Automate workflows

A workflow is the series of steps that your data follows as it moves through Amperity. Information about a workflow, including details and individual tasks, is available from the Workflows page.

For example, many workflows are end-to-end process that:

1. Use a courier to pull data to Amperity.

2. Standardize data using semantic tags and feeds.

3. Add data to domain tables.

4. Build databases.

5. Run queries and segments to return results and audiences for use with downstream workflows.

6. Send results to destinations using orchestrations and campaigns.

An automated workflow is configured to run these steps automatically, and then send workflow alerts when warnings and errors within a workflow are detected.

Courier groups

A courier group is a list of one (or more) couriers that are run as a group, either ad hoc or as part of an automated schedule. A courier group can be configured to act as a constraint on downstream workflows.

Note

A courier group is typically configured to run automatically on a recurring schedule. All couriers within a courier group run as a unit; couriers with required files must complete before any downstream processes, such as Stitch or database generation, can be started.

For each courier with required files, Amperity determines if those files have updates, and then pulls updated files to Amperity. Depending on the run type, Amperity may then run Stitch and generate (or refresh) a customer 360 database. Orchestrations, recurring campaigns, and Profile API indexes may be configured to run as part of a courier group after the customer 360 database is refreshed.

Duration thresholds

A runtime alert is a type of workflow alert that is sent when a courier group has run longer than a configured amount of time. A runtime alert is sent to any email address or Slack channel that is configured for the Courier group workflow type.

To configure a workflow alert for a courier group

1. From the Sources page, open the menu for a courier group, and then select Edit.

2. Enable the Alert when runtime exceeds checkbox, and then set the number of hours (or minutes) at which, when this amount of time is exceeded, a workflow alert will be sent.

   

3. Click Save.

Missing files

A courier group can be configured to send email and Slack alerts when files are missing, and then:

1. Continue processing even if files are missing

2. Stop processing

Notify and continue

A courier group can be configured to send workflow alerts when one (or more) files are missing, and then continue processing if files are missing.

Tip

Some files are not considered essential to the daily Amperity run. The reasons why a particular file may be considered non-essential will vary from tenant to tenant, but they may include situations like:

• A data source is mostly static

• A data source does not contain PII that will affect the quality of the Amperity ID.

• A data source is associated with a workflow that often misses the configured Amperity wait time period.

To send a workflow notification, and then continue the workflow

1. From the Sources page, open the menu for a courier group, and then select Edit.

2. On the Couriers tab, under the name of a courier group, set Notify when missing? to enabled, and then set Stop when missing? to disabled.

3. Click Save.

Notify and stop

A courier group can be configured to send workflow alerts when one (or more) files are missing, and then stop processing if files are missing.

To send a workflow notification, and then stop the workflow

1. From the Sources page, open the menu for a courier group, and then select Edit.

2. On the Couriers tab, under the name of a courier group, set Notify when missing? to enabled, and then set Stop when missing? to enabled.

3. Click Save.

Wait for missing files

When files are missing or late, in addition to sending an email alert and either continuing or stopping the workflow, Amperity will continue to attempt to find the these files. Use the Wait setting to configure amount of time Amperity should wait:

Files can be missing for any number of reasons, including by delays that may have occurred in upstream workflows that exist outside of Amperity. And in many situations a file is late, not missing.

Orchestration groups

An orchestration group is one (or more) orchestrations that are scheduled using a cron expression string to define the schedule’s frequency. For example, an orchestration group can be scheduled to run at 8:30 AM every day of the week: 30 8 * * *.

Run after courier group

An orchestration group may be configured to run only after a courier group has run successfully, including loading all data and meeting all requirements.

To configure an orchestration group to run after a courier group

	Open the Destinations page, and then from the Orchestrations section, click the Add orchestration group link.
	In the Add orchestration group dialog box, give the orchestration group a name, and then move the slider to enabled.
	Under Run options, select Run after courier group. Select a courier group from the drop-down menu.
	Click Save.

Run on a schedule

An orchestration group may be configured to run on a schedule, using a cron schedule to define the specific time at which the run should begin, and a UTC timezone.

Note

You will see the enable/disable status only for scheduled orchestration groups.

To configure an orchestration group to run on a schedule

	Open the Destinations page, and then from the Orchestrations section, click the Add orchestration group link.
	In the Add orchestration group dialog box, give the orchestration group a name, and then move the slider to enabled.
	Under Run options, select Run on a schedule.
	Click Save.