Articles on: Getting Started

How Tracking and Tokens Work

FunnelFlux is a URL-based tracker. Everything it does -- capturing data from ad clicks, routing visitors through funnels, and attributing conversions -- relies on information passed through URLs. Once you understand how URLs carry data and how tokens work, the entire system clicks into place.


This guide covers the fundamentals you need before you start building funnels.


URL Anatomy

Every URL you work with in tracking has the same basic structure. Here is a real example of a FunnelFlux redirect link:

https://track.example.com/fts/2nIemJxCKbFX-2n5JuOKWLTzd?campaign=[campaign]&external=[clickid]&c1=[country]&c2=[zone]

Breaking this apart:

  • Protocol -- https tells the browser how to connect
  • Domain -- track.example.com is your custom tracking domain, which FunnelFlux uses to identify your account
  • Path -- /fts/2nIemJxCKbFX-2n5JuOKWLTzd tells FunnelFlux this is a new entrance (fts = funnel traffic source) and encodes the funnel ID and traffic source ID
  • Query string -- everything after ? is a set of key=value pairs separated by &, carrying the data you want to capture


The query string is the most dynamic part. When this link runs inside an ad platform, it might resolve to something like:

?campaign=camp_123&external=click_789&c1=US&c2=zone_456

FunnelFlux reads those parameters, maps them to the tracking fields you configured in the traffic source, and stores the values in its database. Any parameters that are not mapped to a tracking field will not appear in reporting.


The Three Token Systems

Tokens are placeholder values in URLs that get replaced with real data by the system that processes them. When working with FunnelFlux, you will encounter tokens from three different systems. Each system only understands its own tokens and ignores everything else.


1. Traffic Source Tokens (data coming IN)

These are defined by the advertising platform where you run ads. When a user clicks your ad, the platform replaces its tokens with actual values before the browser loads the URL. By the time the click reaches FunnelFlux, the tokens are already gone -- replaced with real data.


Every platform uses its own format:

  • Facebook: {{campaign.name}}, {{ad.id}}
  • Google Ads: {campaignid}, {keyword}
  • TikTok: __CAMPAIGN_NAME__, __CID__
  • Push/pop networks: [campaign], [clickid], [zone]


You place these tokens in the FunnelFlux tracking link that you paste into the ad platform as your destination URL.


2. FunnelFlux Tokens (data going OUT)

These are defined by FunnelFlux and replaced when it redirects a visitor to a lander or offer, or when it fires a postback. You use them inside FunnelFlux's interface -- in offer data passing, lander data passing, and traffic source postback URLs.


Common tokens include:

  • {hit} -- the unique hit ID for the current node touch
  • {visitor} -- the visitor session ID (VID)
  • {campaign} -- the value captured in the "campaign" tracking field
  • {external} -- the value captured in the "external" tracking field
  • {funnel-id}, {trafficsource-id} -- internal IDs
  • {data-FIELDNAME} -- the value of any custom tracking field


For example, you might configure an offer URL like this:

https://offer.example.com/page?click_id={hit}&sub2={campaign}&sub3={data-zone}

When FunnelFlux redirects a visitor to that offer, it scans the URL, finds its own tokens, and replaces them with values from the visitor's session.


For the complete list of available tokens, see Token Reference.


3. Third-Party Tokens (data from external platforms)

These are defined by affiliate networks, CPA networks, and other external platforms. You use them in the network's own interface when configuring the postback URL that fires back to FunnelFlux.


Examples by platform:

  • Cake/HasOffers: #s1#, #price#, #tid#
  • Everflow: {sub1}, {payout}, {transaction_id}
  • Generic networks: {click_id}, %%REVENUE%%


FunnelFlux displays these third-party tokens in the offer source configuration for reference, so you know what to use when setting up the postback on the network side. FunnelFlux does not process these tokens itself.


The 4-Stage Data Flow

Here is how data moves through the entire system, from ad click to conversion.


Stage 1: User Clicks Ad

A user sees your ad and clicks it. The traffic source replaces its tokens in the destination URL with real values and sends the user to your FunnelFlux tracking link.


What the traffic source sends:

https://track.example.com/fts/ABC-DEF?campaign=camp_123&external=click_789&c1=US&c2=zone_456

FunnelFlux receives the request, reads the URL parameters, maps them to tracking fields, creates a visitor session, and decides where to send the visitor based on the funnel configuration.


