The Email activity allows you to send a specific email to lists or data tables from an automation. To configure an email activity, follow these steps:

1. Select the email you will be sending
2. Click Next
3. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed
4. Click Next
5. Review your email activity configuration and click Confirm

The Import activity allows you to import data files from the iPost FTP into lists, data tables, or All Contacts.  The format of the data files must be in CSV, TSV, or Pipe delimited format. To configure an Import activity, follow these steps:

1. Select the type of import you will be running
   • List allows you to import into a list
   • MD5 List allows you to import into a MD5 suppression list
   • Custom Data Table allows you to import into a custom data table
   • All Contacts allows to import into All Contacts
2. Select the File Destination by clicking on the field and selecting your list or data table. If importing to All Contacts, this field will default to All Contacts.
3. Enter the name of the source file.  This is the file that resides on the iPost FTP.  The information entered must match the name of the file exactly, this includes matching the case on the file name and file extension. A wild cards can be used if importing daily files. 
4. Select the format of your file.  This option is not available for MD5 List.
5. Select your Import Options if importing into a Custom Data Table
6. Click Next
7. On step two of the Data Configuration, map your data fields.  This can be done by uploading the header of your data file or by manually mapping by column order.  This option will not be available for MD5 List imports.
8. Select your Contact Operation. This will determine how the data processes to the list or data table. 
   • Overwrite Existing Records will replace data currently in the table with data from the file.  This option is available for Lists and Data Table imports.
   • Only Update Existing Records will only update any contacts associated with the data table and will reject any new contacts.
   • Add Only New Records will add new contacts from the data file but will not update any existing contacts. This option is only available for Data Tables.
   • Add New & Update Existing Contacts will add new contacts and update any contacts associated with the data table.  This option is available for Lists, Data Tables, and All Contact imports.
   • Merge Lists will merge the records from the data file into the existing records for the lists. This option is only available for MD5 Suppression lists.
9. Enter an email address into the Email Address field for the Send Import Report section.  An import summary will then be sent upon the completion of the automaton.
10. Click Next
11. Review the Import configuration
12. Click Confirm

The Refresh Dynamic List activity allows you to perform an automatic refresh of the data contained in a dynamic list. To configure a dynamic list activity, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Dynamic List Refresh Field
2. Select your list by clicking on the name
3. Click Select
4. Click Done

The Refresh Dynamic Data Table activity allows you to perform an automatic refresh of the data contained in a dynamic data table.  To configure a dynamic data table activity, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Dynamic Data Table Refresh Field
2. Select your custom data table by clicking on the name
3. Click Select
4. Click Done

The SQL Query activity allows you to run a SQL query on a set schedule. To configure a SQL query activity, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Select SQL Query Field
2. Select your SQL Query by clicking on the name
3. Select the Data Table that will be updated
4. Select the operation that the query should perform
5. Click Next
6. Click Done

The HTTP Request provides the ability to send information about a contact or a group of contacts to an external web service. To configure a HTTP Request, follow these steps:

1. Select the Method for the HTTP Request
2. Enter the Endpoint URL
3. Enter the URL parameters that will be sent
4. Name is the name of the parameter
5. Type is the type of parameter.  You can select Contact Data, a System Field, or a Static Value.
6. Value is the value of the parameter. For Contact Data and System Field, select from the options available in the drop downs. For Static Value, enter the value in the field.
7. Enter the Name/Value pairs

Once the activity configurations are complete, click Save to save the automation configuration.

Data Update provides the ability to Add, Update, or Overwrite a contact to a Static List, a Sendable Custom Data Table, and/or a Subscription Topic.  Data that is available in the Journey Payload is accessible and is able to be stored in the data structure.  In addition, Global Opt-in/out, SMS Opt-in/out, and List Opt-in/out statuses may be altered by this feature.

