Data Connect
Last Update: Oct 2024 • Est. Read Time: 5 MINData Connect allows administrators to sync objects from another system into Kustomer through a guided setup. This feature makes it easier than ever to continuously capture data from an external source without needing to manually build a custom workflow.
During the Data Connect setup, we'll ask you to choose which objects to sync and how you want fields from your external platform to match with Kustomer fields. Then, our wizard will use your selections to create a workflow automation to continuously capture data from your target source.
Who can access this feature? | |
User types | Admins can access these settings pages. |
In this article
Prerequisites
This feature requires understanding of advanced technical concepts including webhooks, and admins will need to provide a JSON payload from the target external platform to configure sync.
Admins will also be activating an app-created workflow during the setup process. It is not required to understand or customize this workflow to activate it, but if you require further customization of this workflow, you will either need to be familiar with the basics of Workflow automations or contact Kustomer Support to make the desired changes. Learn more about this concept in Workflows Overview.
Overview
You can create data connections and view the status of any existing data connections in Settingsunder Administration > Data Import > Data Connections.
To set up Data Connect, select the Add Data Connection button above the connections table. This will open our setup wizard which walks you through a 5-step process for activating a new data connection.
Here's a general overview of the steps you'll see during setup:
- Prepare: Review best practices for syncing data.
- Sync Details: Set the name and high-level settings for the connection, including what you want to sync and what custom klass to connect data to.
- Configure Webhook: Choose the webhook that your external system is posting data to, and add a sample JSON payload so we can start configuring your optimal connection settings automatically.
- Match Fields: Correlate fields from your JSON with selected Klass attributes in Kustomer.
- Review: Confirm all of your settings are correct before you initiate the data connection.
Once Data Connect is set up, the connection will offer a continuous sync of data from your existing system to Kustomer. The objects you selected will be created on a continuous basis for as long as the connection remains active.
Create the Klass
Data Connect requires two components to be set up in your Kustomer organization:
- A Klass for your objects to sync to
- An inbound webhook in Kustomer, which your external system will
POST
to
If you don't already have a Klass set up for use with this data connection, start by creating one. Learn more in our help guide Define custom attributes in Kustomer.
Create the webhook
If you don't already have a webhook ready to use for this data connection, here's how you'll create one.
To create an inbound webhook:
- In Kustomer, go to Settingsand select Platform > Inbound Webhooks.
- Select Add Inbound Webhook.
- Fill out the name and description of the new webhook.
Note: We always recommend as a best practice that you use clear and illustrative names and descriptions, so that it's easy to know what function this webhook performs if another member of your team reviews it at a later date.
- For the type of the webhook, select Web.
- Then, select Create to save the new webhook.
With the webhook set up, you're now able to begin walking through the Data Connect setup wizard.
Data Connect Wizard Walkthrough
1. Prepare
On the first page of the wizard, you'll see a variety of recommendations that will be useful to keep in mind as you plan your data connection:
- Do you know what you want to sync?
- This guide will allow you to sync data from your existing system to Kustomer. In order to sync properly, you will have to create a Klass for the objects you wish to sync. It is recommended that this Klass is created before starting the sync.
- If you're following the steps in this help article, you'll have already set this up.
- Have you created a webhook?
- To start syncing data, you will need to create a webhook in Kustomer and then
POST
to this webhook from your system. In order for the sync to run properly, your system needs to be sending data to the webhook URL. - If you're following the steps in this help article, you'll have already set this up.
- To start syncing data, you will need to create a webhook in Kustomer and then
- Do you have a sample JSON?
- To properly match the fields between your system and Kustomer, you will need a sample JSON data payload that contains the data that will be sent from your system.
- You can find an example of what this looks like in our help article Data payload examples.
2. Connection Details
On the second page of the wizard, you'll manage some of the high-level details and settings for the data connection.
You'll set the name of your sync, which is how you'll distinguish this data connection from other import sources in Settings. The name you set cannot be changed after you create it here, outside of creating an entirely new data connection with a different name.
Here you'll also set whether to sync Customers, or Customers & Custom Objects, as well as picking the custom klass to sync to.
3. Configure Webhook
In this step, you'll choose the webhook that your system is posting data to. If you didn't already create a webhook earlier in this guide, you can use the Create New Webhook link in the wizard to start setting one up.
You'll also need to provide a sample JSON payload. We'll use your payload to start matching fields between your external system and Kustomer, though you'll customize the rest of the fields yourself in the next step.
If the JSON sample can be read successfully, you'll see a Valid JSON confirmation message above the code block. Once you have a valid JSON check, you can select Save and Continue to proceed to the next step.
If after pasting the JSON you receive an Error Parsing JSON message, this means you'll need to check your formatting and try again before you can continue with setup.
Example JSON payloads
You can find an example of sample JSON data in our help article Example Data Payloads. Follow the guidance in that article to ensure that the JSON file is formatted correctly.
4. Match Fields
In this step, you'll now match the fields from the JSON payload and your selected Klass attributes.
In the top section of this screen, you'll match one or more fields from the JSON to use as a unique identifier for imported customers. Based on your selections earlier in this wizard, you'll be required to match at least one of the External ID, Phone, or Email fields for Customers, or External ID for Custom Objects.
Then, you'll match the remaining customer fields to Klass attributes in Kustomer.
5. Review
In the final screen of the wizard, you can review and confirm all of the settings for your data connection before you activate the sync.
Once you're ready to start syncing data, select Initiate Connection at the bottom of the window.