Name and Content Requirements for ID Synchronization Files

Describes the required fields, syntax, and naming conventions used for file-based ID synchronization. Name and organize your file contents according to these specifications.

NOTE

The text styles (monospaced text, italics, brackets [ ] ( ), etc.) in this document indicate code elements and options. See Style Conventions for Code and Text Elements for more information.

File Name Syntax and Examples

ID file names contain the following required and optional elements:

[adobe_id_] [c2c_id_]MASTERDPID_DPID[_DPID]_TIMESTAMP.sync[.SPLIT_NUMBER][.gz]

Parameter	Description
`adobe_id`	A static prefix that identifies the file as an ID synchronization file. Use this prefix when matching device IDs to other device IDs or customer IDs (DPUUIDs).
`c2c_id`	A static prefix that identifies the file as an ID synchronization file for People-Based Destinations. Use this prefix when matching customer IDs (DPUUIDs) to hashed email addresses for People-Based Destinations.
`MASTERDPID`	The master data provider ID is the parent ID of the DPIDs in the file name. Also, the first user ID in the data file corresponds to the master ID. The subsequent DPIDs are other identifiers that belong to the master. Synchronization maps DPIDs in the file name to UUIDs in the file. This DPID must only contain device IDs, such as AAM UUID, GAID, IDFA, and so on. It cannot contain DPUUIDs. Doing so can result in incorrect synchronization.
`DPID`	Data provider IDs. These IDs represent entities or data sources associated with the master DPID. Synchronization maps DPIDs in the file name to UUIDs in the file. The number of DPIDs in the file name must match the number of UUIDs in the data file. For example, say your file name contains a master DPID and 3 DPIDs. Your data file must include 4 corresponding columns of UUIDs, formatted as described in the file content section below.
`timestamp`	A 10-digit, UNIX timestamp in seconds. The timestamp helps make each file name unique.
`.sync`	Indicates a normal, full synchronization.
`[.SPLIT_NUMBER]`	An integer. Used when you split large files into multiple smaller files. This helps improve processing times. The number indicates which part of the original file you're sending in. See the file name examples below.
`[.gz]`	Specifies that your file is compressed with optional gzip compression.

File Name Examples

The following examples show properly formatted files names. Your file names could look similar.

adobe_id_111_222_333_444_1454442149.sync
adobe_id_123_898_456_1454442149.sync.1.gz
adobe_id_123_898_456_1454442149.sync.2.gz
c2c_id_123_898_1454442149.sync.gz

NOTE

For ID synchronization file naming (c2c prefix) for People-Based Destinations, see Workflow A - Personalization Based on All Online Activity Combined with Offline Data or Workflow B - Personalization Based on Offline-Only Data.

File Content Syntax and Examples

The contents of an ID file include the following elements:

UUID <tab>UUID <tab>UUID<tab> UUID

The file contains user IDs (UUID). In each row, separate the IDs with a tab. The following example shows a properly formatted ID file. Your contents could look similar.

abc123 def456 ghi789 xyz987

File Content Considerations

When creating your inbound files, make sure the first column is only populated with device IDs, such as AAM UUID, GAID, IDFA, and so on. See Index of IDs in Audience Manager for a detailed explanation of IDs supported by Audience Manager.

IMPORTANT

Do not use DPUUIDs on the first column. Doing so can result in incorrect synchronization.

Synchronization Matches DPUUIDs to UUIDs

The purpose of an ID sync file is to sync the DPUUIDs from your own Data Sources with Audience Manager UUIDs. Synchronization maps the DPUUIDs from the master DPID and its related DPIDs to the Audience Manager UUIDs. Where you put the IDs in the file name and body determines how these identifiers are mapped to each other. For example, take the two sample files shown here:

File 1: adobe_id_0_12345_1476312152.sync
File 2: adobe_id_12345_67890_1476312876.sync

Given the sample name and contents, the IDs map together like this:

File 1 ( Download sample file)

DPID 0 = Adobe Audience Manager UUIDs	DPID 12345
68079982765673198504052656074456196039	XYZ3017D_2kzkTOXkFYIAgwbajoqWRcqkXl-TTrj6E4njaMR38
67412682083411995725538770443620307584	XYZ3017BBR4DAFJWfM6D4Gb4lN_T5jk_f7rdEcqNs9wfnA7h70
89159024796760343733111707646026765593	XYZ3017PryPID8tzfhkEE-gE034LI-53Jde0utCYcIwd0A2OlM
66552757407517449462805881945288602094	XYZ3017QvBddD-bLJS28DPxiqUfmIBxE3_55bvQJMLwregJU2M
66184778222667870903738139438735041506	XYZ3017q9r60kuHPOca_Ek-btCN2iu1HyVaUe0rd412TzbyCMw

Step 1: the ID sync process will sync the DPUUIDs from DPID 12345 with the Audience Manager UUIDs in the left column. Note that the DPID “0” in the file name represents Audience Manager UUIDs.

File 2 ( Download sample file)

DPID 12345	DPID 67890
XYZ3017D_2kzkTOXkFYIAgwbajoqWRcqkXl-TTrj6E4njaMR38	4598060374
XYZ3017BBR4DAFJWfM6D4Gb4lN_T5jk_f7rdEcqNs9wfnA7h70	4581274262
XYZ3017PryPID8tzfhkEE-gE034LI-53Jde0utCYcIwd0A2OlM	4392434426
XYZ3017QvBddD-bLJS28DPxiqUfmIBxE3_55bvQJMLwregJU2M	2351382994
XYZ3017q9r60kuHPOca_Ek-btCN2iu1HyVaUe0rd412TzbyCMw	4601584763

Step 2: the DPUUIDs from DPID 12345 have been synced in step 1 with the Audience Manager UUIDs. What this ID sync will do is sync the DPUUIDs from DPID 67890 with the Audience Manager UUIDs from step 1.

Other Format Requirements

User IDs cannot:

Have tabs in the ID itself. Tabs are used only to separate individual IDs in the data file.
Contain personally identifiable information (PII).
Use URL encoding. Pass in unencoded IDs only.

Any rows that end with tabs or spaces will not be processed or realized. As a rule, make sure you keep the end of the rows clear.