Patterns Overview

Rebekah Garner
Rebekah Garner
  • Updated

Administrators and Managers with pattern-management permission can create patterns or company-specific taxonomy structures.

A Pattern is a configuration of Elements used to define and standardize your company's campaign parameters, URL, or other Key data. Patterns are not limited to digital campaigns, but can be applied in the use of Content Asset naming, blog articles, PDF to website links, videos, coupons, product catalogs, matching 1-800 numbers to active campaigns, HR job postings in various sites, internal communications, truly any data that needs to be structured.

The fundamentals of a Pattern remain the same no matter the use. The table below explains each Element:

Elements Description
Constant The Constant Element does not change within the pattern, such as a channel abbreviation (EM).
Variable The Variable Element is the placeholder for values that will change, such as Campaign Name.
Auto # The Auto # Element generates a sequential number to ensure a unique ID is generated with this pattern.
Date The Date Element allows a user to add a date formatted to your organization’s preferences.
Random The Random Element generates a different string value between 6-99 characters long and is generated using numeric digits (0-9), uppercase letters (A-Z), or lowercase letters (a-z).
Delimiter The Delimiter is the character that separates each Element in your pattern.

 

View a Pattern

To view Patterns:

Navigate to SettingsElementsPatterns.

The Patterns page displays.

You can review the following information about patterns from the Patterns view:

  • Name
  • Created Date
  • Description

The sort feature is available for all columns. You can sort all columns in ascending or descending order.

Create a New Pattern

To create a new Pattern:

  1. On the Pattern page, click Add (blue plus + icon) to create a new Pattern.
    The Edit New Pattern menu displays.



  2. Enter the Pattern Name and Description in the designated fields.
    We recommend entering a description to make it easier to determine the use of the pattern.

  3. In the Pattern Configuration section, click the Element to configure the taxonomy.



  4. In the Pattern Configuration workspace, click the Element name to define the parameters for each Element in the Edit menu.



    Element Available Parameters
    Constant Enter the name of the constant for your pattern. Your constant should indicate what its consistent use is. For example SOC for Social Media Pattern, or placeholder dynamic parameters like {ad_id}.
    Variable Enter the name of the variable in your pattern. This variable name will become a field in the template schema. If the variable name is the same as a field, we recommend to change the capitalization or add an identifier to easily distinguish the same named pattern variable and field. For example, the variable name in lower case "campaign name" or bracketed [Campaign Name]" to differentiate between the field name "Campaign Name".
    Auto # Specify the following Auto # parameters:
    • Name: Enter the Auto # name to have a custom name as required by your preferences. The field defaults to Auto #.
    • Starts With: Enter a custom number for the auto number to begin with. The field defaults to 1.
    • Minimum Width: Enter the minimum length of the Auto #. The field defaults to 1.
    Date The Date field will populate in the submission table as a pop-up calendar widget. Specify the following date parameters:
    • Name: Enter the name of the date.
    • Order: Select the order the date displays (M/D/Y, Y/D/M, D/M/Y, or Y/M/D).
    • Month Format: Select the format of the month to display: single-digit (M), double-digit (MM), abbreviated (Jan), full name (January), or None to exclude the month from the date field.
    • Day Format: Select the format of the day to display: single-digit (D), double-digit (DD), or None to exclude the day from the date field.
    • Year Format: Select the format of the year to display double-digit (YY), 4-digit year (YYYY), or None to exclude the day from the year field.
    • Separator: Enter the delimiter between the month, day, and year values.
    • Auto Populate: Check the box to auto-populate the current date upon submission.
    Random Specify the following random string parameters:
    • Length of Random: Enter the length of the random string.
      We recommend using between 6 and 99 characters.
    • Character Types: Select if you want the random string to include numeric digits, uppercase letters, and/or lowercase letters.
    • Frequency: Select if you want a new random string assigned to your pattern once every row (a new string for every pattern) or once per session (a new random string once for an entire submission).
    Delimiter Select one of the following delimiter options to separate each of the pattern Elements:
    • None
    • (-)
    • ( _ )
    • ( : )
    • ( | )
  5. Arrange each Element in the order of your choosing by dragging. Delete the Element(s) by selecting the X on the Element you want to remove. You can add as many Elements as required by your taxonomy.

