Getting Started with Profile Merge Rules
To create Profile Merge Rules, review and complete the steps in each of the procedures described in this section.
Create a Cross-Device Data Source
To create a cross-device data source, go to Audience Data > Data Sources > Add New and complete the steps for each section described here. Administrator permissions are required to create or edit a cross-device data source.
Data Source Details
To complete the Data Source Details section:
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Name the data source.
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(Optional) Describe the data source. A concise description helps you define the role or purpose of the data source.
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Provide an integration code. An integration code is your own, unique ID for this data source.
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In the ID Type list, select Cross Device.
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In the ID Definition list, select an option that defines the data source type. Options include:
- Person: An ID that defines a single person. This ID can be mapped to multiple Audience Manager IDs.
- Household: An ID that defines a group of people. This ID can be mapped to multiple Audience Manager IDs.
Data Export Controls
Data Export Controls are optional classification rules you can apply to a data source and destination. They prevent you from sending data to a destination when that action violates a data privacy or use agreement. Skip this section if you do not use Data Export Controls.
Data Source Settings
Data Source Settings section provides multiple options, but these 2 are important for creating a cross-device data source:
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Use as Authenticated Profile: Selected by default, this setting lets you build a Profile Merge Rule with your own, authenticated data.
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Use as a Device Graph: This control is available only to accounts listed as a data provider. Selecting this check box creates your data source as a device graph and lets you share it with other Audience Manager customers. Work with your Audience Manager consultant to get set up as a data provider and to specify which customers this Data Source should be shared with. Your consultant will provision your account and device graph sharing through an internal provisioning processes.
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Data retention for inactive Customer IDs: This control allows you to set the data retention period for inactive Customer IDs. This determines how long Audience Manager keeps Customer IDs in our database after they were last seen on the Audience Manager platform. The default value is 24 months (720 days). The minimum value you can set is 1 month and the maximum value is 5 years. Note that we count all months as 30-days. Audience Manager runs a process that deletes inactive Customer IDs once a week, in accordance with the data retention you set for inactive Customer IDs.
The text fields associated with these settings let you rename the Data Source with an alias that appears in the Profile Merge Rule options. For example, if you add an alias to Use as Authenticated Profile, that name appears in the Authenticated Profile Options list. If you add an alias to Use as a Device Graph, that name appears in the Device Options list.
Create a Profile Merge Rule
To create a Profile Merge Rule, go to Audience Data > Profile Merge Rules > Add New Rule and complete the steps for each section described here.
You can create up to 3 merge rules after setting up a cross-device data source. You get access to a 4th Profile Merge Rule (All Cross-Device Profiles) if you sign up for People-Based Destinations.
Administrator permissions are required to create, edit, or delete a rule. All users can view and use existing Profile Merge Rules.
Prerequisites: A cross-device data source is required to build a Profile Merge Rule. See Create a Data Source.
Basic Information
To complete the Basic Information section:
- Name the Profile Merge Rule.
- (Optional) Describe the Profile Merge Rule. A concise description helps you define the role or purpose of your rule.
- (Optional) Select Set as default if you want to make this the default Profile Merge Rule. New segments are automatically associated with the default rule.
Data Export Controls
Data Export Controls are optional classification rules you can apply to your Profile Merge Rule. They prevent you from sending data to a destination when that action violates a data privacy or use agreement. Skip this section if you do not use Data Export Controls.
Profile Merge Rule Setup
To complete the Proflie Merge Rule Setup section:
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Select an Authenticated Option. Options include:
- No Authenticated Profile
- Current Authenticated Profile
- Last Authenticated Profile
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Select an Authenticated Profile Option (up to 3, maximum). These are the cross-device data sources you have created previously.
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Select a Device Option. Options include:
- No Device Profile
- Current Device Profile
- Profile Link Device Graph
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Click Save.
