Data And Message Content Integrations

Carma offers many different options for integration, both for your recipient data and for your actual message content.

With this guide we are aiming to clarify the details, pros and maybe even cons with the different options, whether it’s regarding getting your recipient data into a Carma data base or getting content into different Carma messages such as Emails, SMS´s or Push messages.

Recipient data integration

Manual imports

One of the most common ways to add/update recipient data is to import a file into a Carma recipient list. Carma supports excel, text and csv file formats. There is no limitation in how many data columns you are allowed to import. So make sure to add those columns you need in order to make the best segments for your future send outs.
Read about the fun details here!

 

Automatic imports

For an automatic recpient list update there are options to upload files to FTP to connect to Carma recipient lists on an automatically running basis. You can have one or more files involved in an automatic import set up per list.
The best way to get the most out of this is to contact one of our consultants for best practice information.
Read about the fun details here!

 

Automatic imports with message sending post steps (Scheduled jobs)

Combine a recipient list update with a message send out only to the recipients in the actual file, and all this on an automatic level. With Carma Scheduled jobs you can upload a file that not only updates a recipient list but also triggers a pre made email or SMS message. You can have one or more files involved in a Scheduled job set up per list.
The best way to get the most out of this integration is to contact one of our consultants for best practice information.
Read about the fun details here!

 

Signup forms

You can have one or more sign up form connected to a Carma recipient list. This will automatically bring your sign ups into one of your lists with the recipient data you have set to be mandatory to fulfill the sign up form process.
Read about the fun details here!

 

Transactional requests

A transactional request is when you send a transactional call to a Carma transactional message from one of your systems. If one of your clients ask for a new password on your web, and type in their emailaddress, their new password together with data of who they are, is a typical example of when a system sends data to Carma as a part of a process that also handles a message send out. Another example can be an order confirmation etc.
Read about the fun details here!

 

SMS inbox 

An SMS inbox is a way of setting up a connection for mobile subscriptions to one or more of your Carma lists. An SMS inbox can also be used for unsubscriptions from the mobile channel.
Read about the fun details here!

 

API and or different partner integration modules

Most of above integration methods are methods that involves Carma user interface, but they can also be achieved by using our API and in some cases one or more of our partner integration modules.
Read about the fun details here!

 

Message content integration

Content integration during design time:

Manual editing in content editor

The most common way to create and edit message content is to manually add/edit texts, images and links in our editors. By working like this you are in complete control of all the content and how it is added and affecting the result before you send it out.
For a deep session in how you work in Carma editor please follow this link.

RSS feed blocks fetching RSS content into email when editing

An integration possibility for fetching your latest RSS feed when dropping this block in email editor. One feed per block connection.
Please contact our support to learn more.

 

Content integration during send time:

Placeholders/handlebars/snippets fetching and or transforming recipient list data (text, html or JSON format)

An example of a basic use of placeholders/handlebars is when you add a placehoder/handlebar in order to make it fetch recipient data during send out. !!First_Name!! or {{contact.firstName}} will bring in the data in each of your recipients attribute for FirstName etc. A very handy functionality indeed but necessary to do test send outs to a test list where you have added the attribute values to your contact so you can validate that you have added the correct placeholders/handlebars before send out. There are also more complex ways of using placeholders/handlebars that to just fetch a text value from an attribute.
For a deep session in how to use handlebars with functions please follow this link.

Transactional requests populating email content via placeholders/handlebars (text, html or JSON format) –

A common use of Carma transactional send out functionality is to have transactional emails set up for “order confirmation” emails and “forgotten password” emails etc. Naturally these emails usually consists of less generic content created manually by user and more dynamic content that is being brought into the actual message during its send out. So apart from Carma user creating the transactional message once and just adding a dynamic placeholder/handlebar i.e {{message.content}} and activating it in the transactional module, the trigger/transactional call from the external system (like a web shop system or similar) handles all the rest, such as “filling the message” with accurate content per transactional system call/message sendout/ per person.
Read more about transactional calls here!

Dynamic http – calling/fetching external content via URL (JSON format)