Overview
Container Sync pulls the current state of your Google Tag Manager container into TagPipes. This gives the Auditor module an up-to-date snapshot of every tag, trigger, and variable in your container, which it then validates against your audit rules. Without a recent sync, your audits run against stale data, and the results may not reflect what is actually live in GTM.
You should always sync before running an audit to get the most accurate results. The sync process reads directly from the GTM API, so it captures the exact configuration that exists in your workspace at that moment. This includes consent settings, tag sequencing, and any custom templates you have in place.
Container Sync is available for any property that has a GTM container connected. If you have not connected your container yet, do that first in your property settings before attempting a sync.
Starting a Sync
Navigate to the Auditor section within your property. Click Container Sync in the sidebar or from the audit list page. The Container Sync page displays your connected GTM container name and ID, along with the date and time of your last successful sync.
Click the Sync button to start pulling the latest configuration from GTM. The sync process connects to the GTM API using the credentials stored in your property settings. It imports all tags, triggers, variables, built-in variables, and consent settings from the selected workspace.
You do not need to stay on the page while the sync runs. You can navigate away and come back later to check the results. However, you cannot start another sync while one is already in progress for the same container.
Monitoring Progress
The sync status updates in real time on the Container Sync page. You can see the current phase of the import, along with counts for how many tags, triggers, and variables have been processed so far. The status bar gives you a clear picture of where the sync stands at any point.
The sync process typically takes between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, depending on the size of your container. Containers with hundreds of tags and complex trigger configurations take longer than smaller setups. Very large enterprise containers may occasionally take up to 3 minutes.
If you navigate away during the sync, you can return to the Container Sync page at any time to see the current status. The sync continues running in the background regardless of whether the page is open.
Reviewing Results
After the sync completes, the page displays a summary of everything that was imported. This includes the total number of tags, triggers, and variables pulled from GTM. You can see at a glance how large your container is and verify that the counts match what you expect.
If this is not your first sync, the results highlight any changes since the previous sync. New items, modified items, and removed items are all called out so you can quickly understand what has changed in your container. This is especially useful for teams where multiple people make GTM changes.
With a fresh sync in place, you can now run audits against the current container state. Navigate to your audit list and run any audit to validate the synced data against your configured rules. The audit results reflect exactly what is in your container as of the sync timestamp.
Managed Audits
When you use AutoTag to generate tags for a container, it automatically creates a corresponding audit in the Auditor module. These are called managed audits. They have a locked icon next to their name in the audit list, indicating that AutoTag controls their configuration.
Managed audits are automatically synced whenever AutoTag generates or updates tags for that container. You do not need to manually sync before running a managed audit, because AutoTag keeps the container data current as part of its own workflow. The audit rules for managed audits are also generated automatically based on what AutoTag deployed.
You cannot edit the rules of a managed audit directly. If you need to customize the validation rules, create a separate manual audit instead. Managed audits and manual audits can coexist for the same container, giving you both automated and custom validation.
Scheduling Syncs
For ongoing monitoring, you can set up a schedule that automatically syncs your container and runs audits on a recurring basis. This is ideal for teams that want continuous validation without having to remember to sync manually. Scheduled syncs run at the times you configure and produce audit reports automatically.
To set up a schedule, navigate to the Auditor schedules section. You can configure daily, weekly, or custom intervals. Each scheduled run performs a full container sync followed by the audit, so the results always reflect the latest container state. See the Schedules guide for step-by-step instructions on configuring recurring audits.
Scheduled syncs are particularly valuable when your team makes frequent GTM changes. They catch configuration drift, broken triggers, and missing consent settings before those issues affect your live data collection.
Tips
- Always sync before running an audit to make sure you are validating the latest container state.
- Check the sync timestamp on the audit list page to see when the last sync occurred for each container.
- If your GTM container is connected to multiple workspaces, verify that the correct workspace is selected before syncing.
- Use scheduled syncs for containers that change frequently so you always have fresh audit data.
- Review the change summary after each sync to stay aware of what has been modified in your container.
Troubleshooting
Sync fails with an authentication error
This usually means your GTM connection credentials have expired or been revoked. Go to your property settings, disconnect the GTM container, and reconnect it. This refreshes the authentication tokens that TagPipes uses to access the GTM API. After reconnecting, try the sync again.
Sync shows 0 items imported
If the sync completes but reports zero tags, triggers, and variables, verify that the correct GTM workspace is selected. An empty or newly created workspace will legitimately have zero items. Also confirm that the GTM container ID in your property settings matches the container you expect to sync.
Sync stuck in progress
If a sync has been running for more than 5 minutes without completing, it may have encountered a transient error with the GTM API. Wait for the sync to time out on its own, then try again. If the problem persists, check that your GTM account does not have API rate limits in effect, and verify your internet connectivity.