Data Export Component
The Data export component allows exporting text, csv, SPSS and Excel files to a network location (FTP), a mailbox (email address), or a local folder on the server.
This component is an interface-component. Interfaces are custom created
components that allow interaction between Selligent and external software.
It can be anything, depending on the external software: send mobile messages
(sms), create ERP records, etc. It can also be a Custom Component used
with Selligent campaign, e.g. to create customer specific vouchers. This
implies that the component's look, parameters and its functionality can
be different in the journey depending on the settings defined on the linked
interface. Interfaces are setup under 'Processes'.
There are 2 types of interfaces, plug-in based (uses a dll file to define
the interface) or file based, which can generate output files (txt, csv,
Excel, SPSS and Word). The Print component is linked to the file-based
"Auto-Generated - PRINT" interface, and is used to create and
send Word files. For more information on Interfaces check out the Interfaces topics.
Events
As this component sends a data file to an external location, it triggers no events.
Properties
General
- Name and description: name of the component and its description.
- Scheduling
Just like an email component, an interface component can be set scheduled or instant -
- Scheduled: As a reference,
for a scheduled Email component (default setting), an email is
created for each contact in the journey audience. Usually the
Email component is directly linked after the Audience component.
Likewise, a Data Export component will generate a record in the
export file for each contact in the journey audience when the
journey is executed (single shot, scheduled or triggered journeys).
- Instant: the creation
of the record in the export file, is done when a contact clicks
a sensor. E.g. each time the contact fills in and submits a request
form, a record is created for him in the export file.
- Scheduled: As a reference,
for a scheduled Email component (default setting), an email is
created for each contact in the journey audience. Usually the
Email component is directly linked after the Audience component.
Likewise, a Data Export component will generate a record in the
export file for each contact in the journey audience when the
journey is executed (single shot, scheduled or triggered journeys).
Technical note:
Actually, the export file is not created directly. Records will be created
in an interface table in the back-end, one record for each contact. And
the interface's 'Timing' (see 'Scheduling - Transport' tab below) determines
when the export file is created and sent, based on the number of records
in the interface table.
- Interface:
If there is more than one 'File export' interface, you can select
the correct interface from the drop-down. Interfaces are created under 'Processes'
and can have a type 'File export'. So it is possible multiple 'File
export' interfaces exists.
The default "Auto-Generated - FILE" interface does not have additional fields. But for each custom interface additional fields and events can be defined. If you select another interface from the drop-down, you might see input fields appear or disappear, depending on the interface, to provide values for these additional fields.
File format
This tab may not be visible. These settings can also be globally defined on the interface itself, for all journeys using the Data Export component. The interface is setup under 'Processes'.
This tab allows exporting data in a certain format: tab, fixed width text files, semicolon or comma separated csv files, SPSS or Excel.
The functionality of the Print component is exactly the same as for a Data export component, but they use different interfaces: "Auto-Generated - PRINT" vs. "Auto-Generated - FILE". Usually 'Microsoft Word' is used for the Print component, and another file type for the Data export component (txt, csv, Excel or SPSS). But if you want you could select Word document instead of a data file to send, and still use the FILE interface. See Print component for information.
- Columns
selection: click the 'Define'
button to select interface list fields, audience list fields or any
profile extension field of the audience list. Linked action lists
can be exported as well. The contact's value will be used as value
for the exported fields (columns in the export file). E.g. the audience
list FIRSTNAME field (MASTER.FIRSTNAME).
- Field sorting: allow sorting the data in the created export file. E.g. sort on LASTNAME ascending
- Preferred Export Language: when translations from an option list are available, the default export language can be defined in this field. E.g. a column GENDER is selected with the checkbox 'Translate' checked. This means the translated value from the option list ('Man','Woman') will be exported instead of the field value itself (M,F). If the option list has translations for multiple languages, select the language for the translated values. E.g. selecting French, will export 'Homme','Femme' instead of the English 'Man','Woman' translations.
Scheduling-Transport
This tab may not be visible. These settings can also be globally defined on the interface itself, for all journeys using the Data Export component. The interface is setup under 'Processes'.
Timing
- Manual: You create the export manually. On the 'Status' tab, click 'New file' to create an export file.
- After execution of the journey:
the export is performed when the journey is executed.
E.g. a scheduled interface (not instant), when the journey has run, the file is created and sent
- Periodically: You decide when the export file should be created and sent. Hourly, Daily, Weekly or Monthly.
Batches
- Minimum batch size: minimum size required to create an export file. E.g. at least for one contact.
NOTE: If the minimum number isn’t reached, no export operation is created. The export is created at the next scheduling timing, if the minimum batch size is reached.
- Maximum batch size: maximum size of each exportfile. E.g. Create an export file for maximum 100 contacts (100 interface records). If there are more interface records, for 200 contacts, the remainder will be in the next export file.
Make sure you have a good balance between the number of interface records the journey creates and the rate you generate export files. If the journey generates more interface records (e.g. a scheduled journey, creating 100 interface records per hour) than you export (e.g. Timing set to Periodically, Daily and a Batch size of maximum 100) some interface records will not get exported, because interface records are added faster than you export them. If your journey generates few interface records, you might want to set a minimum batch size to avoid creating export files with only a few records.
Physical data transfer
- Medium: type of file transport (FTP, email, local storage,..). e.g. the printer's FTP server
- Options: options related to the transport mechanism (Folder, email address, ...)
- Filename: name of the exported file. Don't forget the extension (.txt, .csv, etc.)
Status
Current statusshows how many interface records there are in total, and how many have been exported
- Total number of records: number of records created (in the interface table) by the component
- Number of records in files: number of records exported
- Number of records delivered: number of records correctly delivered to the defined location (STATE field equals 30 in the interface table)
File list
This panel displays the list of all files which have been printed to the defined location.
- Refresh the list
- Manually create a new file from the not yet exported records (see also 'Manual' setting under 'Timing' on the 'Schedule - Transport' tab)
- Download an exported file
- Delete an exported file
- Re-send an exported file. Depends on the location (FTP, email, local storage) defined under 'Physical data transfer' on the Schedule - Transport' tab
