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Data Fields in Dotdigital

Rachael Norris
Rachael Norris
  • Updated

This article covers how to set up Contact Data Fields in Dotdigital.

Before starting, you should be familiar with:

 

Why sync Data Fields to Dotdigital?

Data Fields are pieces of customer information from your Spektrix system which can be shared into your Dotdigital account. 

You need to sync Data Fields in Dotdigtal for use in: 

When you “sync Data Fields,” it means that the information in that Data Field can be shared from your Spektrix account into Dotdigital.

 

How to find Data Fields in Dotdigital

Follow these steps to find Data Fields in Dotdigital:

  • Log in to your Dotdigital account
  • Click on your name in the bottom left corner
  • Choose Settings from the menu

  • Click Contacts

  • Choose Contact Data Fields

Here you can see the Default and Custom Data Fields:

 

Default data fields

Dotdigital automatically populates some Default Data Fields with information from your Spektrix system. 

Some of the Default data fields sync data from Spektrix, while others do not contain data or contain data which is populated by Dotdigital.

The Default data fields in Dotdigital which sync data from Spektrix are:

  • FIRSTNAME - this information synced from the first name field in your Spektrix system.
  • LASTNAME - this information is synced from the last name field in your Spektrix system.
  • FULLNAME - this information is synced by combining the first and last name fields in your Spektrix system.
  • EMAIL - this information is synced from the email address field in your Spektrix system.

This information is updated each time an email is sent or scheduled, or at 6am each day if you have a synced address book.

TIP: Sometimes customers may register their first initial rather than their first name. Instead of using the default FIRSTNAME and LASTNAME data fields, you can set up INFORMALSALUTATION and FORMALSALUTATION which can display data more reliably.

Default data fields in Dotdigital which do not sync information from Spektrix are:

  • GENDER - this information is not synced from Spektrix and is therefore empty.
  • POSTCODE / ZIPCODE - this information is not synced from Spektrix and is therefore empty.
  • MOBILENUMBERID - this information is not synced from Spektrix and is therefore empty.

WARNING: You cannot use Default data fields which are not synced from Spektrix as this will result in blank Personalisation fields.

Default data fields which contain information populated from Dotdigital are:

  • LASTSUBSCRIBED - when the contact was synced with Dotdigital, for example to receive an Integrated Email Campaign or Pre Show Email. This is not when the customer subscribed or created their account in Spektrix.
  • DATEMODIFIED - when the account was last updated in Dotdigital (not in Spektrix).

 

Custom data fields

There are three types of Custom Data Fields.

  • Event Data Fields: These data fields can be used to automatically pull the Event name and start time into your emails Events and can only be used in Pre and Post Show Emails.
  • Pre-built Custom Data Fields: These are a limited selection of metrics in your Spektrix system that can be added to your Dotdigital account. Once added, they’ll sync automatically every day at 6am (if you have a synced address book).

  • Choose your own Custom Data Fields: You can choose to sync Tags or Customer Attributes to your Dotdigital account. This involves setup in both your Spektrix and Dotdigital systems. If you have a synced address book, this will sync automatically every day at 6am or when an Integrated Mailing is scheduled or sent to one of the included Customers.

How to Sync Pre-built Custom Data Fields

You can choose to sync a number of pre-built Custom Data Fields into your Dotdigital account. 

You can check if you already have these set up in Dotdigital by going to Custom Data Fields.

 

From the Custom Data fields page, click the New Data Field button.

Then complete the details, as required in the form:

  • Name: Enter the name of the Data Field exactly as it is listed in the Pre-built Data FIelds section below.

WARNING: If you do not enter the name of the Data Field exactly as it is listed below, it will not sync with your Spektrix system.

  • Data type: Choose the Data type as listed by each Data Field below.
  • Default Value: You can add a default value if there’s no data in the Customer Record. For example, if there’s no data to populate the FORMALSALUTATION field, you can add a default value such as ‘Patron’ or ‘friend’. You can also choose to leave this field blank.
  • Access: Always set this to Private.
  • Folder: You can choose to store your Data Field in a folder.

Once you have completed the information, click CREATE.

The Data Field will then be synced at 6am each day (if you have a synced address book) or when you send or schedule an Integrated Mailing to an included Customer. 

 

Pre-built Data Fields

There are a number of pre-built Data Fields which you can add to your Dotdigital account. 

We’ve split them into two sections, Standard Metrics and Calculated Metrics.

REMINDER: You’ll need to make sure that the name and type of the Data Fields below match exactly.

Standard Metrics

Name Type What is it?
FORMALSALUTATION Text This will combine the Title and Last name of the Customer if there is one present. 
INFORMALSALUTATION Text This will display the First name of the Customer if there is one present that is more than one character long.
CUSTOMERID Number This is the Customer ID field in Spektrix.
DATEOFBIRTH Date This is the Date of Birth field in Spektrix.

TIP: If a customer only includes their first initial rather than first name this can make the FIRSTNAME data field inaccurate. Instead, FORMALSALUTATION and INFORMALSALUTATION are best to use because they’ll only populate names with more than one character and instead revert to the default value.

