How to Create a Data Lookup

When you want to connect recipients to the entries in a Global Data Table, you need to create a Data Lookup. There are several types of Data Lookups that link different sorts of data together.

The most common sort of Lookup is a Person Data Lookup. It links personal information or Person Data, like a recipient's FAVOURITE_STORE, to a Global Data Table such as one containing the store's address and opening hours. 

There's also a One-to-Many Lookup which links One-to-Many Data to a Global Data Table. An example of this might be linking a PRODUCT_ID field in a PURCHASES One-to-Many Table with a PRODUCTS Global Data Table containing the product names and descriptions. 

Before creating a Data Lookup, you have to create a Global Data Table and create the field or table you want to link to the data. 

How to Create the Lookup

1. Log in to Staging.
2. Open the Data module.
3. Open the 'Data Lookups' section from the left sidebar.
4. Open the 'Lookups' folder.
5. Click the 'Create' button in the 'Folders' toolbar.
6. Select the type of Lookup that you want to create from the menu. You can choose between Person Data or One-to-Many. A new Lookup will be created and appear in the work area.
7. Fill in the name of your Lookup in the 'Name' field.
8. Click the 'Save' button.
9. Publish to Production to go live with your changes.

You've created your Lookup and its ready to be configured.

How to Configure the Lookup

1. Log in to Staging.
2. Navigate to the 'Lookups' folder as stated above.
3. Select a Person Data or One-to-Many in the first drop-down.
   • If you're using a One-to-Many Lookup, you will also be prompted to select a specific field in the One-to-Many Table.
   • If you're using a Person Data Lookup, it's possible to add more than one Person Data as the key.
4. Select a Global Data Table from the 'Global Data Table' field. 
5. Select a Global Data Table field from the 'Global Data Table Field' field. Remember that you can only do lookups between the same data type. For example, a String Person Data can only have a lookup to a Global Data Table field of type String. All other data types are removed from the drop down. 
6. Click the 'Save' button.
7. Publish to Production to go live with your changes. 

Now, your Lookup is configured and ready for you to use when creating a Condition, in an Export Template, or when inserting a Data Lookup Block. 

A configured Person Data to Global Data Table Lookup