Glossary for IBM® Unica Detect
A
Action (component)
A component that communicates defined pieces of data (customer number, time, reason to contact) that are written to a database when a specified event occurs. Represents a recommendation to contact a customer due to a pattern of behavior.
Artificial Transaction (ATX)
A transaction created during run-time, based on an optional parameter of the engine process. An Artificial Transaction can be specified as a significant event in a Pattern component or in a Container Manipulator component. Also available in Action.
B
Backward Looking Inactivity (component)
A component to detect behavior that is defined by recognizing the occurrence of a specific event and then looking back in time (a defined time period) to see whether another specific event has occurred. The Backward Looking Inactivity component fires if the event being looked for did not occur.
C
Component
The title given to each of the different types of building blocks that process events and data within Detect: Simple Event, Qualifier, Math, Pattern, Pattern Expression, Backward Inactivity, Forward Inactivity, Join Function, Select Function, Container, Container Manipulator, Action components.
Container (component)
A bucket of information of the same type. The type (structure of a row of information) is determined by a previously defined Type Descriptor. The data stored in the Container may come from transactions, lookup tables, math expressions, select functions, containers, and / or may be the result of the firing of a Container Manipulator.
Container Manipulator (component)
A component designed to manipulate data in containers. Container Manipulators may insert and delete data in containers.
D
Data Source
A source of input data for the system, such as profile file, transaction file, or lookup table. There can be only one profile source per entity, whether from a profile file or lookup table. There may be any number of non-profile lookup tables and there may be any number of transaction files. However, because there must be at least one transaction data source per entity.
Data Source Field
Each field within a data source that describes the name and the data type.
E
Entity
An individual element that the system tracks and saves historical information for, such as Account, Customer, Household, etc.
Event
The result of the data being processed causing a true condition of a component. Detect recognizes the trigger event and evaluates whether its occurrence is significant to any other components within a trigger system.
F
Feed File
A single-delimiter flat file containing transaction information for each entity for a specific time duration (usually a day).
Forward Looking Inactivity (component)
A component to detect behavior that is defined by recognizing the occurrence of a specified event and waiting a specified time to see whether or not another specified event occurs. The Forward Looking Inactivity component fires when the time period expires without the occurrence of the event it for which it was waiting. The tracked event is optional.
J
Join Function
This component that enables the user to join two record-set objects. The Join is based on a field common to both data sources. The Join Function returns a record-set object whose type has been pre-defined using the Type Descriptor Editor.
Lookup Table
A user-defined set of fields that describe a table of information. It is defined as a database data source that is not associated with an entity.
M
Math (component)
A component defined as a mathematical formula that calculates a numeric result based on numeric data from one or more data sources that can be used in Simple Event components, Qualifier components, Container Manipulator components, and other Math components.
P
Pattern (component)
Defines a group of events occurring within a defined time frame. For example, if three Printer Purchase” events occur within one week (for a given customer) then fire Multiple Purchases” pattern.
Patterns
The term given to the larger category of component types that monitor the occurrence of events over a period of time, thereby maintaining state”. These include; Pattern, Backward Inactivity, Forward Inactivity.
Profile
A set of mostly static attributes used to characterize an entity while processing transactions. May be provided by the profile file or by an external profile table.
Profile File
A single delimiter flat file containing (relatively static) profile information for an entity.
Q
Qualifier (component)
A component that defines a set of customer characteristics that reveal a quality about the customer as opposed to recognizing the behavior of that customer. For example, if the customer’s gender = male and the customer’s city of residence = New York City, then the “Men from NYC” Qualifier fires. Qualifier components act as filters, refining the firing of Simple Event components, Action components, and Container Manipulators to those customers who posses the defined quality. Qualifiers may be constructed using any data source in the system.
S
Select Function
This component operates on a single record-set object. It provides a means of reducing the data in a table by using a select plus a where clause.
Simple Event (component)
A defined set of business-relevant conditions that recognize certain attributes in a particular transaction. E.g. if SKU # =100 then fire the “Printer Purchase” event.
State History
A record of all event activity and data storage such as a component firing or event in the past.
T
Transaction
A single line item captured by an operational system. Raw data” supplied by IT representing an interaction.
Transaction Set
The set of transactions for an individual entity for a time duration (usually a day), plus their profile entry.
Trigger
Trigger has two meanings.
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The act that occurs, to a component within Detect, when the data being processed causes a true condition of that component. The component is said to trigger, or to trigger an event, or to fire.
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A hierarchically organized relationship of components, used as building blocks, whose purpose it is to recognize specific customer behavior or attributes. Also called Trigger System. Every Trigger System starts with at least one Simple Event component. A complete Trigger System culminates with an Action component.
Type Descriptor
A definition of a record-set type. The type holds a vector of simple types with accompanying names for each of the positions.
V
Vendor
A Detect customer.
Data Sources Editor
See the following topics for information about defining data sources.
Concepts
Concept topics help you understand how Detect uses data sources and provide details about special considerations.
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About defining a data source in Detect
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About copying an existing data source
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About entity types
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About connections to the data
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About editing a data source
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About default profiles
Procedures
Procedures guide you through hands-on tasks related to data sources.
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To define a new data source
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To create field definitions for a data source
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To copy an existing data source
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To edit a data source
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To change field definitions in a data source
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To delete fields from a data source
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To define an entity type within the Data Sources manager
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To create a connection using the Data Sources manager
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To enable default profiles
Reference
This list describes the options that are available when you create data source fields.
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List of fields available for each data source type
Response Manager
Reports Manager
Labels Manager
Type Descriptors Manager
Presentation Manager
Engine Manager
Managing users and security
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