Event Stream Data Maps

Event Stream Import: Cheetah Digital offers multiple methods to import data into your marketing database. One of these methods is using the Event stream import (ESI) feature. ESI is a unique importing solution specifically designed to allow direct data ingestion from other Zeta product sources such as Loyalty, Interactive Interactive Moments, AI Analytics, or any other Zeta source generating events. Event stream import does not support importing data from sources outside of Zeta.

Data or events imported using ESI form the basis of ongoing data synchronization between Cheetah Digital and the source systems. Once imported, the data behaves like any other table—available for use in filters, triggers, and personalized campaign content.

Enabling and configuring ESI

Contact your Zeta Representative to get the Event stream import feature activated in your account. This feature also entails a specific configuration set up step which is also completed by the Zeta Representative.

Once ESI set up is complete, you will find the following assets created in your Cheetah Digital.

  • A unique Event stream import template is created for each of the Zeta source products that the data is imported from. This is accessible from Data >Event Stream Import Template.

  • An Event stream data map that is linked to the import template. Used to identify the correct table into which the data needs to be loaded, as well as the fields in that table where each column in the import file will be stored.

  • A new destination database table where you want to load your import data, including all the necessary fields and joins, as well as the unique identifier. This database table is joined to your recipient table of choice, which is defined during the initial setup process.

Event stream data maps

Once the ESI feature is enabled, a unique event stream data map is created for you and associated with the ESI template. Event stream data maps are used to specify where the imported event data is saved in the destination database table fields in Cheetah Digital.

The Event stream data maps is accessible by selecting Data > Integration > Event Stream Data Maps. You can edit the event stream data maps to change from the default configuration or create new maps to include additional data maps to the ESI templates.

Note: The Event stream data map setup is a one- time activity and is intended for use by the technical user.

Create additional event stream data map (optional)

Default event stream data maps are created for you during the enablement of the ESI feature. You can create additional event stream data maps and include them in the ESI template in case data needs to be mapped to multiple unrelated tables.

To create additional event stream data map:

  1. Above the list of existing event stream data maps, click + New button. A Create New Event Stream Data Map pop-up window is displayed.

  2. Enter a name for the new data map.

  3. From the Data Source drop-down menu, select the event stream data table. This table represents the main table into which data will be loaded; a data map can also optionally load data into tables that are joined to this table.

    Note: You can never modify this Data Source table after the data map is created.

  4. Click Create. The edit view of the data map is displayed in the workspace, where you can configure the details of the data map.

  5. Optionally, you can assign one or more tags to your data map. To assign a tag, click on the Set Tags field in the Edit section of the Tool Ribbon. The system displays a pop-up menu of all the existing tags. You can select one of these tags, or type in a new one and press Enter. You can repeat this process to add more tags. To remove a tag, click the "X" icon next to the tag label.  

  6. From the Data Processing drop-down menu, select one of the following options that controls how the system handles the import records:

    • Update or Create: Select this option if you want the import process to create new records, and update existing records.

    • Update Only: Select this option if you want the import process to only update existing records (new records are ignored).

    • Create Only: Select this option if you want the import process to only create new records (updates to existing records are ignored).

  7. Select the Ignore Update History checkbox to not record the update history into the log.

  8. Select the Map to <table name> checkbox to map directly to the table, or select Map to <table name> via <Join table name> to map through a joined table.

  9. The Map to drop-down menu contains all of the fields in the selected table. From this menu, select the first field in the import file, then click the add icon . If you later need to remove a field, click the remove button (X icon) to the right of the field name, then click Edit > Save in the Tool Ribbon to save the changes. Repeat this step as needed to add more fields to the data map.

    As you add more fields, the system automatically increments the "Col #" value by one, but you can optionally enter a different value here, if needed. If you need to ignore a column in the import file, simply skip over that column number in the sequence. For example, if you want to ignore column #4 in your import file, the numbering sequence in your data map would go from Column #3 to Column #5, and leave out column #4. The important point to keep in mind is that the sequence you're defining here represents the column order from the input file, and the mapped field you select is the location in the database where that data is being inserted.

    You can also use negative values as the "Col #" in order to negatively map fields. When you negatively map a field, you're telling the system that you want to populate the specified "Map to" field in the database, but that you don't expect this value to be present in the import file. Instead, the value is going to come from some place other than the import file, such as a SQL script, for example.

    The data map must include the field (or fields) that make up the Unique Identifier for the selected table, even if you're not actually intending to import the Unique Identifier field. The system performs a validation on the data map  and it requires the Unique ID field (or fields) to be present in the data map. If you're not actually providing the Unique ID value in the import file, you'll need to use the Soft Match feature (described below). In this situation, select the Unique ID field from the "Map to" drop-down menu, and enter a negative number for the column number. In this manner, the Unique ID is present in the data map (allowing you get past the screen validation), but you don't actually have to provide any values for it, and it won't interfere with the columns that you are importing.