 

Calculated Metrics

If you are using Dotdigital Program Templates you’ll need to set up all of the Calculated Metrics. 

Name Type What is it?
BOOKEDONCE Yes/No If the customer has only ever purchased tickets for one Event.
NEVERBOOKED Yes/No If the customer has never purchased tickets.
BALANCE Number The total unexpired account credit balance on a customer's account.
AVGDAYSBOOKEDINADV Number The average number of days before Instance Date the customer purchased tickets. This metric is calculated overnight. Does not include instances not in metrics.
AVGSPENDPERORDER Number The mean average Ticket spend per Order for the customer. Does not include instances not in metrics.
AVGSPENDPERTICKET Number The mean average Ticket spend for the customer. Does not include instances not in metrics.
WEEKSSINCELASTORDER Number The number of weeks since a customer's last purchase of unreturned Tickets. Does not include instances not in metrics.
WEEKSTILLNEXTVISIT Number The number of weeks until the date of the next future Instance. Does not include instances not in metrics.
WEEKSSINCELASTVISIT Number The number of weeks since the date of the most recent Instance. Does not include instances not in metrics.



How to sync Customer Attributes

You can sync Customer Attributes from Spektrix to Dotdigital.

Depending on if you are syncing a new Customer Attribute or an existing one, there are two different processes to follow:

 

Syncing a new Customer Attribute

To sync a new Attribute to Dotdigital, create a new Customer Attribute Definition.

  • Check the box marked Send this Attribute Definition to Dotdigital. 

WARNING: If the Attribute is more than sixteen characters in length then it will not sync with Dotdigital. Furthermore, Attributes with more than sixteen characters will stop any data being synced to and from your Dotdigital account.

The Attribute field is synced automatically and will be available in your Dotdigital straight away as a Data Field.

Attribute values will not be registered against any Customer in Dotdigital until that Customer is included in an email which is sent or scheduled, or when information is synced at 6am each day.

Syncing an existing Customer Attribute

To sync an existing Customer Attribute Definition, edit the Customer Attribute you want to send to Dotdigital.

  • Check the box marked Send this Attribute Definition to Dotdigital. 

WARNING: If the Attribute is more than sixteen characters in length then it will not sync with Dotdigital. Furthermore, Attributes with more than sixteen characters will stop any data being synced to and from your Dotdigital account.

In Dotdigital, navigate to Data Fields.

Than, from the Custom Data fields page, click the New Data Field button.

 

Complete the details, as required in the form:

 

  • Name: Name the new Contact Data Field the same name as your Tag but starting with ATT_ .

    Spaces should be replaced by underscores _ and they should be entirely in UPPERCASE.

    For example, if the Customer Attribute is ‘Student’ then the Contact Data Field would need to be named ‘ATT_STUDENT’.
  • Data type: Set the Data Field as a Yes/No field type.
  • Default Value: Leave this value blank.
  • Access: Always set this to Private.
  • Folder: You can choose to store your Data Field in a folder.

The Customer Attribute will then be synced at 6am each day (if you have a synced address book) or when you schedule or send an Integrated Mailing to an included Customer. 

Attribute values will not be registered against any Customer in Dotdigital until that Customer is included in an email which is sent or scheduled, or when information is synced at 6am each day.

TIP: You can use Customer Attributes to power Dynamic Content and Personalisation.

 

How to sync Tags in Dotdigital

You can sync a single Tag Group to your Dotdigital account. This Tag group can have up to 100 Tags within it (including pre-built Custom Data Fields).

Syncing a Tag Group requires some initial set up:

  1. In Spektrix, create a Tag Group. You can find information about how to do this in the article Normal Tags and Auto Tags. 
  2. Contact Support and let them know the exact name of the Tag Group you wish to sync with Dotdigital.

Once you have completed this initial set up, you can add further Tags to the Tag Group by following the steps below.

  • Create the Tag you wish to sync to Dotdigital in your synced Tag Group.
  • The name of the Tag must be sixteen characters or fewer.

WARNING: If the Tag is more than sixteen characters in length then it will not sync with Dotdigital. Furthermore, Tags with more than sixteen characters will stop any data being synced to and from your Dotdigital account.

In Dotdigital, navigate to Data Fields.

Than, from the Custom Data fields page, click the New Data Field button.

 

Complete the details, as required in the form:

 

  • Name: Name the new Contact Data Field the same name as your Tag but starting with TAG_ .

    Spaces should be replaced by underscores _ and they should be entirely in UPPERCASE.

    For example, if my Tag was ‘Comedy Booker’ then the Contact Data Field would need to be named ‘TAG_COMEDY_BOOKER’.
  • Data type: Set the Data Field as a Yes/No field type.

  • Default Value: Leave this value blank.
  • Access: Always set this to Private.
  • Folder: You can choose to store your Data Field in a folder.

The Tag will then be synced at 6am each day (if you have a synced address book) or when you schedule or send an Integrated Mailing to an included Customer. 

 

TIP: You can use Tags to power Dynamic Content. To use Tags in Dotdigital Programs, you’ll need to request a synced address book.

 

Further Reading

To continue learning about Dotdigital, take a look at the Communicate with your Customers category on the Support Centre.