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Google's DV360 Structured Data Files v11 changes ad targeting and requires CSV migration

Google has released Structured Data Files v11 for Display & Video 360 in the web interface, expanding lookalike and business-chain targeting while removing or changing fields used by automated campaign imports. The migration is not yet supported by the DV360 API, and older SDF versions face a January 2027 sunset.

Reviewed and published by Lars Jansen Updated 4 min read
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Key details

  1. Google announced SDF v11 GA on October 8, 2026 for Display & Video 360 interface uploads and downloads.
  2. Lookalike inclusion and exclusion targeting now covers ad groups other than those under YouTube Ad Sequence line items.
  3. Business Chain proximity targeting is added to the line-item format.
  4. Four YouTube third-party vendor columns now carry reporting IDs and support multiple vendors; redundant standalone reporting-ID columns are removed.
  5. YouTube Instant Deal-related columns and restrictions are present, but the feature is beta and limited to allowlisted partners; those items are not included in downloaded files.
  6. Google's migration guide says Display & Video 360 API support for v11 will arrive later, rather than being part of this interface GA.
  7. The launch announcement warns that SDF versions earlier than v10 are deprecated and due to sunset in January 2027; exact older-version reference pages may contain stale deadline text.

What builders should take away

  1. Inventory every automated SDF parser, exporter, upload workflow and vendor-field mapping.
  2. Use Google's v11 migration comparison to add/remove columns and update accepted values before changing partner/advertiser defaults.
  3. Test downloads and uploads in the DV360 interface separately from API integrations; v11 API support is not yet documented as live.
  4. Confirm whether any systems still generate pre-v10 files before the announced January 2027 sunset.
  5. Do not infer Instant Deals availability from the presence of beta schema fields.

What changed

On October 8, 2026, Google made Structured Data Files (SDF) v11 generally available for downloading and uploading campaign configuration through the Display & Video 360 interface. It expands lookalike audience inclusion/exclusion targeting beyond previous ad-group restrictions, adds Business Chain proximity targeting, and changes the representation of four YouTube third-party vendor fields to carry reporting IDs and multiple assignments, removing their separate reporting-ID columns. It also adds restricted beta support for YouTube Instant Deals. Google's migration guide documents column additions, removals and changed accepted values across previous formats.

Why it matters

Agencies and adtech developers use SDF CSV files to manage campaigns at scale. Changing required, removed and renamed columns can break upload tooling or silently alter assumptions in automated data processing. The difference between interface GA and future API support also matters: teams cannot assume v11 is immediately available through existing DV360 API download workflows.

Bulk campaign configuration changes in several places

SDF v11 broadens audience and location targeting, but its schema changes also affect how automated integrations serialize and validate YouTube third-party vendors. Scripts that expect separate reporting-ID columns must be updated. Google publishes version-by-version comparisons for v9 through v10.1.

A staggered rollout creates an integration boundary

The web interface supports v11 now, but Google's official migration guide explicitly says DV360 API support will be added later. Developers should keep UI-generated files, parser changes and API version assumptions separate, and avoid assuming all workflows can migrate in one step.

Legacy format deadlines and beta limitations

Google's October release announcement flags a January 2027 sunset for versions before v10. YouTube Instant Deals are limited to allowlisted partners and excluded from normal downloads; the new fields do not mean the product is generally accessible.

What to watch next

  • DV360 API support and release notes for SDF v11.
  • Firm per-version sunset notices and deprecation enforcement.
  • Any further schema corrections or general availability of YouTube Instant Deals.

Still unclear

  • Google has not specified a date for DV360 API v11 support in the current migration guide.
  • Some older version-reference pages retain outdated sunset notices; the October 2026 launch announcement is the source for the January 2027 warning.
  • YouTube Instant Deal beta eligibility is limited and may change.

Sources

Direct reading behind this dossier.

3 sources
Launching Structured Data Files v11
Google Ads Developer Blog primary announcement

GA, new targeting/vendor formats, restricted beta, legacy version warning; site was rate-limited on direct fetch, text corroborated via Google developer blog index.

Migrate to Structured Data Files v11
Google for Developers primary documentation

Detailed schema migration guide, interface configuration and API support not yet available.

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