Data elements

Data elements are the building blocks for your data dictionary (or data map). Use data elements to collect, organize, and deliver data across marketing and ad technology.

A single data element is a variable whose value can be mapped to query strings, URLs, cookie values, JavaScript variables, and so on. You can reference this value by its variable name throughout Adobe Experience Platform. This collection of data elements becomes the dictionary of defined data that you can use to build your rules (events, conditions, and actions). This data dictionary is shared across tags for use with any extension you’ve added to your property.

Use data elements as widely as possible throughout rule creation to consolidate the definition of dynamic data and to improve the efficiency of your tagging process. You define data rules once and then use them in multiple places.

The concept of reusable data elements is very powerful and you should use them as best practice.

For example, if there is a particular way that you reference page names or product IDs or grab information from query string parameters from an affiliate marketing link or from AdWords, and so forth, you can create a data dictionary (data elements) by getting information from its source and then using this data in various tag rules.

Using page name as an example, suppose you use a particular page-name schema by referencing a data layer, document.title element, or a title tag within the website. Tags in Adobe Experience Platform allow you to create a data element as a single point of reference for that particular point of data. You can then use this data element in any rule that needs to reference the page name. If for some reason in the future you decide to change the way you reference page name (for example, you have been referencing document.title but you now want to reference a particular data layer), you don’t need to edit many different rules to change that reference. You simply change the reference once in the data element and all rules that reference that data element automatically update.

Data elements are populated with data when they are used in rules or when manually called in a script. At a high level, you:

Data element usage

In rules

You can use data elements in the rule editing interface by using the search box to find the name of your data element.

In custom script

You can use data elements in custom scripts by using the _satellite object syntax:

_satellite.getVar('data element name');

Create a data element create-a-data-element

Data elements are the building blocks for rules. Data elements let you create a data dictionary (or data map) of commonly used items on a page, regardless of where they originate (query strings, URLs, or cookie values) for any object that is contained on your site.

When creating or editing elements, you can save and build to your active library. This immediately saves your change to your library and executes a build. The status of the build is displayed. You can also create a new library from the Active Library dropdown.

Types of data elements types-of-data-elements

The following sections describe the types of data elements available in the Core extension. Other extensions use other types of data elements.

Cookie

Any available domain cookie can be referenced in the cookie name field.

Example:

cookieName

Custom code

Custom JavaScript can be entered into the UI by selecting Open Editor and inserting code into the editor window.

A return statement is necessary in the editor window in order to indicate what value should be set as the data element value. If a return statement is not included, the data element resolves to undefined. This triggers the fallback to look for a stored value, and then a default value if no stored value is present.

Example:

var pageType = $('div.page-wrapper').attr('class').split('')[1];
if (window.location.pathname == '/') {
  return 'homepage';
} else {
  return pageType;
}

Custom code can accept the event object from the calling rule as an argument. This allows the code to read value there.

Example:

// `event` is the default object provided by the rule
var eventType = event.$type;
return eventType; // if this data element is called from a "DOM Ready" event, then `core.dom-ready` is returned

You can then use this in custom scripts by using the _satellite object syntax:

// event refers to the calling rule's event
var rule = _satellite.getVar('return event rule', event);

When using percent (%) syntax, you only need to specify the data element name. You don’t need to specify event.

%data element name%

DOM attribute

Any element value can be retrieved, such as a div or H1 tag.

Example:

CSS Selector Chain:

id#dc logo img

Get the value of:

src

JavaScript variable

Any available JavaScript object or variable can be referenced using the path field.

If you want to collect JavaScript variables or object properties in your markup and use them with any of your extensions or rules, data elements can be used to capture these values. This way, you can refer to the data element throughout your rules, and if the source of the data ever changes, you only need to change your reference to the source (the data element) in one place.

For example, let’s say your markup contains a JavaScript variable called Page_Name, like this:

<script>
  //data layer
  var Page_Name = "Homepage"
</script>

You must provide the path to that variable when you create the data element.

If you use a data collector object as part of your data layer, simply use dot notation in the path to reference the object and property you want to capture into the data element, like _myData.pageName, or digitalData.pageName, etc.

Example:

window.document.title

Local storage

Provide the name of your local storage item in the Local Storage Item Name field.

Local storage gives browsers a way to store information from page to page (https://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_webstorage.asp). Local storage works a lot like cookies but is much larger and more flexible.

Use the provided field to specify the value you created for a local storage item, such as lastProductViewed.

Page info

Use these data points to capture page info for use in your rule logic or to send information to Analytics or external tracking systems.

You can select one of the following page attributes to use in your data element:

Query string parameter

Specify a single URL parameter in the URL Parameter field.

Only the name section is necessary and any special designators like “?” or “=” should be omitted

Example:

contentType

Random number

Use this data element to generate a random number. It’s often used for sampling data or creating IDs, such as a Hit ID. The random number can also be used to obfuscate or salt sensitive data. Some examples might include:

Specify the minimum and maximum values for your random number.

Defaults:

Minimum: 0

Maximum: 1000000000

Session storage

Provide the name of your session storage item in the Session Storage Item Name field.

Session storage is similar to local storage, except the data is discarded after the session ends, whereas local storage or a cookie might retain the data.

Visitor behavior

Similar to Page Info, this data element uses common behavior types to enrich logic within rules or other Platform solutions.

Select one of the following visitor behavior attributes:

Some common use cases include:

Built-in data elements

You must create additional custom data elements if you previously used any of the following data elements: