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      Import Contacts and Data into Mapp Engage
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      Import Contacts and Data into Mapp Engage

      • 4 Minutes to read
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      Article summary

      You can import the following data into Mapp Engage:

      • Contacts (with an identifying email address, mobile number, or mobile app alias).

      • Contact profile data (standard and custom attributes).

      • Member attributes.

      • Group attributes.

      • Contact read mode preferences.

      • Contact message limitations (XML only).

      Mapp provides several import modes. You can use imports to add, update, or remove contacts. You can use imports to synchronize your contact data in Mapp Engage with an external system.

      Contacts are always imported into an existing group. After import, the contacts are members of the group. You cannot import contacts into the Mapp Engage system as a whole.

      You can decide whether to send a confirmation message to contacts after import. This confirmation supports confirmed and double opt-in subscription processes.

      Data Synchronization​

      A contact has one profile in Mapp Engage. When you import a file with contact data into a group, the contact profile data is updated centrally

      When you import a contact list, Mapp Engage verifies that the email addresses have the correct syntax. Invalid addresses are not imported.

      In addition, you can configure the import to ignore contacts that meet specific criteria. For example, contacts are ignored if:

      • The address matches a contact that exists in the group.

      • They unsubscribed from the group previously.

      • They are deactivated because Mapp Engage has received frequent reports of delivery failures.

      These options are useful if you synchronize your contact lists with an external system regularly.

      The number of imported contacts may be affected by the time zone that your Mapp Engage system is using. For more information, see Time Zone Behavior For Imported Data.

      File Requirements​

      • The data must be saved in a CSV, XML, or text file. For manual import, the maximum size of the import file is 50 MB. If your file is larger than 50 MB, you must import your contact file with an automation.

      • Contacts must be uniquely identified in the file with an email address, mobile phone number, or mobile app alias. A unique address helps Mapp Engage map the data in the import file to the correct contact profile in Mapp Engage.

      • The data in the import file must be formatted according to Mapp Engage standards. See the following links for more information.

      Import Methods​

      There are several methods that you can use to add contacts to your system. The method you need depends on how often you import contacts, and on how many contacts you import at a time.

      Method

      Use this import method if:

      Number of Contacts

      Read More

      Automatically upload import files using the time-based automation job ​Import Contacts​.

      • You want to schedule contact import on a regular basis - for example, once per day or once a week.

      • Your contacts are stored in an XML file or a CSV file and stored locally or on a server.

      • You do not want to immediately start a campaign after import.

      Appropriate for any size import (up to 20 million contacts at a time)

      Import Contacts (Job)

      Automatically upload import files using the time-based automation job ​Process Control XML​.

      This job imports a Control XML job package from an FTP server or SCP service. The Control XML file contains instructions for performing a range of operations in Engage, including contact import.

      For example, you can create a new group, import contacts, and start a campaign - all as a part of the control XML package.

      • You want to schedule contact import on a regular basis - for example, once per day or once a week.

      • Your contacts are stored in a compressed XML file (xml.gz).

      • You want to transfer contacts from an FTP server or SCP service.

      • You want to immediately start a campaign after import. The prepared messages, including any images and attachments, are packaged into an archive (the control XML job package). This package is now on your FTP server.

      Appropriate for any size import (up to 20 million contacts at a time)

      ​Process Control XML​

      Add contacts with the Mapp Engage API (SOAP or REST).

      For example, import contacts to a specific group after subscription to a newsletter.

      You want to add contacts via API.

      Adds contacts individually


      Manually upload an import file in the ​Contact Management​ area.

      • You want to do a one-off (non-repeating) import.

      • Your contacts are stored in an XML file or a CSV file.

      • You are importing fewer than 1 million contacts at a time. (The maximum file size is 50 MB.)

      • You do not want to immediately start a campaign after import.

      Appropriate for importing up to one million contacts at a time.


      Import Contacts and Data into Mapp Engage

      Add a single contact manually.

      Use this import method if:

      • You need to add just one contact to Mapp Engage.

      Adds contacts individually

      ​Add Members (window)​.

      Import with an External Identifier​

      In the contact profile, the ​External Identifier​ attribute stores an additional ID in the Mapp Engage system.

      You can update contact data in Mapp Engage with the external identifier as the primary value for contact identification, or as the only value for contact identification.

      When you import with an external identifier, you can change the address of a contact without deleting existing data or creating a second profile.

      For instructions, see ​Update Contacts with External Identifier​.

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