The External ID is a unique contact identifier that allows linking users from external sources such as physical stores, CRMs, or ERPs. It functions as an alternative to the email address and facilitates the import and traceability of contacts in Connectif, even when no email address is available.
This article explains the properties of the External ID in Connectif, its limitations, where to find it in Connectif, and possible use cases.
1. Properties
- The External ID is an additional unique identifier, and each contact can only have one associated.
- Two contacts cannot have the same External ID.
- It has a limit of 50 characters.
- Contacts with an External ID are not considered anonymous, therefore, they are not deleted after 90 days of inactivity.
Current limitations
- The External ID cannot be set via web tracking, mobile tracking, or custom events.
- Contacts with an External ID are not automatically merged with other contacts created in Connectif whose primary key is the email.
2. How it is used in Connectif
2.1. Setting the External ID
From the Contacts API
Connectif allows importing contacts via API using the External ID as the primary key.
Likewise, API synchronization allows deleting contacts or partially modifying their information via the External ID, just like with the email.
To do this, you must create an API call to Connectif with the action you want to synchronize (create, modify, or delete).
Learn how to set the External ID via API in the Connectif API documentation.
Via contact import
Connectif allows importing contacts via the contact import tool or via the API, using the External ID as the primary key.
The import tool also allows partial modification of contact information via the External ID, just like with the email.
To do this, you must create a CSV file containing the information of the contacts you want to create or modify, with a specific column for the External ID, which must be unique for each contact.
Learn how the contact import tool works in this article.
From the Contact Sheet
Connectif allows manually adding or modifying the External ID of a contact through their Contact Sheet.
To do this, you must access the Contact Sheet of the contact you want to add or modify the External ID for and make the changes, just like with the other editable fields of the sheet.
Learn how Contact Sheets work in Connectif in this article.
2.2. Location in Connectif
You can find the External ID in the following areas of Connectif:
- Contacts: in the contact fields, the detail sheet, and the contact search by External ID.
- Dynamic Segments and Dynamic Plus: allow working with this identifier.
- Workflows: available in exported data for automations and segmentations.
- API: supported in contact and purchase endpoints.
- Analytics: visible in Data Explorer and in content statistics.
- Imports: both via interface and API.
2.3. Use cases for the External ID
Some of the main use cases for the External ID in Connectif are:
- Identifying customers who purchase in physical stores to link their activity to the digital experience.
- Importing customers who do not have an email address.
- Importing customers for whom you have a phone number, to avoid duplicates.
Congratulations!
You've reached the end of the lesson.
Still have unanswered questions?
Remember, our Connectif specialists are here to help. To contact them, just open a support ticket by clicking the blue “Help” button on your dashboard.
Keep learning!
To make the most of your Connectif account, we recommend continuing with the following articles:
- Enter a dynamic segment upon identifying an anonymous contact, to dive deeper into entity merging.
- Contact import, to bulk import all your contacts into your Connectif account.
- Exporting contacts and activities, to export contact data and their respective activities.
- Web lead scoring, to launch a lead scoring strategy.