The database is a container that collects contacts who, based on precise characteristics defined by platform users, are distinguished from others with respect to origin, interests, services ... Contacts in the same database share a common master data management logic and fields. It is possible to segment the database through audiences.
Once the various databases to be created have been defined, it is necessary to create the structure, and the first thing to do is to define the primary key.
Primary key
The primary key is the mandatory attribute that allows you to uniquely identify a contact within the database; in magnews the primary key can be one of these fields:
- CELLULAR
- USER CODE.
To define the primary key follow the following path:
Profile studio >> Database list >> [Database name].
From the secondary menu click Settings >> Contact Fields
By default the primary key of the database is always the email address, if you want to change it click the Change Key button
If you choose User code, you will have to decide whether:
- Assign a value automatically if empty: the system assigns a random value
- Distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters (key sensitive): if you enable this option, the value Key will be different from key.
Create a field
The database field is an attribute that contains information about the contact for example: First Name, Last Name, Email or Region.
Fields can be:
- System ⭢ only certain options can be changed e.g. changing the name
- Database ⭢ the field exists only in the considered database (e.g. only in the database “Travel” the field “Next Travel Date” exists while “Name” is available in all of database)
- Global ⭢ available in all databases that will be created (ex: Name, Province etc)
To create a field follow the path
Profile studio >> Database list >> [Database name].
From the secondary menu click Settings >> Contact Fields
Click on the New Field button
Information
In the Information Tab you can set
- The Category: these are the “tabs” you find the contact tab divided into.
- The Label: name of the field
- The Description: describes use of the field
- The Business Insight Field: these are the contact fields that are important to your account, fields that you want to know at all times how much and how they are valued for your contacts.
- Business fields will appear in Audience Insight (when you analyze database or audience statistical data) and in the Profile Studio and database dashboard. Read the Insight
- Highlighted in the contact tab: the field value will be highlighted in the contact's home page.
Field Type.
There are different field types, it is very important to define the field type because it will affect Contact Insights and the ease of creating dynamic audiences.
Below are the field types:
Text: may contain alphanumeric data
- Text --> Maximum 255 characters
- Long text --> Long text with no character limit In both cases it is possible to make some validations
Limit minimum number of characters: You will have to indicate the minimum number
Limit maximum number of characters: You will have to indicate the maximum number of characters that can be entered in the field (cannot be more than 255).
Choice
-
True/False: Allows you to choose exclusively between a “yes” and “no” value.
The typical use case is when you need to enter a consent clause for the processing of personal data. -
Single Choice: The field may only be valorized with one of the defined options.
It is typically used for the province or region.
You can customize the order of the options.
To add options you can add them one at a time or to copy them from another source click the Upload Options button
Choose Upload Options >> Paste Options
-
Multiple Choice: The field allows you to have multiple options selected.
You could use it for the field interests, services purchased etc.
You can sort and load values as in single choice
The option Add new values during contact import: allows you to add new choice options during the contact import phase: if the file to be imported contains values for this field that are not among the options available here, the new values will be added automatically among the available options of the field and the contacts will be inserted and/or updated.
Number
-
Integer Number: you can use it for the field Number of Orders, Number of Employees
- Decimal Number: you can use it for fields such as Order Total In both cases you can specify whether the format is standard, with currency, or without format
Date
- Date: typically used for the Date of Birth field
- Date and Time: you can use it, for example, for the Flight Departure Date field
Association: allow you to relate contacts to elements of a user entity.
-
Association 1 to 1 : Association 1 to 1 fields allow you to create an association between a contact and only one element of the user entity.
For example: the user entity contains companies and with this field I want to associate the contact with thecompany where he works. -
Association 1 to many: allow to create an association between a contact and multiple elements of the user entity.
For example: the user entity contains eCommerce orders and with this field I want to associate the contact with its orders.
After choosing the type you have to indicate which table to associate the field with.
Options
In the Options Tab you can indicate whether:
- The field is mandatory (you can make the field mandatory only in some databases)
- Hide on contact tab: This option is useful if it is a technical field that you don't want users to see
- Hide in filters: This can be useful if you will not use it to filter contacts, this way you can simplify the display of filters.
- Database: choose the reference database, by choosing Global Database the field automatically becomes a shared field
- Anonymize data when unsubscribing: When the contact unsubscribes, their data will be anonymized, making identification impossible.