Creating Proof/Seed Groups

Use Proof/Seed Groups exclusively for proofing and testing your campaign launches and program tests before launching to your targeted customers.

Choose a group of co-workers or other recipients not affiliated with your List to receive your messages, verify delivery, and ensure that the message is valid and ready for mass distribution.

To create a Proof/Seed group:

  1. Click The Lists icon Data on the side navigation bar, and select Profile Lists. (Not seeing this choice? Refer to the Side navigation bar changes topic.)

    The Profile Lists page opens, showing the currently used list.

    Tip: To create a seed group for a different list, select the list from the Change List drop-down list.

  2. Select the Seed Groups tab and click Create Seed Group.
  3. Type the name, select the folder and, optionally, add a description for the group.
  4. Click Save.

    The group is created.

  5. To add members to the group, click the name of the group on the Profile Lists page.

Importing Proof/Seed Group List Records

Note: The Create Proof/Seed Group list procedure is the same as the Load from File wizard steps, except the final step, Load Proof/Seed Group, where you can name your proof List, provide a description, and identify the containing folder. Proof group lists must use the same schema as the customer list.

  1. Click The Folders icon Folders on the side navigation bar.
  2. On the Folders page, select the folder containing the List, click d next to List name.
  3. Click Load from File.

Step 1: Inbound Source

  1. Enter path and name, or click browse to select file to load.

    Note: File should be in .CSV (comma separated value) format.

  2. Confirm the character set of the load file.
  3. Click Next. For large files, the next step may take a few moments to appear.

Step 2: File Handling

  1. Select the delimiter (typically a comma) that divides the fields (columns) in the file to be imported.
  2. Specify whether text columns are enclosed in single or double quotation marks.
  3. Check whether the first line contains column names, or the file starts with a data record.
  4. Click Next.

Step 3: Table Fields

The purpose of the Table Fields page is to display all fields from your import file, and allow you to map and select new field specifications, as needed.

Notes

  • Field names starting with illegal characters are prefixed with a lowercase “c”. For example, **Field-Name3 becomes cFieldName3.
  • Long field names are truncated to 30 characters.
  • Field names are not case-sensitive.
  • If any changes result in duplicate field names, you will need to manually rename them.
  • All system field names (defined and reserved by Oracle Responsys) end with an underscore character, for example: EMAIL_ADDRESS_. Therefore, imported/custom-defined field names may not end with an underscore.
  • Where ever possible, match (if not already auto-matched) like-named incoming fields with existing List fields, for example: CUST_ID matched to CUSTOMER_ID_.
  • If an equivalent predefined name does not exist, click next to the related List field. Select the appropriate data type for your field. A new field entry immediately appears with the name used from the import field. Change, if needed.
  • If you choose not to import a field, click next to the related List field, and select --skip this field --.

For more details about data type and field name requirements, see Data Types and Field Names

Step 4: Record Handling

This step allows you to define a variety of merge rules when importing new records and/or updating existing List data.

  1. Define the merge rules for matching new to existing records. You can match on email address, email address and another selected field, or selective combinations.
  2. Select the action to apply when a record matches (based on the merge choices you made), and when a record doesn’t match your criteria.
  3. If your import file contains channel status values (email, mobile, or postal), Enter the values you want to represent the Opt-in and Opt-out status, for example: 1 vs. 0.
  4. Check relevant selections to reject customer records with empty email, mobile, and/or postal values.
  5. Select the mobile number format for this job.

    Oracle Responsys validates the format of inbound mobile numbers according to the format selected for your account. The mobile number upload format you select here overrides the account setting for this job, unless the upload format you select is incompatible with the account format. The following restrictions on import format at the job level help prevent invalid and duplicate mobile number values:

    • When your account settings are E.164 or Local, you can't select No Format Enforced for the mobile number upload format.
    • When your account settings are No Format Enforced, you can't select E.164 or Local for the mobile number upload format.

    Learn more about how Responsys handles mobile phone number values for accounts with Local or E.164 format settings.

  6. Optionally, in Custom Event Type, select a custom event to trigger for each customer match occurring with this load.

    What's this? ClosedCustom events signal an external source that alerts Oracle Responsys when notable customer activity occurs and should be recorded, or when a notable activity occurs to a customer. Custom events can also be used to trigger Program, or to record behaviors in the Data Mart. (Data Mart-related events can be used in List filtering rules. Custom events are defined by your account administrator via the Account/Defining Custom Event Types.

    Important: If a customer is listed in a load more than once, multiple events will be triggered for that customer.

  7. Click Next to begin loading the file.

Learn more