Version Feed for Dynamic Creatives – Sizmek Help Center

Creative > Ads > [ad_name] > Versions > Feed Settings > Subscribe to Feed

Overview

Automatically create new versions and edit existing versions by either uploading a file or subscribing to a feed file. This method is recommended for Dynamic Creative ads that include many versions that are updated regularly.

The versions feed supports the following file formats:

.xml
.json
.tsv
.csv

Clicking Feed Settings > Download Feed Template enables you to download a template for each file format.

For more information about additional versioning methods, see Work with Versions of a Dynamic Creative Ad.

Setting up the Feed

Once complete click Apply. If you are updating mapping and need a Data refresh, click Apply and Fetch. This will initiate a sync to the Data Feed and update Version content or create new versions with the latest data available in the feed.

You will receive the following alert.

Enable Feed notifications to receive an email when the sync is completed.

The following table describes the fields for defining feed settings:

Field	Description
Feed URL	Location of the feed file. The following options are available: Enter the URL of the feed file if the feed file is hosted an either a FTP server or Content Delivery Network (CDN) . Browse and locate the feed file from the asset library if the feed file was uploaded to the Assets Library.
Feed Credentials (Optional)	Enables you to enter your username and password if the feed location requires authentication.
Unique Identifier	Marks the unique field per version. The identifier could be, for example, an ID field or text field, and is added as the versions external ID, and used for updating the version in a future feed fetch.
Fetch Feed Data	Defines the times and intervals of the feed update. You can select to import the feed just once, or update the feed on set dates and times.
When Versions are Missing from Feed	Determines the action for versions that exist in Sizmek Ad Suite (SAS) but not in the feed file, for example, versions that were created manually from SAS or from the spreadsheet. The following options are available: Do Nothing: The system ignores versions that do not exist in the feed file and does not update them. Note Note: This option will prevent 'exclude' feed rules from working as expected on previously included versions, as 'Do Nothing' will apply to excluded values as well as missing ones. Disable Version in Platform: The system disables any version that exists in SAS but not in the feed file. If a version is removed from the feed and added back at a later time, it will not automatically activate. To accomplish this, use the Status parameter under Data Matching. Delete Versions in Platform: The system deletes any version that exists in SAS but not in the feed file.
Disable Updated Versions	Disables any versions that were updated right after the feed fetch. You can use this action when you want to review updated versions before approving them for serving.
Disable New Versions	Disables only new versions that were created by the feed, and prevents these new versions from serving until you manually (either from SAS or spreadsheet) change their status back to active.

Data Matching

You use the Data Matching tab to match the feed nodes from the feed file to fields in SAS, for example dynamic elements in your ad. For more information about each field, see Work with Versions of a Dynamic Creative Ad.

You can perform the matching using one of the following options:

Automatically: Click Auto-Match by Name to automatically match all feed nodes that have the same name as SAS fields. For example, if both the feed node and SAS use Status as a field name, the system will automatically match those.
Manually: Drag fields from the Unmatched Version Parameters column to the Version Parameter column. Use this method if the field names in the feed differ from the field names in SAS.

You can begin the matching process using the automatic method. If there are missing fields once you complete the automatic matching, match the additional fields manually.

Tip

Tip: As a best practice, when you work with a feed, first check the field names in SAS, and then name the nodes in the feed based on the SAS names.

Rules and Guidelines for Data Matching

Please note these important points when matching your data:

Targeting/Retargeting

If you are creating versions from a feed and want to use media targeting/target audiences, first check that the ad is attached to your campaign; otherwise, the version will not be created.
Depending on the value indicated in the Data Matching tab, target audiences are matched according to the exact name, ID, or external name.
You can match retargeting activities either manually or automatically. Select the retargeting activity from the Unmatched Version Parameters column, and then either drag the field to the Version Parameter column or click Auto-Match by Name.
Each retargeting value that is included in the feed is automatically created in the retargeting activity.

Status

Any fields that you do not match will use the version's default values, for example, the default value for Status is Active.

TIme-Based Hours Settings

Date range: Make sure that dates are in MM/DD/YYYY format, with start and end dates separated by a dash, and multiple date ranges separated by commas, for example: 01/10/2018 - 02/10/2018, 03/10/2018 - 04/10/2018.
Hours range:
- Make sure that hours are defined using the 24-hour clock, for example, 11 - 23.
- If a specific day's node is not matched, SAS will serve each hour during the 24 hour period.
- If a specific day node is matched, but there are no defined hours in the feed file SAS will not serve for this day.
The following images show an example of the Data Matching tab in SAS and the feed file with specific days and hours defined for a version.

In this example, Saturday is not matched, therefore, SAS will serve a version each hour during the 24 hour period.

Friday is matched, but there are no defined hours in the feed, therefore, on Friday we will not serve this version at any hour.

Feed Rules

Creating a set of rules can help you manage and filter these large data feed files. When the feed is fetched, only the versions that match the selected conditions are created. You can also add a rule to disable existing versions by selecting 'Disable version in platform' and add an 'Exclude' rule.

Guidelines

Rules can be exclusive or inclusive. Please note these important points when creating rules:

Rules can be based on any matched node from the feed file.
Multiple rules can be created for each ad. The relationship between two rules is an AND; if versions match any of the set of rules, they will be either included or excluded.
Values are case sensitive.
Note

Notes:
- When adding a rule, you must enter a value.
- A rule cannot be applied to empty nodes.

The following table describes the available feed nodes and conditions that you can either include or exclude from your creative.

Feed Node	Available Conditions
Dynamic element	Equals, Does Not Equal, Greater Than, Less Than, Contains
Name	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
Product	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
LockType	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
Status	Equals, Does Not Equal
Status	Active/True for enabled, Inactive/False for disabled
Preferred	Equals, Does Not Equal
ClickthroughURL	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
ThirdPartyImpressionTrackers	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
ThirdPartyClickTrackers	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
TargetAudienceID	Equals, Does Not Equal
TargetAudienceName	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
TargetAudienceExternalName	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
DefaultImage	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains
MediaTargetingID	Equals, Does Not Equal
MediaTargetingName	Equals, Does Not Equal, Contains

Example

A product feed has been mapped to the ad. The feed contains a node named Stock, which corresponds to the product stock the advertiser is selling. When the feed is fetched, any version for which Stock equals zero will be disabled, and will not serve.

Feed Node	Condition	Value
Stock	Equals	0

Notifications

You can choose to receive an e-mail notification message when the feed is updated. The notification will include information such as whether the feed was successfully completed, and details regarding version data. You can also add additional contacts to the e-mail message.

Downloading and Exporting the Feed File

Downloading and exporting the feed is a quick and easy way to create new versions of an ad, or use versions of an ad in other ads. Once you generate a feed file or template from existing ads, you receive an email with the file location. The file is available for 48 hours.

You can use one of the following options:

Download Feed Template: At the master ad level, this option enables you to download the structure of the ad's feed file. This is useful when you have one version of an ad and you want to create new versions of the ad, and then subscribe to the feed file.
Download Feed File: At the version level, this option enables you to download all or selected versions of the ad. This is useful when you want to use versions of an existing ad in other ads.