Stage 2: FunnelFlux Redirects to Lander or Offer

FunnelFlux processes the funnel logic and redirects the visitor to the destination page. It replaces its own tokens in the destination URL and appends the vid (visitor ID) parameter automatically.


What FunnelFlux sends to the lander:

https://your-lander.com/page.html?vid=sess_abc123

If the destination is an offer with data passing configured, the URL will include the resolved token values:


What FunnelFlux sends to the offer:

https://offer.example.com/page?click_id=h_xyz789&sub2=camp_123&sub3=zone_456

The affiliate network now has your hit ID stored under their click_id parameter.


Stage 3: Visitor Clicks Through on Lander

The visitor lands on your page, reads the content, and clicks an action link to proceed. FunnelFlux's JavaScript on the page injects the visitor's session information into action links so the tracker knows who they are on the next request. FunnelFlux processes the action, tracks the click as a new node touch, and redirects the visitor to the next step (typically an offer).


Stage 4: Conversion Fires

A conversion occurs on the offer side. The affiliate network fires the postback URL you configured in their interface, replacing their own tokens:


What the network sends to FunnelFlux:

https://track.example.com/pb/?hit=h_xyz789&rev=29.99&tx=order_456

FunnelFlux looks up the hit ID, finds the associated visitor session, funnel, and traffic source, and records the conversion.


FunnelFlux then fires an outgoing postback to the traffic source (if configured), using its own tokens to pass the data:


What FunnelFlux sends to the traffic source:

https://traffic-source.com/postback?clickid=click_789&payout=29.99

The traffic source now knows which click generated revenue, enabling its optimization algorithm. The full loop is complete.


FunnelFlux supports two methods for tracking incoming clicks.


Redirect links send the user through FunnelFlux's server first. The tracker processes the click, then redirects the visitor to the destination. This is the standard method and works with most traffic sources.

https://track.example.com/fts/ABC-DEF?campaign=[campaign]&external=[clickid]

Direct links point straight to your landing page. All the tracking parameters are appended to the lander URL itself, and FunnelFlux's JavaScript on the page reads them and sends the data to the tracker in the background.

https://your-lander.com/page.html?f=ABC&n=XYZ&ts=DEF&campaign=[campaign]&external=[clickid]

Use direct links when the traffic source prohibits redirects -- most commonly Google Ads and Meta (Facebook/Instagram). In all other cases, redirect links are simpler and more reliable.


Once a visitor arrives at your landing page, you need a way to send them to the next step in the funnel. This is done with action links, which follow a simple format:

https://your-tracking-domain.com/action/1

The path /action/1 tells FunnelFlux to process action number 1 from the current node. If your funnel has multiple outgoing paths from a lander (for example, two different offers), you would use /action/1, /action/2, and so on.


When a visitor clicks an action link, FunnelFlux needs to know who they are and where they came from. The JavaScript on your page handles this automatically by injecting the visitor's session ID and current node ID into the link:

https://your-tracking-domain.com/action/1?vid=sess_abc123&rn=node_XYZ

This is why FunnelFlux's JavaScript must be present on every landing page -- without it, action links would not carry the session information needed for tracking to work.


Common Token Mistakes

Using FunnelFlux tokens in the traffic source. Putting {hit} in your Facebook ad URL will not work. Facebook does not know what {hit} means and will pass the literal text "{hit}" as the value. Use the traffic source's own tokens in ad URLs.


Using traffic source tokens inside FunnelFlux. Putting [clickid] in your offer data passing will not work. FunnelFlux does not process traffic source tokens. Use {external} to access the click ID value that was already captured from the traffic source.


Using FunnelFlux tokens in network postback setup. Going to your affiliate network and entering {hit} in their postback URL will not work. Use the network's own token for the sub-parameter where you stored the hit ID (e.g., #sub1# if you passed it as sub1).


Confusing reference tokens in the UI. FunnelFlux's offer source configuration shows both FunnelFlux tokens and third-party tokens. The FunnelFlux tokens (like {hit}) are used to build the offer URL. The third-party tokens (like #sub1#) are shown for reference only -- they tell you what to use when setting up the postback in the network's interface.


The core rule is simple: every system only processes its own tokens. If you remember that, you will avoid most tracking setup errors.


For detailed rules on how URL parameters are captured and stored, see URL Parameter Capture Rules.

Updated on: 05/05/2026

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