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Select source fields for data unification

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Note

On September 1, 2023, we merged and renamed Dynamics 365 Marketing and Dynamics 365 Customer Insights. Dynamics 365 Marketing is now called Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys. Dynamics 365 Customer Insights is now called Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Data. For more information, see Dynamics 365 Customer Insights FAQs.

The first step in unification is selecting the tables and fields within your datasets that you want to unify. Select tables that contain customer-related details such as name, address, phone number, and email. You can select one or more tables.

The following steps and images reflect the first time you go through the unification process. To edit existing unification settings, see Update the unification settings.

Select tables and fields

  1. Go to Data > Unify.

    Screenshot of unify landing page for first run experience for individual customers.

  2. Select Get started.

  3. On the Source fields page, select Select tables and fields. The Select tables and fields pane displays.

  4. Select at least one table.

  5. For each selected table, identify the fields you want to use to match customer records and fields to include in the unified profile. These fields are called Attributes. You can select the required attributes individually from a table or include all attributes from a table by selecting the checkbox on the table level. You can search on keywords across all attributes and tables to select the required attributes you want to map.

    Screenshot of selected tables and attributes.

    In this example, we're adding the eCommerceContacts and loyCustomer tables. By choosing these tables, you can derive insights on which of the online business customers are loyalty program members.

  6. Select Apply to confirm your selections. The selected tables and attributes display.

Select primary key

Screenshot of selected tables with primary key not yet selected.

For each table, perform the following steps.

  1. Choose the Primary key. The primary key value uniquely identifies a row. Primary keys shouldn't have any duplicate, missing, or null values. String, integer, and GUID data type attributes are supported as primary keys.

  2. Choose a Type that describes each attribute, such as Person.FullName, Location.City, or Identity.Service.Email. Mapping columns to types allows Customer Insights - Data to understand what columns represent and recommend rules, merge redundant data, and configure predictive models.

    Note

    One field should map to the type Person.FullName to populate the customer name in the customer card.

    1. To create a custom type, select the Type field for the attribute and enter your custom type name.

    2. To display a profile image on the Customer page, select the field that contains the publicly available URL and select Person.ProfileImage.

  3. Review the recommended types to ensure intelligent mapping correctly identified the type for each field.

  4. For attributes that aren't automatically mapped to a type, select a type field, enter a custom type, or leave them unmapped. These attributes are listed under Define the data in the unmapped fields. You don't need to map every column. However, columns with key demographic data (such as names and addresses) are important to map. Columns without a clear demographic type don't need to be mapped.

  5. After completing the steps for each table, select Save source fields.

  6. Select Next.

Next step: Remove duplicates