Update 19A

Revision History

This document will continue to evolve as existing sections change and new information is added. All updates appear in the following table:

Overview

This guide outlines the information you need to know about new or improved functionality in this update.

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APIs

Web Services API Enhancements

The Oracle Responsys Web Services REST API includes the following enhancements:

• Added new API to get Program objects metadata
• Updated Get All Campaigns API to support MMS and Message Center campaigns
• Updated Get Campaign API to support MMS and Message Center campaigns

Campaigns

Terminology Updates in Message Designer Preview

Verbiage updates have been made drop-down list values and messages that are shown in Campaign Preview. These are related to changes made in the Campaign Workbook. Values affected are as follows:

• "Audience" has changed to "Targeted recipients".
• "Sampling list" has been updated to "Sampled recipients".

We have also made minor clarifications to some of the error messages.

Collaboration

Collaboration Enhancements

Responsys Collaboration functionality has been enhanced as follows:

• On the Organization Management page, when you click on an organization, the number of Responsys (RI) users in that organization is shown as part of the general information.
• On the Audience scope records page, when you select a profile list, all records are displayed. You can use the search fields to filter the list to the record you need.

Connect

Connect Enhancements

Connect includes the following enhancements:

• In the post-processing launch settings, you can specify up to 40 campaigns.
• For the Import Profile Data job, there is a new Opted Out Record option for dynamically-created ECM PET.
• While configuring a Connect job to export data, you can select the option Only export records inserted or updated since the time of the last job run for the following objects:
  • Profile extension table (PET) data
  • Supplemental table data
  • App channel list
• In the Manage view, the filter on the left shows only the jobs types for which a job has been created. It used to show all job types, whether or not a job had been created for that type yet.
• You can now sort Connect jobs by Next run and Previous run dates in the Manage view.

Data

CED Feed Export of Push Notification Permission Status (Push Opted In / Push Opted Out) Events

In 19A, you can export Push Notification Permission Status (Push Opted In / Push Opted Out) events as part of your CED feed. This enables marketers in your organization to import the event data into your other systems for further analysis and processing.

In addition, whenever a Push Opted In event occurs, a Customer Activated Program event is also generated. This enables marketers to use the Customer Activated Program event for orchestration logic in programs.

To use this feature, your account must also be enabled for the new Connect user experience (available as of the Oracle Responsys 18B update). Note that this requirement is only for the CED feed export, not for generating the Customer Activated Program event.

Data Management Enhancements

Data Management has the following enhancements:

• When viewing data records, you can now view emojis in the data viewer, You can also copy and paste emojis when creating a data record through the UI.
• You can set or change a profile extension table (PET) expiration date. You can do this by selecting the Update Expiration Date menu choice, which is accessible from the PET object in either the Manage Lists page or in the folder where the PET is located.
• You can set or change a supplemental table expiration date. You can do this by locating the supplemental table object in its folder, right-clicking the object, and choosing Update Expiration Date.

Event Feed Enhancements

Event feeds have the following enhancements:

• CUSTOMER_ID_ is populated in Failed and Bounced event feeds.
• For all types of event feed, all line breaks are replaced with spaces so that a single record is not broken into multiple rows.
• If a Responsys account is configured to do so, the system will replace delimiters with spaces in all text fields of exported event feed data when NONE is chosen as the enclosing character. For example, if you set up an export event feed data job using a Responsys account configured for this behavior, and then choose NONE as the enclosure and the tab character as the delimiter, Responsys will replace all tab characters within text fields with spaces.

Pre-Loaded Industry Vertical Data Models

This feature provides predefined data models for airline, hotel, and retail industries. Each data model includes a predefined list, PETs, and supplemental tables that can be loaded into a newly provisioned Responsys account.

IMPORTANT: If a customer wishes to use one of the pre-defined data models, the customer must select it when creating a new Responsys instance in Oracle Cloud Portal.

Remote IP Address on Open, Click, and Conversion CED Feeds

Remote IP address is now available for selection as a standard field on the open, click, and conversion contact event data (CED) feeds. The Remote IP address represents the IP address of the device from which the recipient opened, clicked, or converted, respectively.

