New features in SMC
May 2023
Version 5.41

 

Refreshing Data from Data Selections

News articles, product catalogs, financial products, etc can evolve quickly. When using this data in SMC messaging, it is important to be sure you are working with the most recent and accurate information available.

To allow this, Selligent introduces the possibility for marketers to fetch the latest data when sending out a Single Batch Journey.

How does this work?

When defining a data selection in a template (and only in a template), there is now a new option in the filter section of the configuration : “allow fetching data from data import linked to this data selection list”.


This option can only be checked if the data selection list used in the message has data imports linked to it. If no data imports exist, the option is greyed out as there is now way in this case to fetch the latest data. To use this option, ask your admin to set up a data import when appropriate.

When the option is ticked, the marketer will have the possibility to trigger the execution of the data import, at any time, within the message.

How is this done?

When the template is used in a Single Batch Journey, and the message content is opened from within the journey (using the Edit content button), the marketer is presented with the following message:"Your data selection list(s) are populated by a data import, which was last executed after X. Do you want to run this data import now so that you have access to the most recent data selections?"

This informs the marketer of the date of the last data import executed for the Data Selection List and asks confirmation to re-execute the import (Import now) or to continue to the content directly (Keep current).

Note: When multiple data selections with linked data imports have been detected for the current message, all the data imports will be re-executed. The progress of the execution can be followed in the Data Exchange chapter:

As long as the data imports are running, a progress icon is displayed in the message.

During processing, the marketer can continue editing the message. Once the processing has finished, a new Gear icon is added to the message toolbar, allowing the user to choose between the following options:

  • Fetch and preload data - Triggers the execution of all the data imports defined for the data selections used in the message and fetches the latest data. Then items are preloaded in the message. (Note: preloading of items will only happen if the option has been set in the data selection configuration.)
  • Fetch data - Triggers the execution of the data import and fetches the latest data.
  • Preload data - Allows manual preloading of the items in the message. If the option ‘Preload items’ is not checked in the data selection configuration, nothing will happen when clicking this option.

 

Default Values for Data Import Matching

In some cases, when working with data in SMC it might be required to have values in certain fields. However, if your source file does not contain values for a field, or the field simply does not exist, you can now define a default value for a field.

Upon defining a matching in the data import, between the mandatory SMC field and a field in the source, a default value can now be set. This default value will be taken into account when no value can be found in the source.

For example, the language field is required in SMC for certain options in repeaters to work, but the source file does not have a language field. In this case, you can add a field matching with the SMC Language field and assign a default value.

 

Selligent FTP Service will be deprecated

Moving forward, Selligent will deprecate the Selligent FTP service currently offered, in favor of clients using the Public Cloud Storage, or their own FTP servers.

As a first step in this process, whitelisting will no longer be required on the FTP servers, making them reachable from any IP. This is planned for June 2023.

We will keep you posted on the next steps in due time.

(If you have any questions or concerns, please raise a ticket in Connect.)

 

Corrections

  • [Lists] The Data tab in an Audience List no longer breaks when a custom filter goes into timeout. All contacts in the list are loaded again correctly.
  • [Content] Deleting a Content Block component in Single Batch Journey content, no longer deletes multiple components instead of just the selected one.
  • [Reporting] For the Reporting Dashboards, the column 'JOURNEY_NAME' is no longer specified multiple times as 'META'.
  • [Plugin] BounceEvents.Plugin BounceType field is no longer missing a MaxLength.
  • [Admin Config] Opening 'Folder Rights' in a Permission Group no longer causes performance issues when a lot of folders are selected.
  • [Admin Config] When saving a User, applicable Permission Groups are correctly saved for that user.
  • [Folder Management] When deleting an SDS Group (or an Organization with an SDS user group and folders allowed), the linked assets are deleted correctly.
  • [Simlink Connector] When a main thread crash occurs, this triggers a monitoring alert.
  • [Journeys] It's possible to save Single Batch Journeys when validation errors occur.