Applying External Events

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to manage External Events.

External Events Overview

External Events trigger automation and campaigns based on actions outside the SAP Emarsys platform. These events link to external triggers, add contacts to programs, and start emails. This setup allows smooth integration between external systems and SAP Emarsys automation flows.

On the External Events page, you can:

  1. Create new External Events.

  2. Delete individual or several External Events.

  3. Search for existing events by entering their ID or name into the ‘Search’ field.​

The External Events page lists existing events with their ID, name, and creation date. The user creates new External Events using the 'Create External Event' button. The user can delete individual events using the trash can icon next to each event. The user can also search for events by ID or name using the search field.

To delete several events:

  1. Select the events using the checkbox.

  2. Click ‘Delete Selected.’

  3. Review any blockers, clicking the ( - ) icon to expand details.

    The External Events page shows a list of events with checkboxes for selection. The user selects the wanted events using the checkboxes to delete various events. Then, the user clicks the ’Delete Selected’ button. A dropdown menu next to the quantity of chosen items offers more selection options.

  4. Resolve blockers by editing the related programs and emails. After resolving blockers, click ‘Delete External Events.’

    A ‘Delete Selected External Events’ dialog box warns that some selected events have blockers. The user reviews and clears the blockers before deleting the events. The dialog box informs users that they can't access deleted events again. It lists the External Events, their usage counts, and the number of blockers. The user clicks ’Delete External Events.’

  5. The system automatically updates the blocker dialog as users resolve issues.

A dialog box shows blocker details for an External Event. The dialog box explains that all blockers of an External Event need clearing to enable deletion. The dialog box lists the External Event name, followed by a table. The table presents the name, type, status, and whether it blocks the event. The user resolves the blockers individually. The system updates the blocker dialog box automatically as the user resolves blockers.

Let’s discover the order event and payload data.

External Events Creation

Create an External Event through:

  • The Management > External Events menu.

  • The Triggered Email interface.

  • The API (creating an External Event endpoint).

    This image shows the email trigger settings. The user selects an External Event as the trigger source from a dropdown menu listing available events. The user clicks the 'Create External Event' button to set up a new one. More trigger sources include 'Broadcast event' and 'Interactions event.' A checkbox allows the user to bypass the frequency limit if wanted.

  • To create an event, give it a name.

  • SAP Emarsys generates unique event IDs. The available External Events API endpoints allow certain actions with the help of these IDs, such as querying or triggering.

Note

The user can’t edit events after creation. To rename an event, delete it and create a new one.

Use an External Event in Interactions:

To integrate contacts into an automated program through an External Event, create a behavior-focused journey (Interactions) with the 'External Event’ program trigger. Next, select the proper event from the list. Once the program launches, it automatically adds all contacts interacting with the related trigger.

Include external data, such as purchase details, in the External Event API call. SAP Emarsys stores this data while the contact is in the program. This information helps decision-making by using attributes from this data for segmentation and content tailoring.

Use an External Event with third-party integrations:

External Events with third-party integrations allow SAP Emarsys users to incorporate real-time data into marketing email campaigns, improving personalization and engagement.

Transactional (triggered) messages ignore the opt-in value.

This feature is essential for delivering time-sensitive messages such as:

  • Order confirmations

  • Password resets

  • Triggering a customer satisfaction survey

These events and corresponding emails happen immediately after a customer action.

API Integration for External Events

After reviewing and understanding the API credentials and user creation in the Security Settings page, the focus is on applying External Events within the SAP Emarsys API framework. This foundation encourages using API endpoints to integrate External Events, promoting smooth interaction and improving application functionality.

The API offers a suite of endpoints tailored for tasks including:

Events
Create an External EventPOST/v3/event
List External EventGET/v3/event/
Query an External EventGET/v3/event/{eventId}
List uses of an External EventGET/event/{eventId}/usages
Update an External EventPOST/v3/event/{eventId}
Delete an External EventPOST/v3/event/{eventId}/delete
Trigger an External EventPOST/v3/event/{eventId}/trigger

The HTTP 400 response code indicates that the offered information includes an error.

Note

For more information about the SAP Emarsys API, API endpoints for managing External Events, and HTTP errors, visit the SAP Emarsys Developer Portal:

Let’s discover how to create and use an External Event. ​

Event Monitoring

The Event Monitoring page offers access to various types of events. Contacts or applications trigger and send these events to SAP Emarsys. This tool offers an overview of event tracking over time. It breaks down events by type and name. Also, it identifies events related to a specific contact and their payload.

This feature is located under Management > Event Monitoring.

Note

Lesson Summary

  • External Events overview: This section introduces External Events as triggers based on actions outside SAP Emarsys. These events connect external systems to SAP Emarsys programs, enabling real-time automation and message delivery.

  • Creating and managing events: Create External Events through the interface or API, manage them on the External Events page, and delete or search existing events. This information states that users can't rename events once they create them.

  • Usage in Interactions and third-party systems: Use External Events in Interactions programs and third-party integrations. It includes payload data for segmentation and customized, time-sensitive emails, such as order confirmations or password resets.

  • API endpoints and functionality: This section covers the available API endpoints for creating, updating, triggering, or deleting events and explains error handling using HTTP codes, such as 400 for invalid requests.

  • Monitoring and diagnostics: The Event Monitoring page describes tracking events by type or contact, and highlights tools and resources for confirming integration and analyzing event payloads.

Learning

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