IMPORTANT: The Remote IP Address in CED Feeds feature is currently released under our Controlled Availability program. To request access to this feature, please log in to My Oracle Support and create a service request. Additionally, before you enable this feature, we recommend that you review your privacy policy with respect to capturing the recipient's remote IP address.

Mobile

Detection and Termination of SMS Messaging Loops

Responsys now detects and terminates SMS messaging loops. These loops may occur when an SMS campaign is sent to a mobile device that has an auto-response turned on, which Responsys interprets as an invalid MO and in turn sends an "invalid MO keyword" message, and so on.

As of 19A, Responsys will interpret a certain number of invalid responses during a short period as an SMS messaging loop. It terminates the loop and marks the mobile number as undeliverable for all profile lists in the account.

SMS Public Aggregator Network (SPAN) Enhancements

As of 19A, SMS aggregators and the Responsys users who are their customers will see the following enhancements to the SMS Public Aggregator Network (SPAN) user experience:

• Support tickets upload: Aggregators can upload support ticket CSV files into Responsys. Responsys users can view their aggregator's support tickets for their own account. As part of this enhancement, aggregators can also enter the customer's ID from their own system as the Account ID in Responsys. This enables aggregators to more easily identify their customers.
• Support for sender name change requests: Responsys users who are SPAN customers can submit sender name change requests to their aggregators. Aggregators can manage these requests.
• Improved SPAN aggregator support contact page: Aggregators can add more support contact information to their profile in Responsys. They can add multiple email addresses and phone numbers, and they can add a URL for their support portal.
• Improved aggregator search page for customers: Responsys users who use SPAN can now view and edit their aggregator search criteria while viewing the results of their first search.

SMS Workbook-Based Launch Enabled for All SMS Customer Accounts

As of 19A, the SMS Workbook-based launch feature is enabled for all SMS customer accounts in Responsys. This feature was announced in the 18B update and all new customers were enabled by default. However, existing customers had to contact Oracle Support to enable this feature before 19A.

Similar to email campaigns, you can now use the SMS Campaign Workbook to launch your SMS campaigns rather than creating a program. In cases where the SMS campaign expects a mobile originated (MO) message, the keyword must be activated before the launch. SMS campaign launches are available in Campaign Monitor.

GCM to FCM Migration for Responsys Push

As of version 6.38.1, the Responsys Push SDK supports Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for Android apps.

Google has deprecated Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) and will remove support for it as early as April 11, 2019. Therefore, we strongly urge customers who use the Responsys Push SDK to upgrade to version 6.38.1 or later. To learn more, see the Android Upgrade Guide section of the Oracle Responsys Mobile App Platform Cloud Service SDK Guide.

Geofence and Beacon Events API

Responsys now supports geofence and beacon events. The Responsys Push SDK has added a set of open APIs that enable app developers to raise entry and exit events for geofences and beacons. You can integrate with a geofence/beacon solution of your choice, or integrate with a native geofence/beacon solution. Marketers will be able to create programs that have starting events that are triggered when a mobile device user enters or exits a geofence or beacon zone.

To use this solution, mobile apps must be built with the 19A Responsys Push SDK or greater.

IMPORTANT: The Geofence and Beacon Events API feature is currently released under our Controlled Availability program. You must also have the REI Events feature enabled, which is also a Controlled Availability feature. To request access to these features, please log in to My Oracle Support and create a service request.

mParticle Kit for Responsys SDK

The Oracle Responsys Mobile SDK now supports an integration with mParticle through iOS and Android mParticle Kits, which serve as integration layers between the Responsys and mParticle SDKs. If you use mParticle as a Customer Data Platform (CDP), this integration will enable you to forward events to mParticle for further analysis and processing.

Support for Conversion Window for Push Conversions from Mobile Apps

Responsys already supports a Push Conversion event, which attributes conversions inside the app to the push campaign that led the app user into the mobile app. In 19A, this has been enhanced to allow mobile app developers and marketers to define the conversion window for push conversion events that occur from within the mobile app.

