Automation Activities

Activity Types

Some activities can only be used in certain types of automations. Please see the table below for descriptions of all available activities.

Activity	Description	Automation Type
Email	Sends an email to a list or data table.	All
Import	Imports data files located on the iPost FTP into lists, data tables, or All Contacts.	Process
Refresh Dynamic List	Refreshes a dynamic list.	Process
Refresh Dynamic Data Table	Refreshes a dynamic data table.	Process
SQL Query	Runs SQL queries located in the SQL Query manager.	Process
HTTP Request	Sends information about a contact or a group of contacts to an external web service.	All
Data Update	Sends contact information from the automation and insert it into a list or data table.	Journey Funnel Mobile
Advanced Test	Send emails using multivariate test options and winner criteria.	All
Data Export	Export data from a list or data table to a FTP site.	Process
Report Export	Configure and export reports located in the Reports Library.	Process
SMS	Sends a SMS message to a list and/or data tables. Only available if SMS is enabled in your account.	All
MMS	Sends a MMS message to a list and/or data tables. Only available if SMS is enabled in your account.	All
Facebook Audience	Sends data from iPost to your Facebook account. Only available when the Facebook Custom Audience feature is enabled.	Process
Zapier	Used in our Zapier integration to push/pull data to and from Zapier. Only available when the Zapier integration is enabled.	All

Configuring Activities

Activities need to be configured in order to run them in the Automations. Each activity requires different configuration information that is specific to the process you will be running with the automation.

To configure an activity:

1. Hover your mouse over the activity.
2. Click on the Edit icon.

For information on the configuration for a specific activity, see the list below.

Email

The Email activity allows you to send a specific email to lists or data tables from an automation. To configure an email activity:

1. Select the email you will be sending.
2. Click Next.
3. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed.
4. Click Next.
5. Review your email activity configuration and click Confirm.

Import

The Import activity allows you to import data files from the iPost FTP into lists, data tables, or All Contacts. The format of the data files must be in CSV, TSV, or Pipe delimited format. To configure an import activity:

1. Select the type of import you will be running:
   1. List: import into a static list.
   2. MD5 List: import into a MD5 suppression list.
   3. Custom Data Table: import into a custom data table.
   4. All Contacts: import into your account's All Contacts database.
2. Click on the File Destination field and select your list or data table. If importing to All Contacts, this field will default to All Contacts.
3. Enter the name of the source file. This is the file that resides on the iPost FTP. The information entered must match the name of the file exactly, this includes matching the case on the file name and file extension. A wild card can be used if importing daily files.
4. If importing into a List or All Contacts and your file includes row headers, check the File includes row headers option.
5. Choose the Separators used in your file: Comma, Tab, or Pipe.
6. If importing into a Custom Data Table, check any of the following import options, if applicable:
   1. Include column headers as the first line.
   2. Skip rows in the import file with bad data.
   3. Respect double quotes as text qualifier.
7. Click Next.
8. On step two of the Data Configuration, map your data fields. This can be done by uploading the header of your data file or by manually mapping by column order. This option will not be available for MD5 List imports.
9. Select your Record Operation; this will determine how the data is processed into a list or data table.
   • Overwrite Existing Records: replace all data currently in a list or custom data table with records from the file. 
   • Only Update Existing Records: only update contact information for existing records in a list, sendable custom data table, or All Contacts database. Any new records will be rejected.
   • Add Only New Records: add any new records from the data file that are not present in the select list, custom data table, or All Contacts database.
   • Add New & Update Existing Contacts: add new contacts and update any existing records in the selected list, custom data table, or All Contacts.
   • Merge Lists: merge the records from the data file into the existing records for the lists. This option is only available for MD5 Suppression lists.
10. Enter an email address into the Email Address field for the Send Import Report section. An import summary will then be sent upon the completion of the automaton.
11. Click Next.
12. Review the Import configuration.
13. Click Confirm.

Refresh Dynamic List

The Refresh Dynamic List activity allows you to perform an automatic refresh of the data contained in a dynamic list. To configure a dynamic list activity:

1. Click on the Dynamic List Refresh field.
2. Select the Dynamic List to be refreshed and click Select.
3. Click Done.

Refresh Dynamic Data Table

The Refresh Dynamic Data Table activity allows you to perform an automatic refresh of the data contained in a dynamic data table. To configure a dynamic data table activity:

1. Click on the Dynamic Data Table Refresh field.
2. Select your Dynamic Data Table by clicking on the name.
3. Click Select.
4. Click Done.

SQL Query

The SQL Query activity allows you to run a SQL query on a set schedule. To configure a SQL query activity:

1. Click on the Select SQL Query field.
2. Select your SQL Query by clicking on the name.
3. Select the Custom Data Table that will be updated.
4. Select the operation that the query should perform:
   1. Add only new records.
   2. Add new & update existing records.
   3. Only update existing records.
   4. overwrite existing records.
5. Click Next.
6. Click Done.

SQL Queries are limited to a max run time of one hour. If the automation errors because of this limit, contact our Support team for a query review.

HTTP Request

The HTTP Request provides the ability to send information about a contact or a group of contacts to an external web service. To configure a HTTP Request:

1. Select the Method for the HTTP Request.
2. Enter the Endpoint URL.
3. Enter the URL parameters that will be sent.
   1. Name: the name of the parameter.
   2. Type: the type of parameter. You can select Contact Data, a System Field, or a Static Value.
   3. Value: the value of the parameter.
      1. For Contact Data and System Field, select from the options available in the drop downs.
      2. For Static Value, enter the value in the field.

