How to Request Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) Access for Your Agency

How to Request Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) Access for Your Agency

Microsoft Advertising (still widely known as Bing Ads) accounts for a meaningful slice of paid search spend for agencies. With exclusive placements across Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and the broader Microsoft Search Network, it is a platform no serious paid media agency can ignore.

But getting access to a client's Microsoft Advertising account is riddled with the same friction points as every other major ad platform. Clients forget passwords, click the wrong settings link, or accidentally create a brand-new empty account.

This guide covers every method for requesting agency access, what permissions you actually need, and how modern OAuth onboarding tools eliminate the friction entirely.

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Understanding Microsoft Advertising's Access Structure

Before requesting access, understand how Microsoft Advertising organizes permissions.

Account Roles: - Super Admin: Full control, including billing, payment methods, and user management. Use only when absolutely required. - Standard User: Campaign creation, editing, pausing, reporting, and budget management. The correct level for most agency work. - Advertiser Campaign Manager: Limited to campaign and ad management within specific campaigns. Useful for contractors. - Viewer: Read-only access. Good for reporting stakeholders who should not touch campaigns.

Manager Accounts vs. Direct User Access:

You have two structural options for how your agency connects to a client account:

1. Manager Account Link (Recommended): Your agency creates one Manager Account (your umbrella account) and links each client's individual account to it. You manage everything from one login. This is the professional standard.
2. Direct User Invite: The client adds your email directly to their account. Works but does not scale. One separate login per client.

Always use the Manager Account path for any long-term client relationship.

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Method 1: The Manager Account Link (Standard Agency Flow)

This is the manual process if you are not using an automated onboarding tool.

Step 1: Get Your Manager Account ID

Log into your Microsoft Advertising Manager Account. Your Manager Account ID is the 8-10 digit number displayed in the top-right corner of the Microsoft Advertising interface, next to your account name.

Copy it exactly. Do not include dashes or spaces.

Step 2: Send It to the Client

Email your Manager Account ID to the client contact who has Super Admin access to the Microsoft Advertising account. They need Super Admin rights to complete the next step.

Step 3: The Client Accepts the Link

The client must complete this sequence:

1. Log into Microsoft Advertising with their Super Admin credentials.
2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the upper navigation.
3. Select Account Management from the dropdown menu.
4. Navigate to the Agency Clients tab (or Agencies depending on account version).
5. Click + Link a Manager Account.
6. Enter your Manager Account ID.
7. Choose the permission level (Standard User or Super Admin).
8. Click Send.

Step 4: Agency Accepts in Manager Account

Once the client sends the link request, your Manager Account will receive a notification. Log into your Manager Account, go to Accounts, and accept the pending link.

Why This Breaks 40% of the Time:

The single biggest failure point is the client not having Super Admin access. Many client-side contacts — marketing managers, coordinators, brand managers — have Standard User rights but not Super Admin. They can run campaigns but cannot manage account-level settings or link your Manager Account.

You will discover this after they complete steps 1 through 6 and then cannot see the option on step 5, or click it and receive a permissions error.

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Method 2: Direct User Invite (For Single Accounts)

If the client has only one Microsoft Advertising account and you want a simpler setup, the client can invite you directly.

1. The client logs into Microsoft Advertising.
2. Goes to Settings > Account Management > User Management.
3. Clicks + Invite a User.
4. Enters your agency email address.
5. Selects the appropriate role (Standard User for most work).
6. Sends the invitation.

You will receive an email invite. Accept it, and you will have direct account access under your email.

Downside: One login per client. If you manage 30 clients with Microsoft Advertising accounts, you have 30 separate access entries. This is not operationally sustainable at agency scale.

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Method 3: Automated OAuth Onboarding (Recommended for Scale)

The most efficient path is removing the client from the Microsoft Advertising UI entirely.

Automated onboarding platforms like OneClick Onboard handle the entire connection flow through OAuth 2.0. The client never touches a Settings menu.

How it works:

1. Agency Setup: You configure a Microsoft Advertising connection inside your onboarding platform and generate a branded link.
2. Client Action: The client clicks the link and sees a "Sign in with Microsoft" screen.
3. Authorization: They click Allow. The platform captures the OAuth token and links the account to your agency dashboard.
4. Done: Your team has immediate access. No Manager Account IDs, no permission level selections, no UI navigation.

This is how professional agencies are onboarding clients in 2026. The client experience is frictionless. The agency experience is repeatable and scalable.

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What Permissions Should You Request?

For Standard Campaign Management: Standard User access is sufficient and appropriate. It covers: - Creating, editing, and pausing campaigns, ad groups, and ads. - Adjusting bids and budgets. - Accessing all reporting data. - Managing audiences and remarketing lists.

For Billing or Structural Changes: Super Admin access is required for: - Adding or changing payment methods. - Inviting or removing other users. - Changing account-level settings. - Modifying auto-tagging or conversion tracking at the account level.

As a best practice, request Standard User access by default. If a billing or structural task comes up, request a temporary Super Admin escalation for that specific task and have it reverted afterward.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

"The client can't find the Agencies tab." Older Microsoft Advertising accounts sometimes have a different UI layout. Have the client try: Settings > Accounts > Agency Management. If it is still not visible, the account may be on an older interface version. Contact Microsoft Advertising support to enable Manager Account linking.

"The client sent the invite but I see nothing in my Manager Account." Check the Notifications section inside your Manager Account dashboard. Pending link requests sometimes appear there rather than as email notifications.

"The client linked the wrong account." This happens when clients have multiple Microsoft Advertising accounts (one for each brand, region, or division). Before they start, confirm the exact account name and the last 4 digits of the Account ID you want linked. Send this in writing.

"My agency email is not being accepted." Make sure you are using the email address associated with your Microsoft Advertising Manager Account login, not a generic agency inbox.

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Build a Scalable Onboarding Process

Microsoft Advertising access requests are one of at least six platform connections the average full-service agency needs from each client. Multiply that across a growing client roster and you are staring at a significant administrative burden.

Modern agencies are standardizing their access workflows by automating every platform connection into a single, branded onboarding link. One link. One click. All platforms authorized.

If you are still copy-pasting Manager Account IDs into client emails, the operational overhead is costing your agency real hours every month.