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  8. /Inline lists

Inline lists

Use an inline list to upload a CSV file of existing users or register new users when composing a message.

Audience Lists are messaging recipient groups based on either your own data or automatically-generated app user lifecycle information. You can use audience lists to target specific users. This document explains Inline audience lists.

About Inline lists

An Inline list is an ad-hoc, CSV-formatted list of email addresses, phone numbers, open channel addresses, or channel IDs that you want to send a message to. Unlike static lists or segments, you upload this list when creating your message. Airship registers new addresses in the list as channels when you send the message.

In addition to sending a message to existing channels when composing a message, this is also a simplified way to register and message new SMS, email, and open channels — upload a marketing audience list users when sending a notification, without worrying about your audience’s registration statuses.

The identifier you use for each new member of your audience depends on the type of channel you want to send your message to:

  • SMS — msisdn and sender (combination)
  • Email — address (email address)
  • Open Channels — address (the unique address that your open channel uses)

SMS, email, or open channel identifiers that are not yet associated with a Channel IDAn Airship-specific unique identifier used to address a channel instance, e.g., a smartphone, web browser, email address. in Airship are registered as new channels and become part of your audience.

 Important

Addresses that are already registered to a channel_id and are opted in will receive your message:

  • If they are already opted in for messaging — In other words, their channel has a valid opted_in value.

  • (For SMS and email channels only) If you provide an opted_in date-time value that is newer than an opted_out value on the channel.

    This does not update the opted_in value on the channel. It only overrides the opted_out value to send the current message. You must update the opted_in value using the appropriate channel API to opt it back into your messaging audience.

You can send to your Inline list using the Message composer or the /create-and-send API. You cannot combine channels when using this feature; when using the /create-and-send API, attempting to set multiple device_types in the request will return a 400 response.

For delivery, you cannot use Optimal Send TimeAn algorithm that determines the best hour for optimal engagement activity — when each individual member of your audience is most likely to receive and act on your message. iOS, Android, and Amazon platforms only. when using an Inline list for your audience.

Formatting your list

  • Inline lists must be in CSV format.
  • CSV files must be smaller than 150 MB, with a maximum of 3 million rows.
  • The header row must contain ua_-prefixed channel fields as column headers, with values in corresponding fields. Airship will ignore rows that are empty or contain malformed channel information.

Beyond the required/optional fields listed below, you can add more fields to your CSV that you want to use with HandlebarsHandlebars is Airship’s templating language for personalization. Handlebars expressions use double curly braces wrapped around a content template, ranging from a simple variable, e.g., {{first_name}}, to complex evaluations of personalization data. to personalize your message.

ChannelRequired fields
App1ua_channel_id
Webua_channel_id
SMSua_msisdn, ua_sender, ua_opted_in2
Emailua_address,
ua_commercial_opted_in or ua_commercial_opted_out3,
ua_transactional_opted_in or ua_transactional_opted_out4,
ua_open_tracking_opted_in or ua_open_tracking_opted_out5,
ua_click_tracking_opted_in or ua_click_tracking_opted_out5,
ua_email_suppression_state6
Openua_address

1. Your uploaded list can only contain users from one of iOS, Android, or Amazon channels at a time.
2. The opted_in values for email and SMS channels are the date-time when the user subscribed to messages.
3. Required for commercial emails. The opted in/out dates are mutually exclusive. Providing a date for both ua_commercial_opted_in and ua_commercial_opted_out in the same row is considered invalid.
4. Optional for transactional emails. The opted in/out dates are mutually exclusive. Providing a date for both ua_transactional_opted_in and ua_transactional_opted_out in the same row is considered invalid.
5. By default, new channels are opted in to both open and click tracking. A channel can be opted out of tracking by setting an opted out date. The channel can be opted back in to tracking by setting an opted in date that is newer than the opted out date. Providing a date for both opted in and opted out in the same row is considered invalid.
6. With values: BOUNCE, SPAM_COMPLAINT, COMMERCIAL_SPAM_COMPLAINT, or IMPORTED.

CSV example

1ua_address,ua_commercial_opted_in,name,city,state
2someone@example.com,2022-04-01T18:45:30,Joe Someone,Portland,OR
3else@example.com,2022-04-21T16:13:01,Sir Else,Seattle,WA

Personalization

See:

Using Inline Lists

For the API, see the /create-and-send endpoint.

In the dashboard, you will select the Upload Users option in the Message composer. If you are using Merge FieldsA variable in your message or template that you want to populate with a personalized value for each member of the audience. Merge fields use Handlebars syntax — {{merge_field}}. in your message, you must select Upload Users.

In the Message composer:

  1. In the Audience step, select the channel you want to send your message to, then click Upload Users.

  2. Complete the Content and Delivery steps.

     Note

    You cannot use Optimal Send TimeAn algorithm that determines the best hour for optimal engagement activity — when each individual member of your audience is most likely to receive and act on your message. iOS, Android, and Amazon platforms only. for delivery if you also chose Upload Users for your audience.

  3. In the Review step:

    1. Click Upload & Send.
    2. Click Choose File and select the file that contains your list of users.
    3. Click Send Message.