Introduction to Eloqua Elements
The Bulk API enables you to import and export data for numerous elements within Eloqua. The Bulk API also has its own elements that it uses to interact with Eloqua.
The following sections describe all of the elements encountered when using the Bulk API, and highlights the different interaction patterns associated with each type.
Eloqua Elements
The "Eloqua Elements" are elements stored in Eloqua. Each element type has its own set of associated fields.
The Bulk API exists to allow you to import and export data related to these elements. However, due to the asynchronous design of the Bulk API, you never interact directly with the Eloqua Elements. Rather, you move data into a staging area and then synchronize the data into Eloqua or out for your use.
The Eloqua elements are:
- Contacts
- Accounts
- Custom objects
- Activity
- External activities
- Events
- Campaign responses
- Opportunities
With the exception of Activity and External Activities, you can use a /fields endpoint to retrieve the list of fields associated with each element in your Eloqua instance. See: Search for Field Names for more information.
Activity behaves differently than the other Eloqua elements. Each Activity Type has its own set of fields. Refer to Activity Fields for a full description of the Activity types that the Bulk API supports and their specific fields.
Bulk API Elements
The "Bulk API Elements" are objects that you create in order to interact with Eloqua through the Bulk API. The are, essentially, metadata elements: elements that provide context to Eloqua and to the Bulk API to allow them to perform the appropriate actions.
These bulk elements are:
- Imports
- Exports
- Syncs
Unlike the "Eloqua Elements", which you interact with indirectly, the Bulk API enables you to perform direct CRUD operations on the metadata. If you GET an import or an export, Eloqua returns its data. In contrast, you cannot directly GET contact or activity data: you have to go through the export steps to obtain it.