Using Adobe Launch to process context data and actions with rules for mobile

[philip-kanter]

Hi everyone!

I haven't used Launch mobile in a while and I wondered if there's now any way to use an Adobe Launch mobile property and send the context data to props and eVars and actions to trigger events rather than using the processing rules? Basically to use the functionality of the tag manager to control where the data goes rather than having to do it in Adobe Analytics itself.

This can be using either extension actions or custom code.

[ranjithd]

To use Adobe Launch to process context data and actions with rules for mobile, you can follow these steps:

1. Set up your Adobe Launch account: If you haven't already done so, sign up for an Adobe Launch account and configure it to work with your mobile app.

2. Create a mobile property: Once you have set up your account, create a new mobile property that will be used to manage data and actions for your mobile app.

3. Add context data: To process context data, you can use Adobe Launch to collect information about the user, device, and app environment. This data can be used to trigger specific rules and actions based on the user's context. You can use the built-in data elements in Adobe Launch to collect data or create your own custom data elements.

4. Define rules: After you have collected the necessary context data, you can use Adobe Launch to define rules that will trigger specific actions based on the user's behavior or app usage. For example, you could create a rule that triggers a specific action when a user reaches a certain level in a game or makes a purchase within the app.

5. Implement actions: Once you have defined your rules, you can use Adobe Launch to implement the necessary actions. These actions could include sending a push notification to the user, displaying a message within the app, or redirecting the user to a specific page or feature within the app.

6. Test and optimize: As with any digital marketing strategy, it's important to test and optimize your Adobe Launch implementation to ensure that it is working as expected. Use Adobe Launch's testing and debugging tools to identify and fix any issues, and use analytics to measure the effectiveness of your rules and actions.

[philip-kanter]

Many thanks for your detailed and well-structured reply.

For step 3, adding context data, is this done within the code of the app? There's no way to define context data keys within Launch itself apart from the out-of-the-box ones linked to the SDK. For example, for an e-commerce app, I'd still need a developer to add product related properties as context data first? I can't just pick these up in the same way as you would a web implementation.

Step 4, when triggering rules, I am most interested in Adobe Analytics. To me the available action just looks like it's sending the context data with the track action and track state call. Would I still have to use the processing rules in Adobe Analytics in order to populate the eVars, props, and events?

What I'm trying to understands is:

1. As someone with access to Launch only, not the code of the app, can I add context data keys and actions?
2. Would using Launch mean no longer having to use the processing rules for Adobe Analytics?

[ranjithd · Accepted solution]

As someone with access to Launch only, not the code of the app, can I add context data keys and actions?

You can add context data keys and actions in Adobe Analytics as someone with Launch access, but you cannot directly add them to the app's code.

Put another way, you can use Launch to create rules that fire when particular events in the app occur, and then use those rules to set context data variables and send data to Adobe Analytics. For example, you might create a rule that is triggered when a user clicks a button in the app, and then use that rule to define a context data variable that records information about the button click.
Go to the Adobe Analytics extension in your Launch property and navigate to the "Context Data" page to add a context data key.

As someone with access to Launch, you can add context data keys and actions in Adobe Analytics, but you cannot directly add them to the app's code.

Instead, you can create rules in Launch that fire when certain events occur in the app, and use those rules to set context data variables and send data to Adobe Analytics. For example, you could create a rule that fires when a user clicks a button in the app, and use that rule to set a context data variable that captures information about the button click.

To add a context data key in Launch, you can go to the Adobe Analytics extension in your Launch property and navigate to the "Context Data" tab. You can then select "Add Key" to choose the key name, data type, and other attributes. You may use a context data key in rules to gather and send data to Adobe Analytics after you've generated one.

Similarly, you can create an action in Launch by going to the Adobe Analytics extension and selecting the "Actions" tab. You may then select "Add Action" to define the action type, attributes, and other options. After creating an action, you can use it in rules to activate certain app actions or send data to Adobe Analytics.

While context data keys and actions can be added in Launch, the app must be configured to receive and process this data. If the app lacks the requisite code to process the data, it may be unable to use the information you transmit via Launch.

Would using Launch mean no longer having to use the processing rules for Adobe Analytics?

No, utilising Adobe Launch does not preclude you from using Processing Rules in Adobe Analytics. Processing Rules and Launch serve diverse functions and can be used in tandem in your analytics system.

When Adobe Analytics has collected data, Processing Rules are used to change or augment it. They may be used to improve data quality, apply business logic to data, and provide computed metrics. Processing Rules in Adobe Analytics may be used to change any variable, including eVars, props, events, and custom variables.

In contrast, Adobe Launch is used to manage and deploy marketing and analytics tags on your website or app. You may use Launch to add and customise tags without having to change the underlying code of your website or app. Launch also includes management tools for data items, rules, and extensions.

While Launch can assist you in capturing and sending data to Adobe Analytics, it does not take the role of Processing Rules. Processing Rules may still be required to correct data quality concerns or apply business logic to your data.

In fact, you may increase your analytics approach by using Processing Rules in combination with Launch. You might, for example, use Launch to record custom events or variables and then use Processing Rules to apply business logic or generate metrics based on that data.

In conclusion, while Launch can assist you in capturing and sending data to Adobe Analytics, it does not eliminate the requirement for Processing Rules. Both products may be used in conjunction to improve your analytics setup.