  6. Confirm the pattern is correct in the Pattern Review section.



  7. Click Save .

Pattern Element Types

Use the following table to define the Pattern Element variable field type:

Pattern Element Type Description
List Pick lists allow a defined list of allowable entries the user can select from. Select the Pick List from the drop-down menu either by scrolling or begin typing the Pick List name. You can also select "Create New List".
If the list you want to use has more than one column, you must specify which column you want the list to populate from.
If the Field utilizes a drill down list and needs to be defaulted at the template level (i.e Global Region needs to be defaulted to “Global North”), hover over the green plus (+) icon to view the Edit options, and click Edit (pencil icon) and use the drop down menu to Select Filter Value.

For more information read the Pick List Overview article or for more detailed instructions for each of the pick list types see their respective articles: Pick List - Drop Down, Pick List - Dependent, Pick List - Drill Down.
Auto Fill Select the field you want to automatically duplicate.

TRANSFORM Options in this section auto-transform entries from the autofilled field.
  • Transform: Convert Case: Select uppercase to have all text display in capital letters and lowercase to have all text display in lowercase.
  • Transform: Spaces: Select how spaces auto-transformed. Options are:
    • None - For no transformation.
    • Replace Spaces - Replaces all spaces the user enters with a character you determine. (Summer_Bash)
    • Remove Spaces - Removes all spaces from the text the user enters. (SummerBash)

Constant Specify a constant value that you want to always be populated in this template in the Submission Table.
Text Text fields allow users to manually enter values in the user's Submission Table. Specify the following parameters for text fields:
  • Show Previous Values: Select this option if you want a new value to be added to a dynamic list gathering values entered through a submission.
  • Flag New Values: Select this option if you want users to be alerted that the value they entered has not been used in that field before. Users have the option to continue and submit the value. If they proceed the new value will not be flagged next time.
  • Use list to provide suggestions: You can specify a drop-down (single column) pick list to populate suggestions for users to choose from, or they can enter their own text.
RULES Options in this section establish governance over text entered in this field. If the text does not match any of the governance, the user will receive an error and must correct the text to match the requirement before proceeding.
  • Begins/Ends With: Enter the prefix or suffix you want text fields to be required to begin and/or end with. *Case sensitive
  • Must Contain: Enter the value you want text fields to always include. *Case sensitive
  • Exclude: Use the drop-down menu to select the appropriate checkboxes to exclude all letters, all numbers, all symbols (special characters and punctuation), or spaces from the value.
  • Custom Exclusion: Enter a custom value you want to exclude from the field. *Case sensitive
  • Exclude as term: Check this box to exclude the Custom Exclusion combination of characters entered above. This makes the text field act as a "Must not include". For example, if we have set Toy as an exclude term, Toyota would receive a warning.

TRANSFORM
Options in this section auto-transform entries the user enters to gain consistent entries in open text fields.
  • Transform: Convert Case: Select uppercase to have all text display in capital letters and lowercase to have all text display in lowercase.
  • Transform: Spaces: Select how spaces should be auto-transformed. Options are:
  • None: For no transformation.
  • Replace Spaces: Replaces all spaces the user enters with a character you determine. (Summer_Bash)
  • Remove Spaces: Removes all spaces from the text the user enters. (SummerBash)
LENGTH
Define the minimum and maximum length of characters a user is allowed to enter in open text fields. If the field is optional, set the minimum length to 0. If the length of characters is an exact number, set the minimum and maximum to the same number.

Duplicate a Pattern

To save time in creating a Pattern, you can duplicate an existing Pattern. This allows you to copy the parameters from the original Pattern then modify as needed.

To duplicate a Pattern:

  1. On the Patterns page, click the checkbox to the left of the name of the Pattern you want to duplicate and click the green plus (+) icon to Duplicate.


  2. Edit the Pattern details to your preference: Pattern name, description, and update the Pattern Elements.

  3. Click Save.

Edit a Pattern

To edit a pattern:

  1. On the Patterns page, click the name of the Pattern you want to modify.

  2. Edit the Pattern details to your preference: Pattern name, description, and update the Pattern Elements.

  3. If the Pattern removes or adds a new Element, navigate to the Template where this Pattern is used.

  4. Notice the error icon with the message, the pattern has been updated. Click the error message to be taken to the field in the schema on Step 2 Define and Govern.

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  5. Hover over to open the Edit menu, click the Reload button.

    mceclip1.png

  6. The removed Pattern Elements will appear as blank fields, click the Delete (bin icon) button to remove them from the template.

  7. The new Pattern Elements will be added to the bottom of the schema. Modify the visibility, required/optional, field type, and order as needed.

  8. Click Save .

Delete a Pattern

To delete a pattern:

  1. On the Patterns page, click the checkbox to the left of the names of the Patterns you want to remove.

  2. Click Delete (bin icon).
    A confirmation message displays.



  3. Click Confirm.

 

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