4. Enter the Name/Value pairs for the Headers section.

5. Click Done once configured.

Data Update

Data Update provides the ability to Add, Update, or Overwrite a contact to a Static List, a Sendable Custom Data Table, and/or a Subscription Topic. Data that is available in the Journey Payload is accessible and is able to be stored in the data structure. In addition, Global Opt-in/out, SMS Opt-in/out, and List Opt-in/out statuses may be altered by this feature.

To configure a Data Update:

1. Select the type of update - List or Data Table - and click Next.
2. Choose which List or Data Table to update.
3. Click Next.
4. Configure the Data Update:
   1. Columns/Lists/Topic Mapping: map data to a data field for the selected data table, list, or topic. The options available in the drop down are dependent on the type of data update that is selected.
      1. Select an attribute, list, subscription topic, or list status from the first column.
      2. Select either Journey Data or Static Data from the second column.
         1. Journey Data: data from the JSON API Add Contacts to a Journey call.
         2. Static Data: an unchanging value that is applied to all contacts.
      3. Enter the data value in in the Insert Value box. When setting the value in the next step, the name must correspond to the exact name of the property being sent via the API call - e.g., first_name = first_name.
   2. Configuration Mapping: select the appropriate contact operation. These options will vary for Lists or Sendable Data Tables with or without Primary Keys (PKs) set.
      1. List Options:
         1. Only update existing records.
         2. Add new & update existing records.
      2. Sendable Data Tables with Primary Key options:
         1. Only update existing records.
         2. Add only new records.
         3. Add new & update existing records.
      3. Sendable Data Tables without Primary Key options:
         1. Add only new record. 
   3. Select the Email Global Status for the contact.
5. Click Next.
6. Review your Data Update configuration and click Confirm.

Advanced Test

Advanced Test provides the ability to test subject lines, content, send times, scheduling, and much more within one activity. To configure an Advanced Test activity:

1. Enter the Name for the Advanced Test.
2. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed
3. Select Next.
4. Click in the Email field to select the email you will be using for testing. Repeat this step for each email used in the test.
5. Adjust any values in the fields needed for your tests.
6. Click Next. 
7. In Total Distribution, select the number of contacts to be used for the test segments.
8. In Segments for Distribution, select the number of contacts to be sent for each test segment.
9. Click Next.
10. Select the Test Duration from the options provided.
11. Select the Winner Criteria from the options provided.
12. Select how the test segments will be sent.
13. Select how the winner will be sent.
14. Click Next.
15. Review your Advanced Test activity configuration and click Confirm.

Data Export

Data Export provides the ability to export data from a list or data table to a FTP. To configure a Data Export activity:

1. Select which Data Type you will be exporting.
2. Click Next.
3. Select either the list or data table that will be exported.
4. Click Next.
5. Select your Export Destination:
   1. FTP: push the report to your iPost FTP site.
   2. External FTP: push the report to an external FTP site. You will need to provide the FTP endpoint and credentials when configuring the activity.
6. Enter the file name for the exported file.
7. Select the File Format for the data file.
8. Select the data fields that will be included in the export.
9. Select Next.
10. Review your email activity configuration and click Confirm.

Report Export

The Report Exports provides the ability to configure and export a report on an ongoing basis. To configure a Report Export:

1. Click on the Select Report Type field.
2. Select a report from the drop down.
3. Select an Export Destination:
   1. FTP: push the report to your iPost FTP site.
   2. External FTP: push the report to an external FTP site. You will need to provide the FTP endpoint and credentials when configuring the activity.
   3. Email will send the report via email.
4. Click Next.
5. Configure the report selected in Step 1.

SMS

The SMS activity allows you to send a specific SMS message to lists or data tables. SMS activities are only available in SMS enabled accounts. To configure a SMS activity:

1. Select the SMS you will be sending.
2. Click Next.
3. Select your audience and adjust any other email configurations fields as needed.
4. Click Next.
5. Review your SMS activity configuration and click Confirm.

MMS

The MMS activity allows you to send a specific MMS message to lists or data tables. MMS activities are only available in SMS enabled accounts. To configure a MMS activity:

1. Select the MMS you will be sending.
2. Click Next.
3. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed.
4. Click Next.
5. Review your MMS activity configuration and click Confirm.

Facebook Audience

Facebook audiences allows you to push contacts into your Facebook account. This activity is only available if the Facebook Audience integration is enabled. To configure a Facebook Audience activity:

1. Update the Name of the activity, if needed.
2. Select the list or data table that contain the contacts that will be pushed into the Facebook Audience.
3. Select the Sync Type for the Facebook Audience.
4. Select your Ad Account.
5. Select your Ad Audience.
6. Click Done.

Visit our Facebook Custom Audience page for more information on this feature.

Zapier

Zapier allows you to push iPost data to Zapier or to pull data from Zapier. This activity is only available if the Zapier integration is enabled. To configure a Zapier activity:

1. Enter the Name of the activity.
2. Check Include Demographics Data if you will be including attributes in your Zap.
3. For Process Automations, select the List or Data Table as the source of the data being sent via the Zap.
4. Zap URL will populate with a URL once the automation is associated with a Zap.
5. Click Next.
6. Review the activity configuration and click Confirm.