Data Management22% of the exam
Import activities, file formats and encryption
How an import definition finds, reads and writes a file: naming patterns, delimiters, qualifiers, encoding and mapping, the File Transfer and Convert XML steps that prepare encrypted, compressed or XML files, and the update types and run checks that decide what lands in the data extension.
Configure import activity using various file formats within Marketing Cloud.
~8 min read · 11 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Write an import file naming pattern that matches dated files, and tell it apart from a file drop automation's filename pattern.
- Pick the delimiter, text qualifier, encoding and mapping that make a delimited file load into the right columns.
- Add the preparation step an encrypted, compressed or XML file needs before an import can read it.
- Choose the update type and the run checks (file age, last import, blank file, bad data) that protect a scheduled import.
- Know what a Salesforce Objects & Reports import creates and what can't change afterwards.
- Key terms: import definition (the saved settings an import activity reuses on every run); file naming pattern (the name, optionally with date strings, the import looks for); text qualifier (the character that keeps a delimiter inside a value); Manage File (the File Transfer action that unzips or decrypts); Convert XML (the data extract type that turns simple XML into a delimited file).
Key facts
Wizard size cap
- Detail
- 20 MB; larger files go through an import activity
Default encoding
- Detail
- UTF-8 when no type is selected
Default source
- Detail
- The FTP account's Import folder
Manage File output
- Detail
- Unzipped, decrypted file goes to the Import folder
Use local time zone setting
- Detail
- Matches date strings to the creator's time zone instead of Central Standard Time
Convert XML default
- Detail
- FileFormat
tab; output beside the input
Bad data file over 25 MB
- Detail
- Added to your FTP folder instead of emailed
Salesforce object import
- Detail
- Creates the data extension; source can't change afterwards
Sources for this section (5)
- Why can a file drop pattern that begins with AUG14 start an automation for
aug14files.zip? - When a File Transfer activity doesn't select Use local time zone setting, which clock do its date strings follow?
- Which file extensions does a Manage File unzip action accept?
- Why can't a later run recover rows replaced by an Overwrite import?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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