Edge Data Collection Concepts: Data Object

[#1]

If you are planning for Edge Data Collection and want to migrate existing Experience Cloud solutions to Web SDK, you have a few options when it comes to structuring the data you send. As discussed in a previous blog, data you send to Adobe Experience Platform (AEP) must be sent as XDM and aligned with a dedicated XDM schema. But what if you want to send data to Analytics or Target, but NOT to AEP? For that, you can use the data object, a sibling to XDM in your network call payloads. As described below, the data object has properties that allow for a smooth migration of existing Experience Cloud solutions without requiring that it be associated with an XDM schema. 

The data object can be passed with the Web SDK sendEvent and maps data directly to Adobe Experience Cloud services. This allows you to continue sending Adobe Analytics, Target, and Audience Manager parameters with their original values, maintaining continuity during migration. It also eliminates the need for an XDM schema for Experience Cloud solutions. 

The example below illustrates how XDM data is used for AEP data, while the data object supports Experience Cloud solutions. We'll cover using the data object for each solution in future blogs, but for now, it's important to understand how the solutions read from the data object. Analytics variables under the data object are passed directly to Adobe Analytics, maintaining their original structure. Audience Manager values can be omitted entirely if server-side forwarding is enabled and are only necessary for custom variables. For Target, the data object maps values directly to mbox parameters. For example, data.__adobe.target.params appears in Target as the mbox parameter "params" for audiences. 

Use Cases for the Data Object 

The primary use case for using the data object is migrating Experience Cloud application libraries to Web SDK. Recall that the Web SDK can replace the traditional AppMeasurement and at.js libraries. For example, if you are looking to modernize an Adobe Analytics and Target implementation without interruption, you can use the data object to seamlessly migrate your solutions. 

If you’re planning to transition to Adobe Experience Platform (AEP) in the future, the data object supports existing solutions while positioning you for AEP adoption. When the time comes to move to AEP, data object values can be mapped using Data Prep for Data Collection to XDM schemas or used in a hybrid approach with XDM and Data together.

The data object is also compatible with mobile implementations. With the AEP Mobile SDK and the Edge Bridge Extension, you can leverage the data object while continuing to use your legacy Analytics setup.  

Benefits of Using Data 

Here are some key benefits of this method:  

1. Seamless Migration: The Tags rule "Update Variable" action to populate the data object mirrors the AppMeasurement.js “Set Variables” action, streamlining migration and lowering the learning curve.  
2. Retain Processing Rules: Since data is available in its original format, you can leverage your existing processing rules and avoid extensive reconfiguration. This is especially helpful for existing mobile implementations.  
3. Schema-Free Mapping: The data object maps directly to Analytics, eliminating the need to plan, create, and maintain a schema for Experience Cloud solutions. Additionally, this means Analytics data does not need to be restructured to fit an XDM schema – this is particularly useful for the products string!  
4. Future-Proof for AEP: The data object supports gradual adoption of AEP by enabling hybrid implementations using both XDM and data objects and easy mapping to XDM schemas when needed.  
5. Simplified Validation: Data object values can be validated directly in the browser’s developer tools Network tab, avoiding any reliance on tools like the AEP Debugger or Assurance to view mapped Analytics fields.  

Keep These Things in Mind 

Before diving into migrating your Analytics implementation, keep these tips in mind:  

1. AEP Compatibility: The data object doesn’t support Adobe Experience Platform use cases directly. For AEP, you’ll still need to define and use an XDM schema. 
2. Data Prep Flexibility: You can map data object fields to XDM schema paths using data prep (e.g., data.__adobe.analytics.pageName -> web.webPageDetails.name). Note that the data object will take precedence over XDM if they map to the same field. 
3. Event Forwarding: The data object is accessible for activation in Event Forwarding using arc.event.data paths, keeping your Tags implementation light and removing the need for additional mapping.  

Conclusion  

The data object variable streamlines the migration from legacy Experience Cloud libraries to Web SDK, offering a schema-free data collection approach that can help to accelerate adoption of Edge Data Collection. Stay tuned for future posts, where we’ll explore how to leverage the data object for migrating legacy solutions. 

[#2]

Good one! Thanks for sharing.

But I have a question, @amandadeasy  if the migration to AEP is happening without using schemas, how can this be stitched as a single user for future reports or recognized as the same user through identity resolution? Where is the identity being managed? What is the point of moving to AEP?

[#3]

Hi @akalaima, you will use a schema for AEP data collection (and identityMap). This data object approach can be useful for migrating Experience Cloud solutions to Web SDK without AEP, which you may do for various reasons such as modernizing your data collection or improving page load time. In some cases a hybrid approach may make sense, where AEP data is collected in a schema, but additional Analytics and Target data is collected in the data object to avoid sending unnecessary values to AEP.

Hope this helps!

[#4]

Hi @amandadeasy Thanks for your reply ! Noted