This type of scheduled task allows you to automatically modify the values of one or more fields of contacts in a specific database. Discover the steps for its correct configuration.
Creation
Go to the "Settings" menu and click on "Scheduled tasks".
You will see the page with the list of Scheduled tasks, which will be empty upon your first access.
Click the "New task" button at the top right and define:
- Task name
- Context: Database
- Database: select the target database on which the task must be executed
- Task type: Edit contacts
Click the "Save" button.
After creating the task, you will be directed to the first step section of the configuration, called "Settings", where you need to set up the general configurations of the task.
On the right, you will find the "Task" menu that will guide you through all the steps of the configuration:
- Settings
- Target
- Contact fields
- Report
- Report upload
Settings
In this section, define the general settings of your task. See the article How to create a scheduled task: general settings for details.
Target
Select contacts via a filter or a query:
For the filter, the task will be executed on the resulting contacts, while for the query, the task will be executed on the contacts resulting from the query, which must be run on the CONTACTS table.
With the Count contacts button, you can verify the number of contacts that meet the logical expression at the precise moment the system performs the count.
Contact fields
Select the desired action: you can assign a value to a field, empty a field, or assign the result of an expression.
You can also select more than one action, but remember: modifications on fields of the same contact are simultaneous.
After selecting the action, a window will appear where you need to define the desired configuration:
The action will be configured, and you can add more actions or modify or delete the already configured action.
With the option Use fast update mode, the operation is faster, but the contacts' last modification date will not be update.
Report
Create a report of the task. You can choose among these file types:
- Text File (.csv)
- Excel File (.xlsx)
- Fixed-Length File
Select "None" if you do not want magnews to create a report.
Report upload
In this section, choose if and where you want to save the task report:
If you wish to save the files in FTP of this account, you must specify the destination folder of the platform.
If you prefer to save the files in File Server, you need to select the server and the destination folder.
Instead, select "None" if you have chosen not to create a report of the task.
Execution of the task
Once all parameters are set, select the Save button at the top right of the page.
If you want to start the execution immediately, click on Run now at the top right. You will be asked for confirmation for the immediate start of the execution.
Upon completion, a detailed report will inform you of its outcome.
Export configuration
Using the Export configuration function present in the context bars on the right, you can download and save an .xml file with the defined configuration.
You can then import the configuration file into other scheduled tasks of type Edit contacts, even for other platform accounts.
To import the .xml configuration file, simply use the Import configuration button present in the General section of the scheduled task.