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Adding additional fields to Marketing Cloud Data Extensions

Publish Date: Oct 31, 2024
Description

When working with Data Extensions in the Marketing Cloud, whether these are standard or Synchronised Data Extensions, you may wish to add additional fields to these Data Extensions after they've already been configured and contain data.

There may be instances where you have to add several new fields to an existing Data Extension and run into problems adding these in bulk.

Adding fields in bulk to Synchronised Data Extensions are done slightly differently to a standard Data Extension.

Resolution

We'd recommend only adding up to 4 new fields into a new Data Extension in one go.  If you must add more than 4 fields to an existing Data Extension, we'd suggest doing this in batches of 4 up until you've added those fields.

 

Standard Data Extension

Within Email Studio, where you can create Fields in bulk, follow this process:

  1. Within Email Studio, select the Subscribers tab and Data Extensions option from the list
  2. Find the Data Extension within your folder structure and open it
    • If your Data Extension is used within Contact Builder and your data model, please use Contact Builder to make the changes
  3. On the right hand side, select the Edit Fields button to modify your Data Extension
  4. Select the Plus icon and add your field metadata
    • Add up to 4 fields and their metadata
  5. Select Save Fields once you have setup your 4 fields
    • Repeat steps 4-5 for the remaining fields you would like to add

Within Contact Builder, where you create an Attribute one at a time, follow this process:

  1. Within Contact Builder, select the Data Extensions tab
  2. Find your Data Extension within your folder structure and click into it
  3. On the right-hand side, select the Create Attribute button
  4. Fill in the details of the field and select Create

We'd recommend using Contact Builder as it processes each Attribute individually and not cause issues trying to add Fields in bulk.

 

Synchronized Data Extension

To add new fields to a Synchronised Data Extension, add additional fields to the synced Salesforce Object inside the Marketing Cloud, through Contact Builder:

  1. Within Contact Builder, select the Data Sources tab
  2. Select Synchornized in the middle and click into the Salesforce Org connected as a source
  3. Select the Object that populates the Synchronized DE
  4. On the right hand side, select Edit Fields
  5. Check up to 4 Fields you'd like to Sync, to then add to the Synchronized DE
  6. Select Save
    • Repeat steps 4-6 to add the remaining fields

After the fields have been added, your Synchronized Data Extension contains these new fields and the data and continue to sync with the Sales Cloud.

Knowledge Article Number

000390419

 
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Salesforce Help | Article