| name | dgen-automation-disable |
| description | Bulk-disable Demand Gen ad-level asset automation settings. Auto-invoke when user says "disable dgen automation", "fix dgen asset settings", "turn off dgen auto assets", "dgen automation fix", or "fix demand gen automation". |
| allowed-tools | ["Bash","Read"] |
DGen Ad-Level Automation Disable
Purpose: Programmatically set all Demand Gen ad-level asset automation settings to OPTED_OUT across one or many accounts.
Type: Mutation skill (two-step approval required)
Auto-Invoke When
- "disable dgen automation"
- "fix dgen asset settings"
- "turn off dgen auto assets"
- "dgen automation fix"
- "fix demand gen automation"
Background
Demand Gen asset automation operates at the ad level (not campaign level like PMax). Google auto-generates creative variations that frequently drift off-brand or reduce quality control for managed accounts.
Settings Controlled
DemandGenMultiAssetAd:
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|
GENERATE_DESIGN_VERSIONS_FOR_IMAGES | Adds design elements to images | ON |
GENERATE_VIDEOS_FROM_OTHER_ASSETS | Generates videos from images/text | ON |
DemandGenVideoResponsiveAd:
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|
GENERATE_VERTICAL_YOUTUBE_VIDEOS | Converts horizontal to vertical | ON |
GENERATE_SHORTER_YOUTUBE_VIDEOS | Shortens videos | ON |
GENERATE_LANDING_PAGE_PREVIEW | Landing page screenshot in ads | OFF (but found ON in some accounts) |
DEMAND_GEN_CAROUSEL_AD and DEMAND_GEN_PRODUCT_AD have no automation settings — skipped.
Two-Step Mutation Flow
This skill follows the mutation-safety pattern. Never skip the dry-run, never auto-approve.
Step 1 — Dry-run preview
python scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py --cid 1234567890
python scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py --cids "1234567890,2345678901"
python scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py --all
Output includes:
- Per-account list of ads needing changes
- Specific settings that will flip from
OPTED_IN → OPTED_OUT
- Total count (ads, settings, accounts)
- An APPROVAL CODE like
APPROVE-A3F9B2C1
Step 2 — Execute with approval code
python scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py --cid 1234567890 APPROVE-A3F9B2C1
The script:
- Re-computes the approval code from current ad state
- Refuses to execute if the code doesn't match (safety net if ads changed since the dry-run)
- Mutates via
AdGroupAdService.mutate_ad_group_ads
- Writes to local log at
./logs/mutations_log.jsonl
- Optionally writes to a Google Sheet log (
--log-sheet-id)
Step 3 — Verify (optional, single-account only)
python scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py --cid 1234567890 APPROVE-A3F9B2C1 --verify
Re-queries the account and confirms every DGen ad is now OPTED_OUT on all applicable settings. Reports any non-compliant ads.
How the approval code works
The code is a SHA-256 hash of the sorted (cid, ad_id, settings_to_fix) tuples across all pending mutations, truncated to 8 hex chars.
- Deterministic: same pending work → same code. No state file needed.
- Safe against drift: if ads change between dry-run and execute (new ads, settings changed by Google's defaults reappearing, etc.), the code changes and execution is refused.
CLI Reference
| Flag | Default | Purpose |
|---|
--cid CID | — | Single account (mutually exclusive with --cids/--all) |
--cids CID1,CID2,... | — | Multiple accounts |
--all | — | All enabled non-manager accounts under login_customer_id from google-ads.yaml |
approval_code (positional) | — | APPROVE-XXXXXXXX from dry-run. Omit for dry-run mode. |
--config | google-ads.yaml | Path to Google Ads credentials YAML |
--log-dir | logs | Directory for local JSONL mutation log |
--log-sheet-id | (off) | Optional Google Sheet ID for central mutation log |
--verify | off | Post-execute re-query (single account only) |
Mutation Logging
Local (always on)
Every execution appends to ./logs/mutations_log.jsonl:
{"timestamp_utc": "2026-04-23T15:30:00+00:00", "approval_code": "APPROVE-A3F9B2C1",
"account_cid": "1234567890", "account_name": "Example Account", "action_type": "DISABLE_DGEN_AUTOMATION",
"details": {"ads_updated": 3, "settings_changed": [...], "ad_types": [...]},
"success": true, "error": null}
This is your audit trail. The script creates the directory if it doesn't exist.
Google Sheet (opt-in)
Pass --log-sheet-id YOUR_SHEET_ID to also log to a central Sheet with columns:
Timestamp | Account | CID | Action Type | Details | Success | Error | Approval Code
Uses the refresh token in google-ads.yaml — that token must have the spreadsheets scope.
CRITICAL Implementation Note
Replacement behavior: When updating ad_group_ad_asset_automation_settings, you must specify ALL applicable settings for the ad type. If you only specify one, the others reset to defaults (OPTED_IN).
The script handles this correctly — it always sets every applicable setting for each ad type. If you write your own tooling against this field, do the same.
Prerequisites
- Google Ads API credentials —
google-ads.yaml at project root (see google-ads-api-setup)
- Python:
pip install google-ads google-auth google-api-python-client pyyaml
- For
--log-sheet-id: the refresh token in google-ads.yaml must include https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets scope
Installation
mkdir -p .claude/skills/dgen-automation-disable/scripts
curl -o .claude/skills/dgen-automation-disable/SKILL.md \
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fourteenwm/ppc-ai-skills/main/dgen-automation-disable/SKILL.md
curl -o .claude/skills/dgen-automation-disable/scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py \
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fourteenwm/ppc-ai-skills/main/dgen-automation-disable/scripts/fix_dgen_ad_automation.py
Related Skills
When to Run
- Post-onboarding — run once after taking over any new account with DGen campaigns
- Periodic audit — DGen settings are observed to reset silently after certain campaign edits. Re-run monthly to catch drift.
- Before a brand-sensitive launch — confirm no auto-generation is active right before a new creative goes live
