Help Center

What: The Amazon Web Services Simple Storage Service (S3) connection allows you to synchronize data from various marketing platforms and databases into BlueConic via delimited flat files on servers. User profiles can be created or enhanced with this data and BlueConic information can be shared with marketing platforms. This connection supports scheduled batch import and export, as well as importing groups such as households, companies, or accounts.

About BlueConic: The BlueConic customer data platform harnesses the data required to power the recognition of an individual at each interaction, and then synchronizes their intent across the marketing ecosystem.

Why: Transfer customer data from and to internal data warehouses (dwh), CRM databases, analytics platforms, and other marketing systems to enrich BlueConic profiles with purchase history, predictive analytics segmentation (e.g. propensity modeling and lifecycle signals). This data can then be used directly within BlueConic or synchronized out to other marketing platforms to interact with users with relevancy and enable right-time messaging, or to enrich data and enhance capabilities with behavioral data collected by BlueConic and profile data integrated from other systems.

Concepts

Required Amazon Web Services (S3) permissions

In order to import or export data between Amazon Web Services (S3) and BlueConic, there are several S3 permissions required for the bucket or user:

• s3:ListBucket - Required for importing and exporting files
• s3:GetObject - Required for importing data from S3 into BlueConic profiles
• s3:DeleteObject - Required when importing files with the option to "add .done suffix"
• s3:GetBucketLocation and s3:PutObject: Required for exporting BlueConic profile data to an S3 bucket

Contact your Amazon Web Services (S3) support team if you need help with S3 permissions.

CSV file format

Before we delve into the CSV file and field handling settings, let's first have a look at the actual text format of the file that we're about to import. Let's assume we're about to import the following data:

This would be exported as the following CSV text file:

id,ib_avg,ib_ddg,ib_z1,ib_z2
aghvww32,4123551,GK,open,3
agkkemw3,4233215,GK,open,0
alfk3oor,4135111,GR,open,
bezz5las,4009852,GR,closed,0
c9uuz5g0,4823507,K,closed,1
cc2rkes6,4222941,G,open,1

The first line of the CSV file is expected to contain column names, separated by a comma. Each following line is expected to contain values with the same number of columns.

See the best practices for exchanging data with BlueConic via CSV files.

Adding an Amazon Web Services (S3) connection

1. Choose Connections in the Navigation bar.
2. Click Add Connection.
3. Search for "S3" in the Search bar and choose Amazon Web Services (S3) connection.
4. The Amazon Web Services (S3) connection page opens.

   You can expand or collapse metadata fields (favorite, labels, description) by clicking the gray chevron at the top of the page.

5. Enter a descriptive name for your S3 connection.

6. Optional: Select the Email notifications box if you would like BlueConic to notify one or more email addresses if there's a problem running the connection or when it runs successfully. Enter one or more email addresses and click OK. You can select whether to receive emails each time it runs or only if the connection fails to run successfully.
   

Configuring an Amazon S3 connection

In the side bar on the left are a number of tabs. There is a setup section and there are group import goals and profile import and export goals. You can activate or deactivate goals by using the checkbox in front of the name. Multiple goals can be added by using the "Add goal" button at the bottom of the page and you can delete or copy goals by hovering over them and selecting the respective "x" icon.

 

Select a goal to open its tab and see that goal's configuration options. You can change the name of the goal at the top of the goal configurations. You can also prioritize the order of your goals by dragging and dropping them to your desired sequence by using the drag handle that appears at the left-hand side of a goal when hovering over it.

The connection will then import and export data based on the order of goals within each category. Categories will always run in the order listed - import groups, import profiles, export profiles.

Set up and run

This is where you set up the authentication that allows BlueConic to connect to the Amazon Web Services (S3) platform. Look up and enter the configuration parameters:

• Access key ID - Enter the Amazon Web Services (S3) access key ID that you can retrieve via the security credentials page.
• Secret access key - Enter the Amazon Web Services (S3) secret access key. You can create a new access key for your account by going to the security credentials page. In the "Access Key" section, choose "Create New Access Key". After saving the connection, the secret key will be hidden. You can choose "Change secret access key" to change the existing key.

Using PGP encryption

For added security while transferring customer data, you can now use PGP encryption for file imports and exports. To exchange data with PGP, you need to provide a private key to be able to import the data and a public key to export data to the S3 server. The keys are securely stored.