To configure a Data Update, follow these steps:

1. Select the type of update: List or Data Table
2. Click Next
3. Choose which List or Data table to update
4. Click Next
5. Select your Data Update Configuration
   1. Columns/Lists/Topic Mappingwill map data to a data field for the selected data table, list, or topic. The options available in the drop down are dependent on the type of data update that is selected.
      1. Select an attribute, list, subscription topic, or list status from the first column
      2. Select either Journey Data or Static Data from the second column
         1. Journey Data is data from the JSON API Add Contacts to a Journey call
         2. Static Data is an unchanging value that is applied to all contacts
      3. Enter the data value in in the Insert Value box.  When setting the value in the next step, the name must correspond to the exact name of the property being sent via the API call - e.g. first_name = first_name
   2. Configuration Mapping allows you to select the appropriate contact operation. These options will vary for Lists or Sendable Data Tables with or without Primary Keys (PKs) set.
      1. List options are the following
         1. Only update existing records
         2. Add new & update existing records
      2. Sendable Data Tables with PKs options are the following
         1. Only update existing records
         2. Add only new records
         3. Add new & update existing records
      3. Sendable Data Tables without PKs options are the following
         1. Add only new records
6. Click Next
7. Select the Email Global Status for the contact
8. Click Next
9. Select the SMS Global Status for the contact if SMS is configured on your account
10. Click Next
11. Review your Data Update configuration and click Confirm

Advanced Test provides the ability to test subject lines, content, send times, scheduling, and much more within once activity.  To configure an Advanced Test activity, follow these steps.

1. Enter the Name for the Advanced Test
2. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed
3. Select Next
4. Click in the Email field to select the email you will be using for testing.  Repeat this step for each email used in the test.
5. Adjust any values in the fields needed for your tests
6. Click Next
7. In Total Distribution, select the number of contacts to be used for the test segments
8. In Segments for Distribution, select the number of contacts to be sent for each test segment
9. Click Next
10. Select the Test Duration from the options provided
11. Select the Winner Criteria from the options provided
12. Select how the test segments will be sent
13. Select how the winner will be sent
14. Click Next
15. Review your Advanced Test activity configuration and click Confirm

Data Export provides the ability to export data form a list or data table to a FTP.  To configure a Data Export activity, follow these steps.

1. Select which data type you will be exporting
2. Click Next
3. Select either the list or data table that will be exported
4. Click Next
5. Select your Export Destination
   1. FTP will push the report to your iPost FTP site
   2. External FTP will push the report to an external FTP site. You will need to provide the FTP endpoint and credentials when configuring the activity
6. Enter the file name for the exported file
7. Select the File Format for the data file.
8. Select the data fields that will be included in the export
9. Select Next
10. Review your email activity configuration and click Confirm

The Report Exports provides the ability to configure and export a report on an ongoing basis.  To configure a Report Export, follow these steps.

1. Click on the Select Report Type field
2. Select a report from the drop down
3. Select an Export Destination
   1. FTP will push the report to your iPost FTP site
   2. External FTP will push the report to an external FTP site. You will need to provide the FTP endpoint and credentials when configuring the activity
   3. Email will send the report via email
4. Click Next
5. Configure the report selected in Step 1

The SMS activity allows you to send a specific SMS message to lists or data tables. SMS activities are only available in SMS enabled accounts. To configure a SMS activity, follow these steps:

1. Select the SMS you will be sending
2. Click Next
3. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed
4. Click Next
5. Review your email activity configuration and click Confirm

The MMS activity allows you to send a specific MMS message to lists or data tables. MMS activities are only available in SMS enabled accounts. To configure a MMS activity, follow these steps:

1. Select the MMS you will be sending
2. Click Next
3. Select your audience and adjust any other email configuration fields as needed
4. Click Next
5. Review your email activity configuration and click Confirm

Facebook audiences allows you to push contacts into your Facebook account.  This activity is only available if the Facebook Audience integration is enabled. To configure a Facebook Audience activity, follow these steps:

1. Update the Name of the activity if needed
2. Select the list or data table that contain the contacts that will be pushed into the Facebook Audience
3. Select the Sync Type for the Facebook Audience
4. Select your Ad Account
5. Select your Ad Audience
6. Click Done

Visit our Facebook Custom Audience page for more information on this feature.

Zapier allows you to push iPost data to Zapier or to pull data from Zapier.  This activity is only available if the Zapier integration is enabled.  To configure a Zapier activity, follow these steps.

1. Enter the name of the activity
2. Check Include demographics data if you will be including attributes in your Zap
3. For Process automations, select the List or Data Table as the source of the data being sent via the Zap
4. Zap URL will populate with a URL once the automation is associated with a Zap
5. Click Next
6. Review the activity configuration and click Confirm