Marketers and mobile app developers will be able to define the concept of a conversion window that is applicable for their business. For example, they could define the conversion window to log a conversion only if the mobile app user makes the conversion within a certain number of days of opening the push notification. They could also define the conversion window such that a conversion is logged only once for every push notification opened. 

Titles for Push Notifications

In the 19A update, we have made an enhancement that allows marketers to design and launch push notification campaigns with titles. The Title field supports personalization and emojis. Marketers can use the title to compose more contextual push notifications. Such notifications catch the mobile app user's attention more effectively and can lead to better campaign performance. 

Titles are supported for mobile apps on Android devices and iOS 8.2 or later devices. Android apps must also integrate with the 19A Responsys Push SDK (version 6.40.0) or later. 

Program

AI Switch

Users can now make use of the new AI Switch in Program, which uses Oracle AI to select the best campaign and channel for each of your campaign recipients.

IMPORTANT: The AI Switch feature is currently released under our Controlled Availability program, to customers that also have Oracle Adaptive Intelligent Apps for CX. To request access to this feature, please log in to My Oracle Support and create a service request.

MVT: Additional Metrics for Winner Selections

Multivariate tests (MVT) will support two additional metrics: Responder rate and Unique Open rate. This enhancement includes automatic winner selection using the two additional metrics. It also will show the new metrics in the results view, so that marketers can understand the various metrics for selecting a campaign version as the winner.

Responsys Event Interface

The new Responsys Event Interface allows you to create and define custom events that are consumed by Responsys using a new interface. Additionally, Responsys Account Administrators can define permissions for the actions that can be invoked on occurrence of an event.

IMPORTANT: The Responsys Event Interface feature is currently released under our Controlled Availability program. To request access to this feature, please log in to My Oracle Support and create a service request.

Reporting

Bounce Analysis Dashboard

The new Bounce Analysis dashboard provides you with an in-depth analysis of hard and soft bounces for Push and In-App campaigns. You must have Push or In-App Campaigns enabled for your account to see this feature.

Custom Reports for Mobile Apps

Interactive Dashboards Plus is now available for the mobile app channel and supports push notifications and in-app messages. This allows you to create custom reports based on your specific analysis needs. You can use the campaign type attribute to include or exclude specific campaign types (such as push, in-app).

IMPORTANT: You must have Interactive Dashboards Plus enabled for you to create custom reports for the email, SMS, and mobile app channels. To get the feature enabled, see the article Getting Started with Interactive Dashboards Plus on Topliners. 

Deliverability Trends Dashboard

The new Deliverability Trends dashboard provides you with an in-depth analysis of mobile app campaign deliverability. You must have Push or In-App Campaigns enabled for your account to see this feature.

Reporting Support for Changing Campaign Names and Related Attributes

The Responsys application allows for changes to the campaign name or related attributes such as the marketing strategy and marketing program. Prior to 19A, these changes would either not reflect on Insight or would reflect inconsistently. With this enhancement, Insight will always reflect the latest value when name changes to campaign attributes. The table below reflects the current behavior and contrasts it with the behavior after 19A.

NOTES:

• The change applies to all channels and does not impact the CED behavior as CED will remain unchanged with "snapshot" values.
• Also note the special behavior for Marketing Strategy and Marketing Program: When changes are made to marketing strategy and marketing program for standard launches, today Insight reflects the old name for existing launches and new name for the new launches. Post 19A, to keep things consistent, changes to marketing strategy and marketing program will always reflect the new attribute value.

User Interface

Access Object Relationships from Campaign Workbook and Program Designer

For all accounts enabled for the Object Relationship Navigator feature, users with access to Campaigns (Email, SMS, Push, In-App, MMS) and Program will be able to access the Object Relationship Navigator feature from Campaign Workbook or Program Designer. Accessing the feature from Campaign Workbook will show the relationship of campaigns with other objects. Accessing the feature from Program Designer will show the relationship of programs with other objects.

Support for Default User Selections

Responsys users often use the same default profile lists, folders, and other settings. As of 19A, Responsys will remember users' choices and use them to set default values where applicable. You will see this mainly when creating campaigns, programs, and Connect jobs.