Information and Restrictions
Data Limitations
The Custom Upload Tool is an application intended to be used to host customer data intended for integration with an existing or planned inContact hosted IVR. It is not a data repository, which should be used for the hosting of operational data.
The architecture of this system is optimized to host customer data with rows totaling less than 5000 rows. If your data volume is greater than this maximum number of rows, please contact your inContact representitive to discuss other integration options that may be available.
Additionally, to ensure performance of the system and the IVR integration, it is recommended that the number of columns of data is no greater than ten (10) columns. While we can support more, the performance of your IVR may suffer because of the size of the data that would be returned.
Finally, each column of data should be as small as reasonably possible. Having large amounts of data in any of the columns has the same potential performance problems as having too many columns.
If your data needs are greater than the recommended columns, or each column value is greater that 150 characters, please contact your inContact representative to discuss your options for other types of integration.
Data Guidelines
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Key Values | Up to 3 key values are supported. Values used as keys must not contain empty (null) information. Unique keys are best, however it is possible to have keys that repeat. For example a key of NY, may reapeat for several rows, if that is necessary, however, you may find it useful to create a secondary key of Manhattan, or NYC to limit the results returned from the query. |
| Record Data | The body of the data that is associated with the key values comprises the record data. It is the record data which is returned as a result of the query, including the key values. All data uploaded into the system is transformed and stored as a single string object (json format), encrypted, then saved as a single data element in the database. Therefore the maximum complete size of any single data record cannot exceed 8000 bytes, including the json markup used to store the data. However, data of this size would have a significant performance delay on the retrieval and return of this information to the calling application. |
Data Management
Once configured, the management and uploading of customer data is intended to be completed by the customer. It is not necessary to involve an inContact employee to accomplish this task.
Any data uploaded deletes and then replaces the existing data with the new data to ensure no incorrect data persists. The system does not append to the existing data in the system. The customer is responsible for providing all the data required for their IVR integration to function properly.
However, by using this application the customer accepts the responsibility for any data overwritten, not properly formatted, incomplete data or any other issue that may impair the data from being used correctly with their IVR.
Auditing and querying tools are integrated into the system to ensure that complete and correct uploading of data is accomplished, and to provide visibility to who and when those data upload take place.
Data Format
Data is integrated into the system using Excel spreadsheets. This provides an easy and readily available tool for customers to manage and update their information, proir to uploading it to the tool.
On first upload, or if format changes are necessary, the spreadsheet is parsed and presented for configuration to identify the fields that should be used as query fields from the IVR. This usually only needs to be accomplished once, and only needs to be changed if your data requirements change. However, if the configuration is changed, the data must be uploaded again to allow the system to parse the data and properly assign the keys and values as appropriate.
Once the configuration is set, the data may be uploaded any time changes or updates make it necessary. However the new data is not appended to the existing data, but rather deleted and replaced with the new data. See the Data Management section above.