Target Data Extension
The Target Data Extension is where your Selection results are written after executing the selection, and represents the segmented audience ready for marketing use.
Unaric Segment does not support SFMC Lists for segmentation. To segment, filter, and map your data, you must use Data Extensions.
How it works
Data Extensions are tables within SFMC that can store any data type, including subscriber information, behavioral data, purchase history, or custom attributes. Target Data Extensions are regular Data Extensions playing a specific role within Unaric Segment: They act as the output container where your segment results are written after a Selection executes.
Target Data Extensions can be used anywhere in SFMC (Automations, Journey Builder, etc.)
Source Data Extensions
Source Data Extensions are the initial input data for your Selections and supply the available fields that you will filter, relate, and map into your final Target Data Extension. During the segmentation process, Source Data Extensions are strictly read-only.
Any Target Data Extension you generate can later be used as a Source Data Extension in a new Selection, which allows you to build chained, multi-step segmentation workflows.
With Unaric Segment, you can segment, join, and filter across multiple Data Extensions.
When you run a Selection, Unaric Segment:
Executes your filtering logic.
Writes the matching records to a Target Data Extension.
This Target DE can then be used in Salesforce Marketing Cloud for campaigns, journeys, etc.
Configuration
- Field mapping: Map source fields to target fields (automap available)
- Field editing: Can edit fields of the Target DE within DESelect
- Sendable configuration: Set as sendable for email campaigns
- Data Retention Policy: Configure how long data is retained
Data Actions (How data is written)
- Overwrite: Replace all existing data in Target DE
- Append: Add new records to existing Target DE
- Update: Update matching records in Target DE
Example use case
Scenario: You want to email customers who haven't purchased in 90 days
- Input: Filter your Orders Data Extension for orders older than 90 days
- Target DE: Create/choose "Inactive_Customers_90Days" Target DE
- Mapping: Map customer email, name, last purchase date to Target DE
- Run: DESelect writes matching customers to "Inactive_Customers_90Days"
- Use: Use this Target DE in SFMC for your re-engagement email campaign
Relationship to Source Data Extensions
- Source Data Extensions: Where data comes FROM (read-only during Selection)
- Target Data Extension: Where results go TO (written to during Selection)
A Source DE can be used as a Target DE in another Selection, enabling chained segmentation workflows.
Important Notes
- DESelect generates Query Activities that populate Target DEs
- You can set default Data Retention Policies for Target DEs via Admin Panel. Temporary Target DEs can have different retention policies than permanent ones
Set and populate your Target Data Extension
In this step, you decide in which Data Extension your selection should be saved. There are two options here: choose to map the selection with the existing Data Extension or create a Data Extension on the fly for this selection.
Administrators can define a default Send Relationship for all newly created sendable Target Data Extensions. This feature automatically maps a specified field to either the Subscriber Key or Subscriber Id, which helps prevent users from applying the wrong relationship and impacting your All Subscribers billing. While the default is applied automatically if the field names match exactly, users can still manually edit the relationship before saving. See Predefined Relations.
There is not a limit on the number of Data Extensions that can be created. You can create as many Data Extensions as you require.
Additionally, when you build an audience segment in the platform, the resulting output is saved into a Target Data Extension. This serves as the destination for your segmented data, which you can then use directly in SFMC for your email campaigns or Journey Builder journeys.
A Target Data Extension is the actual destination or output container where your Selection results are written and stored after execution. It is the physical deliverable of your Selection—the table containing your segmented audience—that you either select from your existing folders or create on-the-fly during Target Definition.
Supported data extensions
In DESelect Segment, we support different types of Data Extensions that you can access to use as Available Data Extensions and Target Data Extensions.
Supported types for (read) Available Data Extensions:
- Standard Data Extensions
- Synchronized Data Extensions
- Shared Data Extensions
- Salesforce Data Extensions
Supported types for (write) Target Data Extensions:
- Standard Data Extensions
- Shared Data Extensions
- Salesforce Data Extensions
What happens in DESelect when a field in a source / target data extensions is deleted?
Field deleted from Selected Data Extension
The field will no longer be available under Available Fields within the Selection Criteria screen.
In addition: If the field was used as part of a filter, DESelect will provide the user with a warning, and the filter line will simply be removed. However, the user can continue to view, edit, and run the selection (without this criteria).
Field deleted from Target Data Extension
The field will no longer be available in the field mapping on the Target Definition screen. However, the user can continue to view, edit, and preview/run the selection.