File import rules allow you to control the quality and structure of subscriber data uploaded into your account. By defining validation rules, you can ensure required fields are present, prevent invalid data, and maintain clean and consistent subscriber records.

How it works

Import rules are applied during the subscriber import process and can:

• Enforce mandatory fields
• Validate field formats and minimum values
• Prevent imports when required data is missing
• Skip invalid records and generate an error report

Rules can be applied at two levels:

• Global rules — apply to all imports across your account
• List-specific rules — apply only to selected subscriber lists

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Accessing Messaging & Import Rules

The Messaging & Import Rules section is only available to users with Administrator access.

To configure messaging and file import rules:

1. Navigate to Settings
2. Select Messaging & Import Rules

Within this section, you will see two configurable areas:

File Import Rules

This section is used to configure validation rules for subscriber imports.

• A code input field is provided where you can enter your file import rules (JSON format)
• Click Save Import Rules to apply your changes

Note: Ensure your JSON structure is valid before saving. Invalid configurations may prevent rules from being applied correctly.

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Import rule structure

Import rules are defined using a JSON structure.

Example

{
  "160444": {
    "fields": {
      "firstname": { "required": true },
      "lastname": { "required": true },
      "email": { "required": true }
    }
  },
  "global": {
    "fields": {
      "email": {
        "required": false,
        "minlength": 5,
        "errorMessage": "Email must contain at least 5 characters"
      },
      "firstname": {
        "required": false,
        "minlength": 1,
        "errorMessage": "First name must contain at least 1 character"
      },
      "lastname": {
        "required": false,
        "minlength": 1,
        "errorMessage": "Last name must contain at least 1 character"
      }
    },
    "skipColumnHeading": true
  }
}

Key components

• List ID (e.g. 160444) — applies rules to a specific list
• global — applies rules across all imports
• fields — defines validation rules per field
• required — makes a field mandatory
• minlength — enforces minimum character length
• errorMessage — message shown when validation fails
• skipColumnHeading — ignores the header row in imports

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Common use cases

Email is mandatory - Ensure all imported subscribers include an email address:

{
  "global": {
    "fields": {
      "email": { "required": true }
    }
  }
}

Email, firstname, and mobile are mandatory - Useful for campaigns requiring both email and SMS:

{
  "global": {
    "fields": {
      "email": { "required": true },
      "firstname": { "required": true },
      "mobile": { "required": true }
    }
  }
}

List-specific validation - Apply stricter rules to a specific list only:

{
  "25057": {
    "fields": {
      "firstname": { "required": true },
      "lastname": { "required": true },
      "email": { "required": true }
    }
  }
}

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Testing import rules

After saving your rules, test them using sample import files.

Missing required fields

• Example: subscriber has email and firstname but no lastname
• Result: Import button is disabled

All required fields present

• Example: email, firstname, and lastname provided
• Result: Import proceeds successfully

Invalid data (e.g. email format)

• Example: invalid email with valid firstname and lastname
• Result:
  • Import completes
  • Invalid records are skipped
  • A downloadable error report is provided

Reviewing import errors

After import:

• Download the skipped/error records file
• Review validation messages defined in your rules
• Correct the data and re-upload if required

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Best practices

• Start with global rules, then refine with list-specific rules
• Always enforce email validation where applicable
• Use clear error messages for easier troubleshooting
• Test rules regularly after updates

If you have additional questions or require further assistance regarding File Import Rules, do not hesitate to reach out to Taguchi Support

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