Merging and suppressing contacts

The Merge process accepts input from multiple cells and produces one combined output cell. When you merge cells, you can choose to include or exclude content.

Procedure

  1. Open a campaign and click a flowchart tab.
  2. Click the Edit icon Pencil icon in the flowchart window.
  3. Configure at least two processes whose output you want to merge.
    For example, configure two Select processes.
  4. Drag the Merge process Person inside a triangle icon from the palette to your flowchart.
  5. Drag an arrow from an upstream process (for example, a Select process) to the Merge process, to connect the boxes. You must connect from the upstream process to the Merge process. Repeat to connect any other upstream processes into the Merge process.
    See Connecting processes in flowcharts.
    Note: All cells that provide input to the Merge process must have the same audience level. For example, multiple Select processes must use the Household audience.
  6. Double-click the Merge process in the flowchart.

    The process configuration dialog box opens. Cells from processes that are connected to the Merge process are listed in the Input list.

  7. If you want to exclude IDs from the merged output, select a cell in the Input list and add it to the Records to Exclude list. For example, use this option to exclude Opt Outs.
  8. If you want to include IDs in the merged output, select a cell in the Input list and add it to the Records to Include list. The IDs in the cells that you add to this list will be combined into one list of unique IDs.
  9. Specify how to merge the lists from the input cells that are in the Records to Include list:
    • Merge/Purge on Include: This option produces a list of unique IDs that exist in at least one input cell. Duplicate IDs are included only once. This method uses a logical "OR" or "ANY." For example: Include customer A if that customer is in either the Gold.out cell OR the Platinum.out cell.
    • Match (AND) on Include: Include only those IDs that exist across all input cells. This method uses a logical "AND" or "ALL." For example: Include customer A only if that ID exists in both the Gold.out cell AND the LoyaltyProgram.out cell. This option is useful when you want to include customers that meet multiple criteria. If an ID does not exist in all of the Merge process input cells, the ID is not included.
  10. If you want to limit the number of IDs generated by the process, use the Cell Size Limit tab.

    See Limiting the size of output cells.

  11. Use the General tab as follows.
    1. Process Name: Assign a descriptive name. The process name is used as the box label on the flowchart. It is also used in various dialogs and reports to identify the process.
    2. Output Cell Name: By default, this name matches the Process Name. It is used in various dialogs and reports to identify the output cell (the set of IDs that the process produces).
    3. (Optional) Link to Target Cell: Perform this step if your organization pre-defines target cells in a target cell spreadsheet (TCS®). To associate the flowchart process output with cells in the TCS, click Link to Target Cell, then select a target cell from the spreadsheet. The Output Cell Name and Cell Code are inherited from the TCS, and both of those field values are shown in italics to indicate that there is a link relationship. For more information, read about using target cell spreadsheets.
    4. Cell Code: The cell code has a standard format that is determined by your system administrator and is unique when generated.
      See Changing the cell code.
    5. Note: Describe the purpose or result of the process.
      For example, indicate which records you are including or excluding.
  12. Click OK.

Results

The process is now configured. You can test run the process to verify that it returns the results you expect.