Skip to main content

​
Connections and Hierarchy

Connections define the relationships between nodes on your Campaign Builder canvas. Understanding how nodes connect and what hierarchy rules apply helps you build valid campaign structures that publish successfully to platforms.
What you’ll learn:
  • How parent-child connections work
  • Hierarchy rules you must follow
  • What happens when you reconnect nodes
  • Validation constraints for connections

​
Campaign Hierarchy Structure

All advertising platforms use a three-tier hierarchy. Your canvas connections must follow this structure:

​
Hierarchy Levels

Level 1: Campaign Nodes
  • Top-level containers with no parents
  • Can have multiple ad set children
  • Define objective, budget, and platform
  • Cannot connect to other campaigns
Level 2: Ad Set Nodes
  • Middle-tier nodes with one or more campaign parents (multiple parents allowed only when all parents share the same objective and same portal/account)
  • Can have multiple ad children
  • Define targeting, placements, and schedule
  • Inherit optimization goals from parent campaign(s)
Level 3: Ad Nodes
  • Bottom-tier nodes with exactly one ad set parent
  • Cannot have children
  • Define creative content and messaging
  • Inherit targeting from parent ad set
You cannot skip hierarchy levels. Ads must connect to ad sets, and ad sets must connect to campaigns. You cannot connect an ad directly to a campaign.

​
Connection Rules

​
Valid Connections

These connection patterns are allowed: Campaign to Ad Set
  • One campaign can connect to multiple ad sets
  • An ad set can connect to one campaign or to multiple campaigns only when all those campaigns share the same objective and the same portal (account)
  • All parent campaigns connected to the same ad set must have the same objective and same portal
Ad Set to Ad
  • One ad set can connect to multiple ads
  • Each ad must connect to exactly one ad set
  • No restrictions on number of ads per ad set
Multiple Children
  • Campaigns can have many ad sets
  • Ad sets can have many ads
  • No platform-imposed limits on child count

​
Invalid Connections

These connection patterns are not allowed: Circular Connections
  • Nodes cannot connect back to themselves
  • Nodes cannot connect to their ancestors
  • No loops in the connection graph
Cross-Level Connections
  • Campaigns cannot connect to ads directly
  • Ads cannot connect to campaigns directly
  • Must follow the three-tier hierarchy
Multiple Parents
  • Ad set with multiple campaigns: Allowed only when every parent campaign has the same objective and the same portal (ad account). Otherwise invalid.
  • Ads: Cannot connect to multiple ad sets; each ad has exactly one ad set parent.
  • Campaigns have no parent; ad sets and ads have one or more parents only under the rule above.
Orphan Nodes
  • Ad sets must have a campaign parent
  • Ads must have an ad set parent
  • Only campaigns can exist without parents

​
Creating Connections

​
Automatic Connections

When you use the node creation buttons, connections are created automatically:
1

Click + Ad Set on a campaign node

Creates a new ad set node connected to that campaign
2

Click + Ad on an ad set node

Creates a new ad node connected to that ad set
3

Connection appears as a line

Visual line shows the parent-child relationship
Automatic connections always follow hierarchy rules and create valid structures.

​
Manual Connections

You can also create connections manually by dragging:
  1. Hover over a node to see connection points
  2. Click and drag from a connection point
  3. Drop on a valid target node
  4. Connection line appears if the connection is valid
Manual connections are validated in real-time. Invalid connections are rejected with an error message.
Use automatic connections (+ buttons) when building new structures. Use manual connections when reorganizing existing structures or connecting nodes you’ve copied.

​
Reconnecting Nodes

Reconnecting means changing a node’s parent connection. This is useful when reorganizing campaign structures, but it has important implications for publishing.

​
How to Reconnect

1

Click the connection line

Select the connection you want to change
2

Drag to a new parent

Drag the connection to a different valid parent node
3

Connection updates

The node now connects to the new parent

​
Reconnection Behavior on Publish

When you reconnect a node and publish, the behavior depends on whether the node has an existing platform ID: New Nodes (No Platform ID)
  • Reconnecting before first publish: No special behavior
  • Node creates under the new parent when published
  • No duplication occurs
Existing Nodes (Has Platform ID)
  • Reconnecting after publish: Creates a duplicate
  • Original entity remains under original parent on platform
  • New entity is created under new parent on platform
  • Both entities exist after publishing
Reconnecting an existing ad set to a different campaign creates a duplicate ad set under the new campaign. Reconnecting an existing ad to a different ad set creates a duplicate ad under the new ad set. Platforms don’t support moving entities between parents.