  10. Optionally, to utilize Advanced Options for a field, click the down-arrow button next to that field. The "Advanced Options" section is displayed. Place check marks next to the desired options you want to use for this field.

  11. In the JSON Path field, use the following format for the JSON Path: “$.data.profileAttributes.newattributename”. Use this exact string and add the new attribute name at the end with no spaces between multiple words (if applicable), as shown in the example format.

  12. If the selected table contains Calculated Fields, the system displays an additional Run Calculated Fields drop-down menu. Optionally, select a Calculated Field. When the system processes an import file using this Data Map, the system will derive and populate this Calculated Field for each record in the import file. Repeat this step as needed to derive additional Calculated Fields.

    Note: If you run a Calculated Field as part of an import process, the system derives and populates that field only for the records in the import file. Conversely, if you set up a Calculated Field schedule, the system derives and populates the field for every record in the table (see Tables for more details).

    Note: If you selected a Load and Send table during data map creation, the Calculated Fields option is not available.

  13. If the selected table includes joins to other tables, each Join is listed separately. Click the check mark icon next to the Join name to enable that Join. Then repeat steps 8 through 11 to map the columns in the import file to fields on the joined table. The data map must include the field (or fields) that make up the Unique Identifier for each joined table.

    If the import file doesn't contain the Unique Identifier field for the selected table, then you must use the Soft Match feature in order to successfully load the data. The Soft Match lets you match to the database using any fields with a Data Type of Email, Phone, Twitter,Facebook  ID, or Push Registration ID. For example, let's say the Unique ID on your "Recipient" table is "Member ID," but you don't have Member ID data available in your import file. You could instead select some other field, such as "Email Address," that contains unique data, and match on that instead.

    If the soft-matched value in the import file matches an existing value in the database, then the platform will make the update to that record in the database. If the soft-matched value does not already exist in the database, the platform creates a "temporary" record. This temporary record can later be merged with a full record that contains the Unique Identifier.

    As described above, if you're using the Soft Match feature, you still must add the Unique Identifier field (or fields) to the data map, even if you're not actually intending on providing the Unique ID fields on the inbound data. The Unique ID must be part of the data map in order to save the data map.

  14. If using the Soft Match feature, the Available Fields list box is populated with all of the mapped fields that can be used for a Soft Match. Select a field in this list box, then click the center Arrow bar, to select a field. Optionally, you can use Shift + click or Control + click to select and move multiple fields. The selected field (or fields) is added to the Selected Fields list box. Repeat this step as needed to add more fields to the Soft Match. To remove a field from the Soft Match, click the X icon next to the field name within the Selected Fields list box.

    Note: If you selected a Load and Send table during data map creation, the Soft Match feature will not be available.

  15. In the Tool Ribbon, click Save to save your changes.

Copy an event stream data map

To copy an existing data map to use as the basis for a new map:

  1. Search for the desired data map to be copied.

  2. Click on the data map name. The main item screen is displayed and populated with the details of the selected map.

  3. In the Tool Ribbon, click Edit > Save As. A Save as dialog box is displayed.

  4. Enter a name for the new data map.

  5. By default, the new item will be saved in the same folder location as the original map. Optionally, click the magnifying glass icon to browse to and select a different folder location.

  6. Click Save a copy. A copy of the selected data map is created.

View or edit an event stream data map

To view or edit an event stream data map:

  1. Search for the desired data map (see Search for an Item for more details on the available search methods).

  2. Click on the data map name to be viewed. The Data Map screen is displayed with the details of the selected data map.

  3. Optionally, to view detailed information, click the data map tab in the Tool Ribbon. The Item Details screen is displayed, showing who created the item, who modified it last, and what the last actions taken on the item were. On this screen, click Related Itemstab to see other items in the system that reference or utilize this data map. When finished, click the Edit tab in the Tool Ribbon to return to the main edit screen.

  4. Optionally, you can assign one or more tags to your data map. To assign a tag, click on the Add tag field in the Edit section of the Tool Ribbon. The system displays a popup menu of all the existing tags. You can select one of these tags, or type in a new one and press Enter. You can repeat this process to add more tags. To remove a tag, click the X icon next to the tag label.  

  5. Optionally, to rename the data map, click Edit >  Rename. A Rename Item dialog box is displayed. Enter a new name, then click Save new name.

  6. Optionally, make any necessary changes to the file handling options (header row, delimiter character, etc.).

  7. Optionally, make any necessary changes to the data mapping, either by changing the column order or the field to which a column is mapped, or by adding or removing columns.

  8. When finished, click Edit > Save in the Tool Ribbon.

Delete an event stream data map

To delete a data map:

  1. Search for the desired item (see Search for an Item for more details).

  2. Click on the data map name. The main item screen is displayed and populated with the details of the selected map.

  3. In the Tool Ribbon, click Edit > Delete. A confirmation dialog box is displayed.

  4. Click Delete to confirm the deletion.

Foldered items are moved to the Recycle Bin. Non-foldered items are permanently deleted.