Data Extension Linking in Contact Builder

Start your process by linking at least one data extension to a contact record.

• Contact Builder prompts you to select a data extension to link to the contact record.
• Your available data extensions appear in the modal. Select the data extension you wish to link.
• With this step, you create your data model in an attribute group. To most effectively organize your data, select and link all data extensions that contain information about the specified topic.

Tip The word 'Contact' is a reserved word. As a result, you can't link a data extension called 'Contact' to an attribute group in Data Designer.

Tip Data Designer doesn’t support linking data extensions with non-GSM characters.

Select Cardinality

When linking data extensions, you must select the cardinality of the relationship. You can specify one-to-one, many-to-one, or many-to-many relationships. These relationships define how attributes within the data extensions relate to each other.

Link Attributes

Link attributes by selecting an attribute from the contact record and the data extension to link. You must select attributes with the same data type, but you don’t have to select attributes with the same name.

After you link at least one data extension to the contact record, link all data extensions related to the attribute group. You can link subsequent data extensions to the contact record or to other data extensions to build complex relationships.

• To view and edit relationships between data extensions, hover over the link icon.
• to link and edit your data extensions, hover over the slide-out menu. You can also remove the data extension from the data model without deleting the data extension.

You can also use events to bring behavioral information into Contact Builder. This information can help you segment and better target marketing activities toward your contacts.