Customer data synchronization should follow explicit ownership, latency, volume, and reconciliation rules. Elaine supports transactional APIs, events, and file-based SIEIS processing so that teams can select the appropriate pattern for each data domain.
Start with data ownership
Decide whether Elaine or another application is the system of record for each field and object. Ownership may differ for identity data, contact details, preferences, permissions, engagement signals, campaign membership, and calculated attributes.
Pattern selection
| Requirement | Recommended pattern | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate update or lookup for one contact | RESTful or HTTP API | Provides transactional processing and immediate technical feedback. |
| Report a business occurrence and let Elaine decide the reaction | Event API | Decouples the source from downstream campaign logic. |
| Recurring transfer of many records | SIEIS file import or export | Supports efficient batch processing, scheduled exchange, and reconciliation. |
| Large initial load followed by small changes | SIEIS plus API or events | Combines batch efficiency with low-latency incremental updates. |
When Elaine is the data owner
Export the relevant authoritative data to connected applications on an agreed schedule or through supported APIs. Preserve stable identifiers and communicate deletions, withdrawals, and state changes as part of the contract—not as undocumented side effects.
When another application is the data owner
Import snapshots or deltas into Elaine and define how missing, empty, invalid, and deleted values are interpreted. Avoid letting two applications overwrite the same field without precedence and conflict rules.
Operational controls
- Use stable external keys and document matching behavior.
- Make imports and API retries idempotent where possible.
- Record counts, rejects, duplicates, and processing timestamps.
- Reconcile representative samples and high-impact fields.
- Protect transfers with appropriate authentication, encryption, and optionally site-to-site VPN.
- Propagate consent changes, suppression, retention, and deletion across connected applications.