Does the system user token expire?

No, as long as you select **Never** on the **Set expiration** step. The token stays valid until you revoke it, so the pipeline keeps running without re-authentication.

How is this different from the OAuth method?

Both methods give you a durable connection. The OAuth flow signs in with a personal Facebook account, and Renta refreshes those credentials automatically, so it does not expire on its own. A system user token belongs to a Business portfolio system user and is worth choosing when you need full control over the permissions granted to the connection, or when the OAuth flow is hard to use in your setup. The standard OAuth flow is described on the [Facebook Ads source page](/docs/sources/facebook-ads/).

Do I have to create my own Facebook app?

Yes. The system user token is issued for an app that your business owns. You create the app once, connect it to your Business portfolio, and reuse it for every system user token you generate.

What happens if I revoke the token in Meta?

The pipeline loses access to your ad accounts and stops syncing. Generate a new token by repeating the steps below and paste it into the connector again.

Facebook Ads system user token

A Meta system user token lets Renta connect to your Facebook Ads accounts through a dedicated Business portfolio system user instead of a personal Facebook login. It is useful when you need full control over the granted permissions, or when the OAuth method is hard to use in your setup.

This is an advanced alternative to the standard OAuth authentication. We recommend it only when you need full control over the permissions granted to the connection, or when the OAuth flow is difficult to use. For most cases, OAuth is the simpler option.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following.

Admin access to a Meta Business portfolio in Business settings.
Admin access to the ad accounts you want to sync.
A Meta for Developers account to create the app used by the system user token.

Create a Facebook app

The system user token is issued for an app that your business owns, so the first step is to create that app in Meta for Developers and connect it to your Business portfolio.

Create a Facebook app for the system user token

Create a Meta app with Marketing API access and connect it to your Business portfolio.

Open the Apps sectionStep 1

In Meta Business settings, go to Accounts > Apps and click + Add in the top-right corner.

Apps section in Meta Business settings with the Add button

Create a new app IDStep 2

In the What do you want to do? dialog, select Create a new app ID. This opens the app creation flow in Meta for Developers.

What do you want to do dialog with Create a new app ID

Enter the app detailsStep 3

Fill in the app details and click Next:

App name.
Enter a recognizable name, for example Renta - Demo.
App contact email.
Enter an email address you check regularly.

Create an app App details step with name and contact email

Select the Marketing API use caseStep 4

Filter by Ads and monetization and select Measure ad performance data with Marketing API, then click Next.

Add use cases step with Measure ad performance data with Marketing API selected

Connect your Business portfolioStep 5

Select the verified Business portfolio you want to connect this app to and click Next.

Business step selecting the Business portfolio to connect

Review the publishing requirementsStep 6

Review the publishing requirements (Business verification, Access verification, and App Review) needed to access business data, then click Next.

Publishing requirements step listing Business verification, Access verification, and App Review

Create the appStep 7

Check the summary on the Overview step and click Create app.

To access live ad data, your business and the app must pass Business verification and App Review for the Marketing API. You can complete these steps later from the app dashboard.

Overview step with the Create app button

Create a system user and generate a token

With the app ready, create a Business portfolio system user, assign the app and your ad accounts to it, and generate a non-expiring token.

Generate a Facebook Ads system user token

Create a system user, assign the app and your ad accounts, and generate a non-expiring access token.

Open System users and add a new oneStep 1

Go to Users > System users and click + Add in the top-right corner.

System users section with the Add button

Create the system userStep 2

Fill in the details and create the user:

System user name.
Enter a recognizable name, for example Renta - system user.
System user role.
Select Admin so the user can manage the assigned assets.
Click Create system user.

Create system user dialog with name and role

Connect the app to your Business portfolioStep 3

Go to Accounts > Apps, click + Add, and select Connect an app ID in the What do you want to do? dialog.

What do you want to do dialog with Connect an app ID

Add the App IDStep 4

Enter the App ID of the app you created in the previous section (find it in My Apps on Meta for Developers) and click Add app.

Assign the app to the system userStep 5

Open the system user and assign the app:

Select Apps under Select asset type.
Select your app, then turn on Manage app under Full control.
Click Assign assets.

Select assets dialog with Apps and Manage app permission

Assign ad accounts to the system userStep 6

Repeat the assignment for the ad accounts you want to sync:

Select Ad accounts under Select asset type.
Select the ad accounts to sync, then turn on Manage ad accounts under Full control.
Click Assign assets.

Select assets dialog with Ad accounts and Manage ad accounts permission

Start generating a tokenStep 7

Select your system user in the list and click Generate token in the top-right corner.

Select the appStep 8

In the Select app dropdown, choose the app you connected earlier and click Next.

Generate token dialog with the Select app dropdown

Set the token to never expireStep 9

Under Token expiration, select Never so the token stays valid for long-running pipelines, then click Next.

Token expiration step with the Never option selected

Select permissions and generateStep 10

In Select permissions, enable the following scopes, then click Generate token:

ads_management
ads_read
business_management
pages_read_engagement
pages_show_list

Assign permissions step with the required scopes selected

Copy the tokenStep 11

Click Copy to save the token, then click Done.

Copy the token now and store it securely. Meta shows the full token only once.

Token created dialog with the Copy button

Connect the token in Renta

After you have the token, add it to the Facebook Ads connector in Renta using the Custom token authorization method.

Add the token to a Facebook Ads source in Renta

Create a Facebook Ads source in Renta and authorize it with your Meta system user token.

Add a new sourceStep 1

In the left sidebar, open Connections > Sources and click + Add source in the top-right corner.

Select Facebook AdsStep 2

In the catalog, select the Facebook Ads card under the Advertising category.

Authorize with the Custom token methodStep 3

Fill in the connection details and click Save:

Select authorization method.
Choose Custom token to use the Meta system user token you generated.
Source name.
Enter a name for the connection. This is used exclusively in the Renta interface.
Access token.
Paste the token you copied from Meta.

For the remaining pipeline settings, report types, and sync options, see the Facebook Ads source page.

Frequently asked questions

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