FTP Import to All Contacts

  • Updated

Automating contact updates from external systems is easier with Act-On’s FTP import. You can schedule recurring file uploads that update or add contacts directly to your Audience Center All Contacts database.

New to FTP in Act-On? Review the FTP Setup Guide before getting started.
Quick Reference (Advanced Users) – Click to Expand
  • Upload your file to Act-On’s FTP server before starting the sync setup.
  • Choose “Import from FTP file” from the All Contacts import menu.
  • Configure import options, schedule, and merge rules.
  • Map incoming fields to All Contacts fields or create new ones.
  • You can match on Email or External ID depending on your data source.

Choose File to Import

In Audience Center > All Contacts, you can create a recurring FTP sync. Before doing so, make sure your FTP client is uploading your file to the Act-On FTP server.

  1. Go to Audience Center > All Contacts > > Import Contacts.
  2. Select Import from FTP file.
  3. Select your file.
  4. Choose a file from the FTP server and click Next.
Tip: Do not include brackets such as [ ] or { } in your file name.

Import Options

FTP Import Options.jpg

  1. To add contacts to a direct-select segment, choose or create a segment. If you skip this step, contacts still import normally into All Contacts.
  2. In Sync options, set your sync schedule.
  3. Review Advanced options if needed. Details appear in the Advanced Import Options section below.
  4. Agree to the acceptable use policy and click Next.

Map Fields

Map fields from your FTP file to your All Contacts schema.

FTP Import Field Mapping.jpg

  1. Fields with identical names are matched automatically.
  2. Select the correct All Contacts field if no match is found.
  3. Choose Create a new field if no matching field exists.
    • Select a data type. If unsure, Text works for most cases.
  4. Leave fields unmapped if you do not want them imported.
  5. Review the Merge Rule to decide whether new data overwrites existing values.
  6. Click Next to continue.

Review Import

The import summary displays your selected options and field mappings.

FTP Import Review.jpg

  1. Click Save to complete the setup.
  2. You can sync immediately or allow the next scheduled import to run.

Advanced Import Options

FTP Import Options Advanced.jpg

The Advanced Options let you fine-tune how your data is interpreted and matched.

  • Line 1 contains: Field names or field values.
  • Field separation: Commas, tabs, or semicolons.
  • Field value quotes: Single or double quotes.
  • Contact update:
    • Add new records and update existing records (default).
    • Add new records only.
    • Update existing records only.
  • Default merge rule: Overwrite or fill if blank. You can override this for individual fields during mapping.
  • Match existing contacts on: Email or External ID.
    • If matching on External ID, supply an Object Type such as contact, customer, member, or client.
  • Reject Rules: Reject records that appear on your opt-out, hard bounce, or suppression lists.
  • Remove entries if not on the import list:
    • When matching on email, this option removes contacts from the selected segment but not from All Contacts.
    • When matching on External ID, this option can remove contacts from the segment or from All Contacts depending on configuration.
  • Contact preference: Import records as Opt-Outs, Spam Complaints, or Hard Bounces when syncing suppression data.

Managing FTP Syncs

If you created a segment for FTP-synced contacts, the segment info card shows sync status and the name of the synced file. If not, sync details appear under the main All Contacts segment.

Use the segment menu to manage the FTP sync definition or schedule. Use the menu on the sync definition page to delete the sync entirely.

FTP Sync Segment Menu Manage FTP.jpg

The Import Log on the FTP setup page shows a history of all runs, including success or failure details and counts of added or updated contacts.

Using External ID to Match Contacts

When importing from an external system, you may want to match contacts based on an external ID. Act-On provides two system fields for this purpose: ExternalID and ObjectType.

You do not need to create these fields. They are added automatically.

To match on External ID instead of email, open Advanced Options on the import options screen and select External ID under “Match existing contacts.”

FTP Match External ID.jpg

Choose the External ID field from your incoming file. It maps automatically to Act-On’s system field.

Provide a value for ObjectType such as contact, client, member, or customer. Act-On prefixes your value with “custom” unless you request CRM matching support.

If your file includes different types of contacts, choose one ObjectType for all and import another field to track the differences.

For CRM-aligned imports, contact Act-On Support to enable the option that prevents Act-On from adding the “custom” prefix. Be sure to use the correct CRM external identifier (for example, Salesforce LeadId vs ExternalId). Incorrect IDs may create duplicate records.

You can view the stored External ID and Object Type for any contact in its Contact Report under the Info tab.

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