This page explains why some calls show an unknown source and why call counts differ from your ad platforms and from phone number clicks. It also shows how to use the Visit Stats dashboard to check visitors and calls when no calls come in.

Unknown source calls

  • Calls labelled unknown source are calls that Nimbata could not attribute to a tracked marketing source or session.
  • This classification describes the result of attribution, not the cause.
  • Several different scenarios can produce it.
  • The most common cause is a caller dialing the tracking number directly, for example entering it manually, calling from a printed list or brochure, or using the number outside of a tracked environment.

Unknown source can also occur whenever attribution data is simply unavailable at the time the call is placed.

Check how the tracking number is displayed

  • Make sure your tracking numbers are only shown dynamically via your website or in tagged materials where source data can be captured.
  • If the number appears anywhere else, on printed materials, saved in a contact list, or shared outside tracked pages, callers may dial it directly and no source information is sent.

Review your dynamic number insertion setup

  • If you expect calls to be attributed to tracked channels (UTM tags, campaign links, ad sources), confirm that the DNI script is installed correctly on every page you want to track.
  • An incorrect or incomplete DNI setup results in calls landing without source attribution.
  • Calls with an unknown source do not necessarily indicate a problem with your tracking numbers.
  • They reflect calls that could not be mapped to a known marketing source based on how the call originated.
  • If you’re seeing a higher-than-expected number of unknown source calls, reviewing how and where your tracking numbers are displayed is the right first step.

Detailed guide: Set up DNI step by step
Detailed guide: Numbers not swapping
Troubleshooting: No calls yet

Counts that differ from ad platforms

  • It’s normal to see differences between the number of calls reported in Nimbata and the conversions shown in platforms like Google Ads, Meta, or Microsoft Ads.
  • Call tracking and ad platforms measure different things in different ways.

Different attribution models

  • Nimbata attributes calls by analysing session data (via the DNI script) and captured click IDs.
  • Ad platforms use their own attribution logic, for example data-driven, last click, 7-day click, or 1-day view.
  • The same call may be attributed to a campaign in Nimbata, attributed differently in the ad platform, or not attributed at all.

Missing click identifiers (for example GCLID)

  • For Google Ads offline conversions, Nimbata matches a call to an ad click through the click ID the visitor landed with: the gclid, or the gbraid or wbraid Google uses on some traffic.
  • If auto-tagging is disabled, a redirect removes the click ID, or a third-party tracking template strips parameters, the call appears in Nimbata but cannot be matched back to a Google Ads click.
  • A call with no click ID can still be sent, matched by the caller’s phone number, but only if enhanced conversions for leads is turned on in your Google Ads account. Otherwise Nimbata holds it back.

Conversion filtering via workflows

  • Calls are only sent to ad platforms when your workflow conditions are met.
  • You may be sending only answered calls, only calls longer than 60 seconds, or only calls with a specific tag.
  • Nimbata may record 100 calls while only 60 meet your workflow criteria and are forwarded as conversions.

Conversion settings inside the ad platform

  • Even when calls are successfully sent, the conversion action may not be set to Include in conversions, the reporting date range may differ, or certain columns may exclude specific conversion types.
  • Always verify your reporting columns and date filters in the ad platform.

Processing delays

  • Ad platforms do not always process offline or API conversions instantly.
  • Google Ads can take several hours; other platforms may batch or delay updates.
  • Temporary discrepancies are common and usually resolve themselves.

Call and click reporting differences

  • Nimbata reports all tracked calls.
  • Ad platforms report only attributed conversions tied to eligible ad interactions.
  • Not every call is eligible to become a platform conversion.

What to check if you spot a discrepancy

  1. Confirm your workflow is enabled.
  2. Check that the call has a valid click ID (for example GCLID).
  3. Verify conversion settings in your ad platform.
  4. Confirm date ranges match between Nimbata and the platform.
  5. Allow time for processing before drawing conclusions.

Tip

Small differences are normal. Large or persistent discrepancies usually relate to missing click IDs or workflow filters. If the issue continues, contact support with example call IDs, the expected conversion name, and the ad platform account used.

