Use this article to change the data type of a custom customer attribute, remove an attribute you no longer need, or clear its values from customer profiles.
Change the data type of an attribute
The first value Blueshift receives for an attribute sets its data type. Once an attribute has a data type, you can't change it, no matter how the attribute was created (import, API or Data Studio). You can't rename an attribute either. To use a different name, follow the steps below. To get the type you need:
Export the existing values so you can reuse them. Create a segment that includes the attribute, and export it. See Export Segment Members.
Create a new attribute with a similar name and the data type you need.
If you no longer need the old attribute, contact support and ask to blacklist it. Include the attribute name and your account name.
Re-upload the data into the new attribute. See Import Customer Data.
Note: A one-time export lowercases all values. To keep the original casing, use a scheduled export.
Remove an attribute
Blueshift does not delete attributes. Support blacklists them instead, which gives a similar result. A blacklisted attribute:
no longer appears in the segment builder
can't be used in templates
To request this, contact support with the exact attribute names and the account they are in. Attribute names are case-sensitive. For a long list, send a spreadsheet.
Clear attribute values from customer profiles
Blank values are not kept on profiles. An attribute with no value (null or empty) does not appear on the profile. To clear values for many customers:
Prepare a CSV file with an identifier column and the attribute column. Leave the attribute values blank. Boolean attributes can't be set to null or blank; they must be true or false.
Upload the file, and make sure Allow blank user attributes is on in the import settings. See Import Customer Data.
To clear a value through the API, set it to null in the create or update customer call (not for boolean attributes).
Note: If Email Tracking Opt Out is on for your account, email_open_tracking_enabled and email_click_tracking_enabled hold each customer's open and click tracking preferences. When they are null or false, Blueshift doesn't track that customer's opens or clicks. For more information, see Link Tracking.
For more information, see Customer Attributes in Data Studio and Custom Attributes.