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Marketing Cloud Engagement | ContactKey Values in MobilePush Detail Extract Report

Publiceringsdatum: Jul 2, 2026
Beskrivning

This article explains the behavior of the ContactKey column recorded in the MobilePush Detail Extract Report.
The ContactKey value behaves differently depending on whether the message type is a push notification (alert) or an Inbox message, because each type uses a different data retrieval mechanism.

For push notifications (alerts), the value is locked at send time and will not change afterward. For Inbox messages, the value reflects the ContactKey at the time the report is generated. When a message is sent as both Inbox and alert, both behaviors apply. This means the ContactKey output may reflect the latest value at report generation time, depending on how the report extraction period is configured and when each user's Inbox message is downloaded.

 

Lösning

1. Push Notification (Alert)

The value of the ContactKey as of the time the push notification was sent is output.
Even if the ContactKey associated with the device is changed after the send completes, the value as of the time of send is used, and it is not retroactively updated with the new value.

 

 
Examples : 
Date/Time 
Operation
ContactKey for Device_001
2026-05-01 09:00
Send push notification to ContactKey_A / Device_001
ContactKey_A (at time of send)
2026-05-01 11:00
Change the ContactKey associated with Device_001 
ContactKey_A → ContactKey_B
2026-05-01 13:00
Execute MobilePush Detail Extract Report (1st extraction) 
ContactKey_B
2026-05-01 15:00
Send push notification to ContactKey_B / Device_001   
ContactKey_B (at time of send)
2026-05-01 17:00
Execute MobilePush Detail Extract Report (2nd extraction)   
ContactKey_B
 

In this example, the ContactKey column in the MobilePush Detail Extract Report record shows the following:

First report
The 9:00 send shows ContactKey_A.

Second report
The 9:00 send shows ContactKey_A.
The 15:00 send shows ContactKey_B.

 

Even if the ContactKey associated with the same device changes after the send is complete, existing records retain the ContactKey value at the time of send. Subsequent changes to the ContactKey for Device_001 do not affect existing report records.

 

2. Inbox Message Only

For Inbox messages only, the ContactKey value becomes the value associated with the target device as of the time the report is generated.

 

3. Inbox + Push Notification (Inbox + Alert)

For Inbox + push notification, the two characteristics described above are mixed, so the output value may vary depending on how the report extraction period is specified.

  

A. When the report extraction period includes the push notification send date

The value of the ContactKey as of the time the push notification was sent is output.

B. When the report extraction period does not include the push notification send date, but does include the Inbox download date

As with the Inbox-only case, if the ContactKey has been changed, the new ContactKey after the change is output.

 

Send Type

ContactKey Value
Push notification (alert)  As of time of send 
Inbox onlyAs of time of report generation

 

Inbox + alert

(report output date includes the send date)   

 

 As of time of send 

 

Inbox + alert

(report output date does not include the send date; download only)

 

As of time of report generation
 

 

 ※ This describes the behavior as of the time this article was written. MobilePush behavior is reviewed on an ongoing basis and may change without notice.

 

Knowledge-artikelnummer

005322024

 
Laddar
Salesforce Help | Article