tap metric, you would add your revenue metric, then the division operator, then the Taps metric.
Below the canvas, the platform shows which layers the formula can be applied to based on the metrics you have used. Levels shown with a green checkmark are supported. Levels shown with a grey circle are not available for this formula, typically because one of the metrics in the formula is not available at that layer.
Step 3: Name and format the column
Column Name is required. Enter a name that makes the metric easy to identify in the table. This name appears as the column header.
Column Format determines how the value is displayed in the table. Select from Value ($), Percentage (%), or Number depending on what the formula produces.
Description is optional but useful for keeping track of what the formula calculates, especially if other team members use the same account.
When you are ready, click Create. The custom column is saved and added to your column editor under the Custom Columns category.
After you finish
Your custom column appears in the column editor under Custom Columns and can be added to any supported layer's table view.
To add it, open the column editor, find it under Custom Columns, check its box, and click Apply.
Custom columns also appear as options in the Scheduled Reports column selection, so you can include them in automated exports. They are also available as filter criteria in the Filters panel under Custom Columns.
Related links
- Customize table columns in Ads Manager
- Understand metrics in Ads Manager
- Build scheduled reports in Ads Manager
- Ads Manager overview
Need more help?
If you have further questions, contact your dedicated Customer Success Manager or reach out via live chat.