Considerations for Adobe Campaign Destinations using Cross-Device IDs as User ID Keys
In late 2019, we have release a series of Profile Merge Rules enhancements to improve the accuracy of batch files generated using cross-device IDs. These enhancements will be strictly honored in your Audience Manager instance starting Monday, March 16, 2020. Consquently, segments mapped to a destination using a cross-device IDs will stop producing exports in some Profile Merge Rules configurations.
To ensure the correct integration between your Audience Manager instance and destinations using cross-device IDs, such as Adobe Campaign, make sure you meet the following requirements:
- Review the Profile Merge Rule used by the segments mapped to your Adobe Campaign Declared ID destination. The Profile Merge Rule must use the Last Authenticated Profile option, so all authenticated profiles could be included in the exports. If your Profile Merge Rule is using a different option, switch it to Last Authenticated Profile.
- Select the Adobe Campaign Declared ID data source in the Profile Merge Rule settings.
Configure Merge Rule Code
Follow these instructions to set up the Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service, DIL, and mobile SDK code to work with your merge rules.
Prerequisites
You must set up a cross-device data source and profile merge rules before completing these procedures.
For Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service Customers
The Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service and the latest version of DIL are recommended when working with Profile Merge Rules. However, you don’t have to use the Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service to work with this feature. If you’re just using DIL, see the legacy DIL section below.
Configure the Set Customer ID Function
When working with the Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service, the setCustomerIDs function passes declared IDs to Audience Manager. To use a profile merge rule, you must modify setCustomerIDs to use the integration code specified when you created a cross-device data source. For example, say you’ve created a cross-device data source with the integration code my_datasource_ic. To pass in a declared ID, you would add the integration code to the visitor ID function as shown in the modified code sample below.
Generic code sample
visitor.setCustomerIDs({
"userid":{
"id":"12345",
"authState":Visitor.AuthState.AUTHENTICATED
Modified code sample
visitor.setCustomerIDs({
"my_datasource_ic":{
"id":"12345",
"authState":Visitor.AuthState.AUTHENTICATED
For more information, see Create a Cross-Device Data Source and Customer IDs and Authentication States.
Configure DIL.create function
The latest versions of DIL now automatically pick up the declared ID from the visitorService function in DIL.create (see Declared ID Variables). Check your DIL.create function to make sure this is set up properly as shown in the code sample below.
var vDil = DIL.create({
partner:"partner name",
visitorService:{
namespace:"INSERT-MCORG-ID-HERE"
}
});
In the namespace key-value pair, the *MCORG* variable is your Experience Cloud Organization ID. If you don’t have this ID, you can find it in the Administration section of the Experience Cloud dashboard. You need administrator permissions to view this dashboard. See Administration: Core Services.
Configure SDKs
See the Configure SDKs section below.
Legacy DIL
If you’re not using Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service yet, you really ought to. But, we understand that moving to new code requires careful thought and testing. In these cases, check your DIL.create function to make sure this is set up properly as shown in the code sample below.
DIL.create({
partner: "partner name",
declaredId:{
dpuuid: YOUR_DPUUID,
dpid: YOUR_DPID
}
});
For more information, see the legacy DIL section in Declared ID Variables.
Configure SDKs
Check the methods in your SDK code that let you pass declared IDs from Android and iOS mobile devices. The variable names for the Android and iOS code libraries are the same:
dpid: The cross-device data source ID.dpuuid: The declared ID (i.e., the user ID).
setDpidAndDpuuid
Syntax:
public static void setDpidAndDpuuid(String dpid, String dpuuid);
Example:
AudienceManager.setDpidAndDpuuid("myDpid","myDpuuid");
audienceSetDpid:dpuuid
Syntax:
+ (void) audienceSetDpid:(NSString *)dpid dpuuid:(NSString *)dpuuid;
Example:
[ADBMobile audienceSetDpid:@"290" dpuuid:@"99301393923940"];
See also, Audience Manager Methods for Android and Audience Manager Methods for iOS.