​
Why Duplication Happens

Advertising platforms don’t allow moving entities between parents. For example:
  • Meta: Cannot move an ad set from Campaign A to Campaign B
  • TikTok: Cannot move an ad group between campaigns
  • Snapchat: Cannot move an ad squad between campaigns
  • Google: Cannot move an ad group between campaigns
To achieve the reconnection you want, Whathead creates a new entity under the new parent. The original entity remains unchanged on the platform.

​
Avoiding Unintended Duplication

If you don’t want duplication, use these alternatives: Option 1: Edit the Original
  • Keep the node under its original parent
  • Edit its properties to match your needs
  • Publish to update the existing entity
Option 2: Copy and Paste
  • Copy the node you want to duplicate
  • Paste under the new parent
  • Edit as needed and publish
  • This makes duplication intentional and clear
Option 3: Create New
  • Create a new node under the desired parent
  • Configure it with the same settings
  • Publish to create a new entity
  • Delete the original if no longer needed
If you accidentally reconnect an existing node, use Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo the change before publishing. This prevents unintended duplication.

​
Objective Compatibility

Ad sets inherit optimization goals from their parent campaigns. This creates an important validation rule:

​
Single Campaign Parent

When an ad set connects to one campaign, it inherits that campaign’s objective. No validation issues occur.

​
Multiple Campaign Parents: When It’s Valid vs Invalid

One ad set under two (or more) campaigns is allowed only when both conditions are met:
  1. Same objective — All parent campaigns have the same objective (e.g. all Sales, or all Traffic).
  2. Same portal — All parent campaigns use the same portal (ad account).
If objectives differ or portals differ, the structure is invalid and will show “Invalid: Multiple Parents”.
You cannot connect one ad set to multiple campaigns when they have different objectives (e.g. Sales vs Traffic) or different portals (different ad accounts). The ad set would have conflicting optimization goals or account context. All campaigns connected to the same ad set must share the same objective and the same portal.

​
What This Means for Your Workflow

Valid: Same objective + same portal
  • Create multiple campaigns with the same objective (e.g. all Sales) and the same portal (same ad account).
  • Create one ad set node and connect all those campaigns to it.
  • When you publish, the ad set is created under each campaign; all instances have compatible goals and account.
Invalid: Different objective or different portal
  • Different objectives (e.g. Sales + Traffic) connected to one ad set → validation fails.
  • Same objective but different portals (different ad accounts) connected to one ad set → invalid; use one ad set per portal or reconnect so the ad set has only one parent per portal.
Resolution
  • Before connecting, ensure all parent campaigns have the same objective and the same portal.
  • Only then connect them to one ad set; otherwise use separate ad sets or fix objective/portal first.

​
Deleting Connections and Nodes

​
Deleting Connections

To delete a connection without deleting nodes:
  1. Click the connection line to select it
  2. Press Delete or right-click and choose Delete
  3. Child node becomes orphaned (shows validation error)
  4. Reconnect to a valid parent or delete the orphaned node
Orphaned nodes (ad sets without campaigns, ads without ad sets) show validation errors and cannot be published.

​
Deleting Nodes with Children

When you delete a parent node, all its children are also deleted: Delete Campaign
  • Deletes the campaign node
  • Deletes all connected ad sets
  • Deletes all ads under those ad sets
  • Entire subtree is removed
Delete Ad Set
  • Deletes the ad set node
  • Deletes all connected ads
  • Parent campaign remains
Delete Ad
  • Deletes only the ad node
  • Parent ad set and campaign remain
Deleting a parent node deletes all its children. This action cannot be undone. If you want to keep some children, reconnect them to a different parent before deleting.

​
Connection Validation

Whathead validates connections in real-time and before publishing:

​
Real-Time Validation

As you work on the canvas, connections are validated immediately:
  • Green checkmark: Node and its connections are valid
  • Red warning icon: Node has connection or configuration errors
  • Hover over icon: See detailed validation messages

​
Pre-Publish Validation

Before publishing, Whathead performs comprehensive validation: Connection Structure
  • All ad sets have exactly one campaign parent
  • All ads have exactly one ad set parent
  • No circular connections exist
  • No orphaned nodes exist
Objective Compatibility
  • All campaigns connected to the same ad set have compatible objectives
  • Ad set optimization goals don’t conflict
  • Platform-specific objective rules are satisfied
Platform Constraints
  • Connections follow platform-specific rules
  • Required fields are filled for all nodes
  • Budget minimums are met
  • Creative specifications are satisfied
If validation fails, you see detailed error messages explaining what needs to be fixed. You cannot publish until all validation errors are resolved.
Fix validation errors as you work rather than waiting until publish time. This makes it easier to identify and resolve issues.