1. In the setup and authentication section, in the Encryption field, enable the Use PGP encryption option. A settings menu opens below for Decryption and/or encryption.
2. Enter the Private key (for decrypting files), Public key (for encrypting files), and optionally a Passphrase.

How selecting PGP encryption affects the connection setup process

When you enable PGP encryption, files will be encrypted securely, so you may notice several subtle changes to the connection setup process:

• Source preview files will not be available.
• Fields for the mappings will not be found.
• Bulk mapping will not be available.
• You cannot prefill mappings in the import and export goals.

If you prefer to use the bulk mapping feature or field selection feature, you can set up the import and export goals first using a file with identical fields that is not encrypted, before you enable PGP encryption, so mappings are found and filled more easily.

Setting up a Group import goal

To import data from Amazon S3 into BlueConic groups, such as households, accounts, companies, etc., click Add goal > Import groups and follow the steps outlined in the goal. The groups import option is available in the connection once you've set up a BlueConic group.

1. Select a group type to import data to a BlueConic group.
Use the dropdown menu to select from the group types defined for your BlueConic tenant.

2. Select your S3 source files to be imported.

Enter the directory that holds the files.

Optional: Specify the files to be imported. You can use regular expressions or wildcards to choose the files.
Optional: Click Scan now to rescan the directory. This retrieves updated files and data fields.

Note: If you use a wildcard, make sure the value of that wildcard matches your root file and all nested files. For instance, if example_course_20*.csv is used for your root file, and this results in example_course_20244.csv being selected, then your nested files must contain the wildcard value of 244 in their filenames to avoid an error.

3. Optional: Correct your files before the import.

Use the Search for a processor field to add a data processor to filter or transform the data during the import. For example, you can create a processor to normalize email addresses, filter data fields, or transform data during the import, before it is matched and mapped to BlueConic properties. To add data processors to your BlueConic environment, contact your Customer Success Manager. Learn more about using data processors to filter or transform data imports.

4. Define file and field handling.
Here you can customize how your CSV files and fields should be handled during the import. See the options for configuring CSV file and field imports for details.

5. Link identifiers between S3 files and BlueConic groups.
Data that has no matching identifier will be excluded from the import.

6. Map imported fields to BlueConic group properties.
Here, you can configure which values should be mapped to which BlueConic group properties.

• Add mapping: Select a data field from the dropdown list and select the BlueConic group property it populates by entering a search term.
• Bulk mapping: If there are many fields to be mapped, BlueConic detects these fields and offers the option to "Add all detected fields." This also allows you to set a merge rule for these fields simultaneously.
• Add a prefix: You can optionally add a prefix to the BlueConic properties. If you set the prefix and then add an empty mapping, the right side automatically adds the prefix as well.
  

7. Run the connection.
Check the box next to Import group data into BlueConic in the left panel, and save your settings. A green arrow appears, going from the S3 icon to the BlueConic icon. See Running the Amazon Web Services (S3) Connection below for details.

Setting up a profile import goal

Use the profile import goal to import profile data and events such as transactions or orders (via CSV files) from Amazon Web Services (S3) into BlueConic. To do this, choose Add goal > Import profiles and complete the steps outlined in the goal. 

1. Select a BlueConic domain group for the import.
BlueConic supports domain groups to ensure profiles are exchanged between the right domains. Select a domain group for the import to ensure that the correct profiles are updated or added.

2. Select the S3 source files to be imported.
Start by entering or selecting the S3 bucket where the files are stored that will be imported.

In order for BlueConic to be able to scan the buckets, the S3 account needs to have the "listAllBuckets" permission enabled.

Your S3 bucket can contain many files. You can specify exactly which file (or files) will be imported from by either entering a name or using wildcards to match multiple names, e.g. 10-import.csv, *.csv or  *import*.

Tip: When you are choosing which file to designate as the root file, choose the one containing customer or profile data first. Then, you can link it to additional CSV files, such as event or product files, using the Connect (chain) icon.
Note about unique file names: The name of the root file (person.csv in the example shown here) must be unique. The root file cannot have the same filename as the files linked to it, or the files will not be imported.

