Update Contact Attribute or List Values

In this article:

• Update contact attributes
• Update list membership
• Combine multiple update functions

Using Smarty utilities, you are able to update contact attributes and list values when a message is sent.

Use the following code to run the Smarty function. Replace attribute_key with the desired attribute to be updated and new_attribute_value with the new value.

{$utils->updateContact(['attribute_key'=>'new_attribute_value'])}

Update Contact Attributes

Subscribe Status

Update contact's subscribe status

{$utils->updateContact(['channels'=>['email'=>['subscribeStatus'=>'subscribed']]])}

The above will update the contact's email subscribeStatus attribute to "subscribed".

String Attributes

Update a String Attribute

{$utils->updateContact(['flavor'=>'chocolate'])}

The above will update the contact's flavor attribute to "chocolate".

Use external variables to update contact attribute

You can pass an external variable in your message using {$extVars.variableName} and then add the variable data to a contact attribute of your choice:

{$utils->updateContact(['flavor'=>{$extVars.chocolate}])}

The above will update the contact's flavor attribute with data passed as external variable.

Number Attributes

Update a Number Attribute

{$utils->updateContact(['viewed'=>'3'])}

The above will update the contact's viewed attribute to "3".

Increment and Decrement Number Attributes

Increment a number

{$utils->updateContact(['total'=>['inc' => '+1']])}

The above will update a contact's total attribute by "+1".

Decrement a number

{$utils->updateContact(['viewed'=>['inc' => '-1']])}

The above will update a contact's viewed attribute by "-1".

Array Attributes

Update an Array Attribute

{$utils->updateContact(['fav_fruit'=>['banana']])}

The above will update the contact's fav_fruit array attribute with the value of "banana". Note that all existing array values will be overwritten.

{$utils->updateContact(['fav_fruit'=>['banana','apple']])}

The above will update the contact's fav_fruit array attribute with the values of "banana" and "apple". Note that all existing array values will be overwritten.

Add Values To an Array Attribute

{$utils->updateContact(['fav_fruit'=>['add' => ['orange','strawberry']]])}

The above will add the values "orange" and "strawberry" to the contact's fav_fruit array attribute. Existing values will be retained unless the max items limit is exceeded. 

Remove Values From an Array Attribute

{$utils->updateContact(['fav_fruit'=>['remove' => ['orange','strawberry']]])}

The above will remove the values "orange" and "strawberry" from the contact's fav_fruit array attribute. 

Update list membership

You can add or remove a contact to a specified list with the following code by replacing mylist with the name of the list to be updated and either true (on the list) or false (off the list).

{$utils->updateContact(['mylist'=>true])}

Add to a list

{$utils->updateContact(['weekly-specials'=>true])}

This will add the contact to the "weekly-specials" list.

You can add the contact to more than one list by separating the key/value pairs by a comma: ['weekly-specials'=>true,'monthly-specials'=>true].

Remove from a list

{$utils->updateContact(['weekly-specials'=>false])}

This will remove the contact from the "weekly-specials" list.

You can remove the contact from more than one list by separating the key/value pairs by a comma: ['weekly-specials'=>false,'monthly-specials'=>false].

Combining multiple update functions

You are able to combine multiple update functions into one tag.

{$utils->updateContact(['flavor'=>'vanilla','age'=>['inc' => '+1']])}

This will update the contact's flavor attribute to "vanilla" and increment the age attribute "+1".

In the next article learn about using webhooks.