​
Platform-Specific Connection Rules

Different platforms have different names for the middle tier, but the connection rules are the same:
Meta Hierarchy:
  • Campaign → Ad Set → Ad
Connection Rules:
  • Ad sets must connect to exactly one campaign
  • Ads must connect to exactly one ad set
  • Cannot move ad sets or ads between parents
  • Reconnecting creates duplicates
Special Considerations:
  • Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) affects budget distribution across ad sets
  • Special Ad Categories may restrict targeting at ad set level

​
Visual Connection Indicators

The canvas uses visual cues to show connection status: Connection Lines
  • Solid line: Valid connection
  • Dashed line: Selected connection
  • Red line: Invalid connection (validation error)
  • Animated line: Connection being created
Connection Points
  • Blue dot: Available connection point
  • Green dot: Valid drop target
  • Red dot: Invalid drop target
Node Borders
  • Solid border: Node has valid connections
  • Dashed border: Node is selected
  • Red border: Node has connection errors
Hover over any visual indicator to see detailed information about the connection or validation status.

​
Best Practices

Building New Structures
  • Use automatic connections (+ buttons) for speed and accuracy
  • Build top-down: campaign first, then ad sets, then ads
  • Validate as you go rather than waiting until publish
Reorganizing Structures
  • Understand reconnection creates duplicates for existing nodes
  • Use copy/paste when you want intentional duplication
  • Use undo (Ctrl+Z) if you reconnect accidentally
Managing Objectives
  • Group campaigns by objective before connecting to ad sets
  • Create separate ad sets for different objective groups
  • Check objective compatibility before publishing
Avoiding Errors
  • Don’t skip hierarchy levels
  • Don’t create orphaned nodes
  • Don’t connect campaigns with different objectives to the same ad set
  • Don’t delete parents without considering children
Use the Fit to Screen button frequently to see your entire campaign structure and verify all connections are correct before publishing.

​
Next Steps

Node Types

Learn what properties you can configure for each node type.

Canvas Operations

Master selecting, moving, copying, and organizing nodes.

Publishing Workflow

Understand what happens when you publish connected structures.

Reconnect Scenarios

Deep dive into reconnection behavior and duplication scenarios.

​
Common Questions

No, each ad must connect to exactly one ad set parent. If you want the same ad creative under multiple ad sets, copy the ad and paste it under each ad set. Each copy becomes a separate ad when published.
Reconnecting an existing ad (one that has already been published) creates a duplicate ad under the new ad set when you publish. The original ad remains under the original ad set on the platform. Platforms don’t support moving ads between ad sets.
Yes, but only if all campaigns have the same objective. The ad set inherits optimization goals from its parent campaign. If you connect campaigns with different objectives (e.g., Sales, Traffic, Awareness) to one ad set, validation will fail. All parent campaigns connected to the same ad set must have the same or compatible objectives.
Platforms don’t support moving ad sets between campaigns. Your options are: (1) Edit the existing ad set under its current campaign, (2) Create a new ad set under the target campaign with the same settings, or (3) Accept that reconnecting will create a duplicate and delete the original after publishing if you don’t need it.
Deleting a campaign deletes all its ad sets and all ads under those ad sets. The entire subtree is removed from the canvas. This action cannot be undone. If you want to keep some ad sets or ads, reconnect them to a different campaign before deleting.
No, you must follow the three-tier hierarchy: Campaign → Ad Set → Ad. You cannot skip the ad set level. Every ad must connect to an ad set, and every ad set must connect to a campaign.
Ad sets must have exactly one campaign parent. If you delete the connection, the ad set becomes orphaned and shows a validation error. Reconnect it to a valid campaign or delete the ad set to resolve the error.
No, campaigns are top-level nodes and cannot connect to each other. Each campaign is an independent structure with its own ad sets and ads beneath it.
Reconnecting changes an existing node’s parent connection. If the node has been published, this creates a duplicate on the platform. Copy/paste creates a new node with no platform ID, so it always creates a new entity when published. Use copy/paste when you want intentional duplication.
There’s no limit imposed by Whathead. Platform limits vary, but you can typically create dozens or hundreds of ad sets under one campaign. Organize your canvas to keep structures manageable.

Campaign Builder Overview

Learn the basics of the visual canvas and campaign building.

Node Types

Understand campaign, ad set, and ad node configuration options.

Publishing Scenarios: Reconnect

Learn what happens when you change node parent connections.

Validation Errors

Understand validation rules for campaign hierarchy and connections.

Platform Campaign Structure

See how each platform implements campaign hierarchy.

Key Concepts

Learn about campaign hierarchy and node relationships.