Configuring the export mode for IBM Digital Analytics based customer segments

You can configure whether the export process runs in append mode or replace mode. Append mode is the default mode that is configured in the analytics configuration file, biConfig.xml, but you can switch to replace mode at any time.

The export mode applies when you export a profile segment from IBM Digital Analytics, formerly known as Coremetrics Analytics, that has the same name as an existing WebSphere Commerce customer segment. In this case, the export process updates the existing customer segment rather than creating one. This update prevents storing multiple versions of the same customer segment in WebSphere Commerce.

The two export modes are:
  • Append mode: Any new customers in the exported profile segment are added to the existing WebSphere Commerce customer segment.
  • Replace mode: Customers in the existing WebSphere Commerce customer segment are deleted and then replaced with customers from the exported profile segment.
The following table shows how the list of customers in an example segment changes when you export in append mode as compared to replace mode.
Customers who belong to the existing WebSphere Commerce customer segment Customers who belong to the latest Coremetrics profile segment to be exported Export result when you use append mode Export result when you use replace mode
Customer 1Customer 2Customer 3Customer 4 Customer 3Customer 4Customer 5Customer 6 Customer 1Customer 2Customer 3Customer 4Customer 5Customer 6 Customer 3Customer 4Customer 5Customer 6

If the export mode parameter (segmentExportMode) is missing from the biConfig.xml file, or if you delete the parameter, the export process always creates a customer segment. To differentiate the customer segment versions, the export process names the customer segment according to this syntax: Name of report - Profile segment name - Date - Timestamp.

Procedure

  1. Open your biConfig.xml file in an editor:
    WCDE_installdir/workspace/WC/xml/config/bi/biConfig.xml
  2. To see which mode is configured, locate the following parameter for the <store> element: 
    segmentExportMode="append"
  3. To change the export mode:
    1. Specify the segmentExportMode value as either append or replace.
    2. Save and close the file.
    3. Restart the WebSphere Commerce server.
    4. Deploy the biConfig.xml file to the WebSphere Commerce Enterprise Archive (WC_eardir/xml/config/bi/).