Events

An event is an action that is taken by a visitor and that triggers an action in the runtime environment. Examples of an event can be: placing a visitor into a segment, presenting an offer, or logging data.

Events are first created in an interactive channel and then triggered by a call to the Interact API by using the postEvent method. An event can lead to one or more of the following actions that are defined in the Interact design environment:

Trigger Re-segmentation. The runtime environment runs all the interactive flowcharts for the current audience level that is associated with the interactive channel again, by using the current data in the visitor's session.

When you design your interaction, remember that unless you specify a specific flowchart, a resegmentation action runs all interactive flowcharts that are associated with this interactive channel with the current audience level again, and that any request for offers waits until all flowcharts are finished. Excessive resegmentation within a single visit can affect the performance of the touchpoint in a customer-visible way.

Place the customer in new segments after significant new data is added to the runtime session object, such as new data from requests from the Interact API (such as changing the audience) or customer actions (such as adding new items to a wish list or shopping cart).

Log Offer Contact. The runtime environment flags the recommended offers for the database service to log the offers to contact history.

For web integrations, log the offer contact in the same call where you request offers to minimize the number of requests between the touchpoint and the runtime server.

If the touchpoint does not return the treatment codes for the offers that Interact presented to the visitor, the runtime environment logs the last list of recommended offers.

Log Offer Acceptance. The runtime environment flags the selected offer for the database service to log to response history.

Log Offer Rejection. The runtime environment flags the selected offer for the database service to log to response history.

Trigger User Expression. An expression action is an action that you can define by using Interact macros, including functions, variables, and operators, including EXTERNALCALLOUT. You can assign the return value of the expression to any profile attribute.

When you click the edit icon next to Trigger User Expression, the standard User Expression editing dialog is displayed, and you can use this dialog to specify the audience level, optional field name to which to assign the results, and the definition of the expression itself.

Trigger Events. You can use the Trigger Events action to enter an event name that you want to be triggered by this action. If you enter an event that is already defined, that event is triggered when this action is run. If the event name you enter does not exist, this action causes the creation of that event with the specified action.

You can also use events to trigger actions that are defined by the postEvent method, including logging data to a table, including data to learning, or triggering individual flowcharts.

Events can be organized into categories for your convenience in the design environment. Categories have no functional purpose in the runtime environment.