Step 1: Ingest Customer Data (B2C)
The first step in any Real-Time CDP workflow is to establish the data foundation. This involves two key parts:
- Modeling the Data: Creating a Schema to define the structure of the data you plan to ingest.
- Ingesting the Data: Uploading your data into a Dataset that conforms to that schema.
For this tutorial, we will use a sample CSV file representing loyalty program members for a fictional brand, Luma.
1. Prepare Your Sample Data
First, create a simple CSV file on your computer:
- Open a plain text editor (like Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac).
- Copy and paste the following text into the file:
loyaltyId,email,firstName,lastName,loyaltyTier,points
1001,john.doe@example.com,John,Doe,Gold,5250
1002,jane.smith@example.com,Jane,Smith,Silver,1700
1003,emily.jones@example.com,Emily,Jones,Gold,6100
1004,michael.williams@example.com,Michael,Williams,Bronze,450
1005,sarah.brown@example.com,Sarah,Brown,Gold,7320
- Save the file as
luma-loyalty-data.csv.
2. Create a Schema
Now, you will create the blueprint for this data inside the platform:
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In the Platform UI, navigate to:
Data Management > Schemas -
Select Create Schema in the top-right corner, then choose the workflow manual followed by XDM Individual Profile.
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Name your schema Luma Loyalty Schema and select Finish.
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In the Schema Editor, add the following standard field groups:
- Demographic Details
- Personal Contact Details
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Create a new custom field group named Luma Loyalty Details.
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Within your new custom field group, add three new fields:
loyaltyId(Type: String)loyaltyTier(Type: String)points(Type: Integer)
-
Mark two fields as Identities:
- For
loyaltyId, check the Identity box and create a new identity namespace called Luma Loyalty ID. - For the
emailfield (inside Personal Contact Details), check the Identity box and select the standard Email namespace.
- For
-
In the Schema properties on the right, toggle on the Profile switch to enable this schema for the Real-Time Customer Profile.
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Select Save.
3. Create a Dataset and Ingest the Data
Now, you’ll create a container for your data and upload the file:
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Navigate to: Data Management > Datasets
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Select Create Dataset and choose Create dataset from schema.
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Select the Luma Loyalty Schema you just created.
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Name the dataset Luma Loyalty Dataset and select Finish.
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Once the dataset is created, toggle the Profile switch ON in the right-hand panel.
This is a crucial step to ensure the data is used to build unified profiles. -
Select the Add Data tab.
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Drag and drop the
luma-loyalty-data.csvfile you created onto the upload area. -
Monitor the ingestion batch under the Dataset activity tab.
Wait for the status to change to Success.