How can I add fields to a database?

Adding database fields to a database

About this task

You can add up to 400 fields (named columns) in any combination of types, to a database. However, it is recommended that you not exceed 255 fields to avoid performance issues. For fields where the user chooses values, there is no way to load the selection values in bulk. You must enter them individually.

After you add a field, you can edit the field at any time to set the value. However, you cannot change the field type and related settings.

Procedure

  1. Go to the Fields tab of Database Summary.
  2. Click Add Database Field.
  3. Enter a field name.
    Note: When merging two databases, the field names must match. For example, if Database A has a field named 'Date of Birth' and Database B has a field named 'DOB', these fields will not merge in the new database.
  4. Select the field type.
    Note: The field data type is very important. Queries and rules depend on the ability to search and compare information accurately.
    • When entered as text, numbers may not work well for search, compare, and math operations. But numbers that include text, such as part numbers (J10357a), can't be entered as numerical data.
    • Date, time, and segmenting fields require specific data types for best operation.
    • Send Time Optimization will impact the time it takes to prepare the email for sending. After creating the database, you can add additional fields and add information to the fields.
  5. Click Save. The table of database fields displays with the new field in the database.
  6. Click Edit Field to set the default value for the field.

Results

After you add a new field to your database, the field should be available for selection in Queries and in Dynamic Content rules. However, it may not be immediately visible in the list, because Acoustic Campaign sorts database fields based on the case of the first letter of the field.

If the field you added begins with a lower case letter, you must scroll below all of the fields beginning with upper case letters before you will find your new field. The sort order for fields in Queries and Dynamic Content rules will sort and display similar to the example below.

Example:

  1. Address
  2. Email
  3. FirstName
  4. LastName
  5. Phone
  6. ZipCode
  7. address2
  8. dateofbirth
  9. state