Detailed guide: Connect Google Ads
Detailed guide: Rules and tasks

Clicks versus calls

If you notice that your tracking number gets many clicks but relatively few actual calls, this is almost always expected behavior, not a tracking problem.

  • Nimbata’s data across more than 10 years of call tracking shows that the conversion rate from phone number clicks to calls sits at around 10 to 20%.
  • That means for every 10 clicks on a tracking number, you can expect 1 to 2 calls.
  • This ratio varies depending on your industry, target audience, campaign type, marketing strategy, and time of year.

A low click-to-call rate does not on its own indicate that anything is broken.

Note

If you still think something may be wrong, for example you are seeing zero calls despite steady click activity, check your visit stats and call rows using the guide below: No calls yet.

Warning

To confirm your full call tracking setup is correct end-to-end, work through Steps 1 to 5 of the getting-started guide: Setup guide.

Troubleshooting: No calls yet
Detailed guide: Numbers not swapping

Check visitor counts

The Visit Stats dashboard shows how many visitors your website had, and how many of them called, for each of your tracking sources. Reviewing visitor counts is a useful first step when diagnosing attribution gaps or evaluating campaign reach.

  1. Open Visit Stats

  2. Set your date range

    • Select the date range you want to review.
    • Click Apply.

    Visit Stats

    Manage TemplatesActions
    Filters
    Last 30 Days1Compare
    Call Rates by Tracking Source (over visitors)
    DayColumnby Tracking Source
    • Visitors
    • Google Ads
    • Organic Search
    • Facebook Ads
    • Total
    Visit Stats: pick the period (1). The Call Rates chart shows each source's calls as a share of all your visitors, over the visitors per day (shaded). Visitors (2) and Pages Viewed switch what the rate is measured against.

  3. Review the visitors and calls by source

    The dashboard shows one Call Rates chart:

    • Each line is one of the tracking sources your calls came from: that source’s calls as a share of all your visitors, per day. Calls with no tracking source are grouped as Unknown.
    • Total is all calls as a share of all visitors. It shows when there is more than one line.
    • The shaded area is the number of Visitors per day, on the right-hand axis.
    • Click Column to see the number of calls of each source instead of the rate (click Line to go back), and Pages Viewed to measure calls against page views instead of visitors.
    • Use the menu above the chart to switch between Day, Week and Month, and the grouping menu to split the calls by something other than tracking source, such as UTM source or call outcome.

🎉 You now have a clear view of how many visitors your campaigns are generating and how they convert into calls.

Detailed guide: Unknown source calls
Troubleshooting: No calls yet

No calls yet

  • Have you completed your Nimbata setup, but no calls are appearing in your reports?
  • The most likely explanation is simply that no calls have come in yet.
  • Nothing may be wrong at all.
  • That said, it’s worth confirming everything is working as intended using the Visit Stats dashboard.

Note

Before doing anything else, double-check your full setup is correct end-to-end with Steps 1 to 5 of the Setup guide.

  1. Open Visit Stats

  2. Confirm the date range is correct

    • Check the date range selector and make sure it covers the period you expect to see activity for.
    • Adjust if needed and click Apply.

  3. Check the calls of each source

    • Click Column at the top left of the Call Rates chart. Each column shows that day’s calls, stacked by tracking source, with the day’s total on top.
    Call Rates by Tracking Source (over visitors)
    DayLineby Tracking Source
    • Visitors
    • Google Ads
    • Organic Search
    • Facebook Ads
    In Column view the chart counts calls: each column stacks a day's calls by source, with the total on top. No columns means no calls in the period.

If visitor counts are showing but calls are not and your script is firing correctly, then you are simply waiting for inbound calls. If visitor counts are also zero, the script may not be installed or publishing correctly.

🎉 From this dashboard you can confirm how many calls have been received and whether your tracking numbers are being seen by visitors.

Troubleshooting: Numbers not swapping
Detailed guide: Clicks versus calls
Detailed guide: Check visitor counts