These docs are for v1.0. Click to read the latest docs for v2.0.

Overview

Auto Import of data

In order to automate the list data flow from Admin to Netcore, FTP based integration model can be used.
Netcore will share the FTP credentials to Admin which can be used to connect and dump data into that location. Admin can use either his own FTP server or Netcore’s FTP server.
Details are mentioned below:

Host/IP addressabc.ab.abc.abc
Transfer ProtocolFTP/sFTP
Useruser
  1. Inside the above FTP location, three Directories named "WORK", "ERROR" and "DONE" need to be created.
Directory NameProcess Flow
WORKIn WORK directory, Admin will dump the target csv file
DONEIf the target csv file is successfully uploaded on Netcore’s interface, its moved to DONE directory.
ERRORIf target csv file is failed to upload because of any error/interruption, its moved to ERROR directory.
  1. The structure of target CSV file in the WORK Directory is explained later in this section.

There are two modes of operation in FTP:
a) Auto Upload Process
b) Auto scheduling Process

Modes of OperationUsage
Auto Upload ProcessIn this process csv file is auto fetched from FTP and uploaded in the Netcore interface
Auto Scheduling ProcessIn this process csv is auto fetched from FTP and uploaded and also the respective campaign is auto scheduled in the Netcore interface

MD5 and ROWCOUNT are the two modes of Data integrity check, either of these can be used to ensure the proper transfer of the data from Admin to Netcore FTP.

  • In case of MD5 check, if the file name is new_mumbaiuser.csv, then the “mumbaiuser” will be treated as list name.
  • Create md5sum of the corresponding target file then the corresponding md5sum file should be named as new_mumbaiusers.md5. This will be required to check the data integrity of the target csv file.
Data Integrity CheckModeFile Name Convention
MD5Auto Uploadnew_.csv
MD5Auto Schedulenew.csv

In case of ROWCOUNT check, Admin need to mention rowcount in the target file shown in below table

📘

Note

Rowcount includes file headers and actual data.

Data Integrity CheckModeFile Convention Name
ROWCOUNTAuto UploadnewROWCNT-.csv
ROWCOUNTAuto SchedulenewMSID-_ROWCNT-.csv
  1. File Content: The File structure will be flat as shown in the table below (sample structure)
Sr NoFieldData-typeMandatory or OptionalDescription
1EmailAddressVarcharMEmail address of the customer
2Attribute_1VarcharOAttribute for personalization
3Attribute_2VarcharOAttribute for personalization
4Attribute_3VarcharOAttribute for personalization

📘

Note

There can be N Attributes in the target CSV file.

Process Flow for Auto Upload

In this process csv file is auto fetched from FTP and uploaded in the Netcore interface

StepSteps for Auto-Upload
1Admin will upload csv and keep it in FTP, Netcore will ping the FTP location in every 10 mins and extract the file and perform the basic validation checks:
Check for the Mandatory/Optional parameters
Check MD5sum Or Match the Row count with the number of rows in the file received
* Other internal error checks
2If file passes all of the above checks,it will be successfully uploaded on the Netcore's interface,then the file will be moved to "DONE" directory and a successful notification mailer will be sent to Admin as shown in figure (Architectural Flow of Auto Upload)
3If any of the above error is found than the processing of the file will not be done further and file will be moved to ERROR folder in FTP area and a notification mailer will be sent to Admin(Depending on the type of error)
4Filename provided by Admin will be considered as "ListName” e.g. if the file name is new_Mumbaiusers.csv, then the List name will be “Mumbaiusers”.Every Time Admin will upload a file with a new name so that listname will be always unique.If the filename is repeated, then the upload will not start and an automated email alert will be sent to the respective admins.
5Attribute of Campaign should be predefined on the tool by Admin. If new attributes are required inside the file, then it should be first added on Netcore's EMM panel.
6Netcore will keep history of all Upload and this history will be available on the frontend
7Also these files from FTP will be removes as per client requirement.
1496

Architectural Flow of Auto Upload

Notifications Alerts
Success and failure (where applicable) notifications will be sent throughout the processing of each file to the email id’s mentioned (Netcore will configure the Admin’s email ids on which such alerts are required to be sent)

📘

Notifications will include following email alerts

Successful upload
Subject: list upload successful for [file name]
Body:
Request ID: [JobID]
File name: [Target File name]
Total Records: [Total count of users]
Successful upload: [Successfully uploaded users ]

Invalid record notification alert
Subject: list partially uploaded for [file name]
Body:
Request ID : [JobID]
File name : [Target File name]
Total Records : [Total count of users]
Invalid Records : [count of invalid email records ]
Successful upload : [Count of Successfully uploaded users ]
Link : link will be provided to download the invalid records

Harvest file alert
Subject: list upload failed for [file name]
Body:
Request ID: [Job ID]
List name : [List name]
File name: [Target File name]
Total Records: [Total count of users]
Reason: File contains Harvested data

Process Flow for Auto Upload and Schedule

In this process csv is auto fetched from FTP and uploaded. Also the respective campaign is auto scheduled in the Netcore interface. Here all types of campaigns including slicing campaign can be auto scheduled.
It includes:

  • Basic campaign
  • Birthday Campaigns
  • Follow up Campaigns
  • Split AB Campaign
  • Dynamic Content Campaign
Step #Steps for Auto Schedule
1Admin will compose a campaign on Netcore interface and an MID will be generated (the campaign status has to be in draft state.)
2This MID will be used while creating the file in FTP
3Admin will upload csv and keep it in FTP, Netcore will ping the FTP location in every 10 mins and extract the file and perform the basic validation checks:
Check for the Mandatory/Optional parameters
Within the same MessageID, UniqID should not repeat
Match the Row count with the number of rows in the file received
Other internal error checks
4Netcore will enable the autoschedule parameter
5Netcore will then match the campaignid parameter and process the campaign
6Admin can check the status of the campaign by logging into the Netcore Interface
7If the campaign due to any reason does not get executed, adding a new file to the existing list will add the email ids of the existing list. And a single list will be maintained.
8If the campaign does not get executed for any reason, and 2 different lists are created, then both the lists will co-exist.
9For re-sending the campaign, the csv files can be uploaded using app_campaignid_filename format
10Netcore will upload the file and resend the campaign
11Alerts for data uploading and campaign status will be sent to Admin

Appendix

How to create a CSV file?

Creating the *.csv file for uploading the email ids

1Open new Excel sheet
2Provide Attribute as below
email(Compulsory):Provide Email-ids below EMAIL header
NAME(Optional attribute):Provide respective name below NAME header
* COUNTRY(Optional attribute):Provide country name below COUNTRY header
3Number of attributes can be added in csv file but it should be in uppercase
4Save the file with a simple name, without any special characters in CSV format.
e.g new_testfile1.csv
453

Format of csv file which is to be uploaded

👍

In case of any queries, please contact [email protected]