Optional: You can also use regular expressions or wildcards to choose the files.
Click OK. Continue adding files and linking their data columns as needed. Note that the Connect icon is red  until linking is established correctly, and then turns clear. In this example, we are importing profile order data from a person.csv file that is linked to contract.csv and contract2.csv.

Tip: If you select one of the files, a lightbox opens with a preview of the file columns and contents.

3. Optional: Correct your files before the import.

Use the "Search for a processor" field to add a data processor to filter or transform the data during the import. For example, you can create a processor to normalize email addresses, filter data fields, or transform data during the import, before it is matched and mapped to BlueConic properties. To add data processors to your BlueConic environment, contact your Customer Success Manager. Learn more about using data processors to filter or transform data imports.

4. Define file and field handling.

Here you can customize how your CSV files and fields should be handled during the import. See the options for configuring CSV file and field imports for details.

5. Link identifiers between S3 files and BlueConic.

Here you link profile identifiers from the S3 import to BlueConic profiles. Data without matching identifiers will be excluded from the import.

Select a column name on the left and select either the BlueConic profile identifier or a profile property that is a unique identifier on the right-hand side for matching.

Check the Allow the creation of new profiles in BlueConic box to create a new BlueConic profile if the data field doesn't match an existing BlueConic profile when the import runs. If the box isn't checked, only existing profiles are updated, and data that doesn't match BlueConic profiles will be ignored.

6. Map S3 data to BlueConic profile properties.

Choose Add mapping to configure which CSV values should be mapped to which BlueConic profile properties. If you have multiple fields to map, BlueConic detects the fields and offers the option to map them all at once.
Bulk mapping: Select "Add all detected fields" to set up a bulk mapping between Amazon S3 and BlueConic. This also allows you to set a merge rule for these fields simultaneously.
Add a prefix: You can optionally add a prefix for the BlueConic profile properties. If you set the prefix and then add an empty mapping, the right side automatically adds the prefix as well. 

A warning message saying "Existing property" appears if the BlueConic profile property you're mapping to already exists and the import would save data into an existing profile property.

You can use the dropdown menu to specify how the value(s) should be imported:

• Set: Always overwrite the profile property value in BlueConic.
• Set if empty: Import the value in BlueConic only if the profile property does not contain a value yet.
• Set or clear: Clear the value in the profile property if the CSV contains no value for the field.
• Add: Add the imported value to the list of values for the profile property. The list will only contain unique values, doubles are not imported.
• Sum: Numerically add the imported value to the value of the profile property in BlueConic. If the profile property was empty, it will be treated as 0. If the imported value is not a number, it is not imported.

You do not have to create a mapping and import every field of the CSV into BlueConic; there is no need to clutter the BlueConic data storage with values that serve no purpose in BlueConic or other connected systems. It is a best practice to only import values that are of interest to BlueConic use cases.

7. Optional: Import Timeline events into BlueConic.

You can choose to import customer order data to BlueConic using either the default BlueConic Order event type, or using a custom Timeline event type you have already created with a plugin XML file. (Contact your BlueConic Customer Success Manager at support@blueconic.com for details.) You can map order details in the left column with order event properties, event date/time, and the event ID. 
Learn more about how you can use Timeline events in BlueConic.

Use the checkbox to say whether order event details should be added to a Product store, which collects data to feed product recommendations. Select this box if you plan to create product recommendations based on which products have been bought most often or most recently.
Learn more about BlueConic product recommendations.

Use the Add mapping button if you want to extend the mapping for each order to include additional, nested Order event details, such as additional products. If there are many event properties to be mapped, BlueConic detects these and offers the option to "Add all event properties to import."

Click the Add a Timeline event type button to add additional Timeline event types to the data import. Learn more about using Timeline events in BlueConic.

Click Save on the top right corner of the screen to save your import goal.
Optional: In the left panel, click Add goal and then Import goal to create another Import goal.

8. Run the connection.

To run the connection, you need to Save your changes and turn the connection On. See Running the Amazon Web Services (S3) Connection below for details.

Check the box for Import data into BlueConic in the left panel. A green arrow appears, going from the S3 icon to the BlueConic icon.

If this is the first time you are running the connection, it is a good idea to do a test run with a small example file, to see if everything works as intended. If you are satisfied with the result, you change the import to the actual, full-size file.

