Data bridges
A data bridge automates recipient imports. Instead of uploading a CSV by hand each time, you point a bridge at a file on your own server, map its columns once, and set a schedule. From then on the bridge connects, reads the file, and turns each row into a queue item — with no one lifting a finger.
It's the right tool when your systems already export a recipient list regularly (nightly orders, weekly sign-ups, daily visits) and you want those people surveyed automatically.
How an automated import runs
Every time a bridge runs — on its schedule or when you trigger it — it follows the same four steps:
Connect
The bridge opens a connection to your server using the protocol and credentials you configured.
Read the file
It reads the file at the path you set. If the path contains date variables, they're resolved to the moment of the run, so each run can read that day's file.
Map and parse
It splits each row using your column separator and maps the columns to the fields a queue item needs.
Create queue items and log the run
Each valid row becomes one queue item in the pipeline, and the whole run is recorded in your import history.
Connecting to your server
A bridge supports three connection types:
- SFTP — secure file transfer over SSH, using a username and password.
- SFTP with a private key — secure file transfer authenticated with an uploaded private key and its passphrase, instead of a password.
- FTP — standard file transfer, with an option for passive mode if your network requires it.
For any of these you provide the host, the port, and the credentials the protocol needs (a username and password, or a username and private key).
Your keys stay private
When you use key-based SFTP, the private key is uploaded once and stored securely — it's never shown again. To change it you upload a new one; otherwise the existing key keeps working.
The file path and date variables
The file path is the full location of the file on your server (for example, /exports/recipients.csv).
To read a different, freshly dated file on each run, you can drop date variables into the path. They're filled in with the date and time of the run:
| Variable | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
%Y | 4-digit year | 2026 |
%y | 2-digit year | 26 |
%m | Month | 06 |
%d | Day | 16 |
%H | Hour | 14 |
%M | Minute | 30 |
%S | Second | 45 |
So a path of /exports/recipients-%Y-%m-%d.csv reads recipients-2026-06-16.csv on 16 June, then recipients-2026-06-17.csv the next day — your export system never has to overwrite the same file.
Mapping your columns
A bridge needs to know which column in your file means what. For each field, you give the column name in your file and the field it maps to:
- Recipient identifier — required. The email address or phone number to send to.
- Send time — optional. When the message should be queued for; if omitted, items send as soon as the schedule allows.
- Language — optional. The recipient's language; if omitted, the item uses Auto detect.
- Metadata — optional. Any questionnaire or responder metadata fields defined in the workspace, so each recipient carries the right context (store, order, segment and so on).
Pick the workspace first and the bridge offers that workspace's available metadata fields to map to. Only the recipient identifier is required — any column you don't map is simply ignored.
You also set the column separator — comma (the default), semicolon, tab or another character — to match how your file is written.
Scheduling
Two settings control when a bridge runs:
- Start time — when scheduled runs should begin.
- Frequency — how often it runs, from every hour up to once a day, with presets in between (every 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 12 hours). Daily is the default.
An active toggle turns the schedule on or off. Even when the schedule is off, you can still run the bridge by hand whenever you like.
Testing and running
Test the connection
Before you rely on a bridge, use Test connection. It tries to connect with your credentials and reach the file at the configured path, then reports success or a clear error — so you can fix a wrong host, port, password or path before any scheduled run depends on it.
Test after every change
Re-run the connection test whenever you change the host, credentials or file path. It's the quickest way to catch a typo before it turns into a missed import.
Run it now
Need recipients loaded immediately? Process now runs the bridge on demand. You choose which pipeline to load into and see the resolved file path (with today's date filled in) before confirming.
Run history
Every run — scheduled or manual — is logged in the Automated tab of your import history. Each entry shows the pipeline, the result, and whether the run was triggered on schedule, by hand or via the API. If a run fails, no queue items are created and the failure is recorded with details so you can see what went wrong and the next run can pick up cleanly.
One bridge, many pipelines
A bridge feeds a single pipeline, but you don't have to rebuild it for each survey. When several pipelines use the same server, file and mapping, they're grouped into one bridge card, and editing it updates them all at once. Use Add pipeline to attach another pipeline to an existing bridge's configuration.