Setting up profile export goals for an Amazon S3 connection

Export goals enable you to send profile data from BlueConic to Amazon Web Services (S3). To do this, choose Add goal > Export profiles and complete the steps outlined in the goal. Note that by default, this connection will only export profiles that have been changed since the last export.

1. Select a BlueConic segment to export profile data from.

Using the Select segment Search bar, choose a BlueConic segment. Only profiles in this segment with a value for at least one of the selected profile properties (from Step 4) are exported.

In the top right-hand corner, the number of profiles available for the export appears.

This number shows how many profiles meet the conditions for the selected segment (for example, they have an email address and gave required consent for an objective) and therefore are available for the export. This number of profiles exported may be lower than the number displayed here. 

2. Set up the directory to export to.

Enter the Amazon Web Services (S3) directory for the exported files, or choose the folder icon to select a directory. View the files already in the directory in the Files detected table.

Optional: Choose Scan now to rescan the directory to retrieve updated files and data fields.

3. Determine file and field handling.

Here you can customize how your CSV files and fields should be handled during the import. See the options for configuring CSV file and field imports for details.

4. Optional: Modify your data before the export.

You can add one or more data processors to filter or transform your data for export. For example, you can use a processor to normalize email addresses, filter data fields, or transform data during the export. To add data processors to your BlueConic environment, contact your Customer Success Manager. Learn more about using data processors to filter or transform exported data.

5. Map BlueConic data to S3.

Select the BlueConic data you want to export into Amazon Web Services (S3).

Select a BlueConic profile property by entering a search term and enter the data field value it should populate. Order mappings by grabbing the drag bar on the left side; this will be reflected in the order of the fields in the exported file.

Select the BlueConic icon to open a dropdown menu where you can switch between the type of information you want to export. Pick one of:

• Profile property: The value of a specific profile property
• BlueConic profile identifier: The unique identifier for a profile
• Associated segments: All segments, or a selection of one or more specific segments that the profile is associated with
• Associated lifecycles: All lifecycles this profile is associated with. Learn more about BlueConic Lifecycles.
• All viewed interactions (all time): The interactions that the profile has seen
• Permission level: The permission level set in the profile
• Text value: Enter any static text
  

6. Optional: Export Timeline events to S3.

If you have BlueConic Timeline events, you can choose whether to export events for profiles in the current export, for all event types or a single event type, for all time or a during a specific time period.
When you run the connection, BlueConic creates a CSV file for each event type (for example, order.csv for the event type orders). If there are nested events (for example, products), BlueConic creates additional CSV files in the same directory for each nested event. Column headers in the CSV file are derived from the Event type definition.

7. Run the connection.

Choose Save on the top right corner of the screen to save your Export goal and turn the connection On at the top of the Connection window.

To create another Export goal, choose Add goal > Export profiles in the left panel. 

In the left panel, check the box next to Export profiles. A green arrow appears, going from the BlueConic icon to the Amazon Web Services (S3) icon.

 

Running an Amazon Web Services (S3) connection

Tip: Make sure you have added Import and Export goals and saved your settings before running the connection.

1. Turn the Amazon Web Services (S3) connection on.
   
2. Go to the Authentication and run page. Scroll down to the Run history section. This table shows all past and scheduled runs for the connection. In the details column, it also lists the last five created or updated profiles and links to the profile identifier so you are able to see exactly how and whether profiles were created or updated correctly.
3. To start the import and export manually, save your settings and select Run now. 
4. To schedule the import and export for a future date, select the Settings icon . Choose how to schedule the import by choosing an option from the drop-down list:
   • Every X minutes
   • Number of times per day
   • Days of the week
   • Days of the month
   • Weekday of the month

   Set a time for the import. Choose OK.

Data exchange shows you the total number of unique profiles that have been imported or exported via the connection. Note that these are unique profiles. If the same profile is exported multiple times, it is counted as 1.

Privacy management

Connections can be added to Objectives, allowing for privacy management of the information that is being picked up. A connection will only process the profiles of visitors who have consented to at least one of the objectives that the connection is linked to.

FAQ

If a file has already been imported, will it be imported again? 

If the connection configuration has not been changed, and a file has already been imported, it will not be imported again. If the file has changed, or the configuration has changed, files will be reimported.