After reading this article you will better understand the following topics: 

• what filters are
• what they do
• how they can be used

Introduction

Using filters

Creating a filter

Editing/deleting a filter

Adding a filter to a connector

Closing note

Introduction

Filters allow you to select which type of events should be forwarded using the event connectors. The filters can be created separately and later be added to one or more event connectors. This ensures that you can easily reuse filters or make combinations of filters without the need of re-defining them over again with each event connector.

 

Understanding filters

Via a filter you choose which data events you will and will not receive. If no filter is configured for an event connector, it will try to send all data. Once a filter is linked to the connector it will only send the data that is defined in the filter. In short, you limit the amount of data you will get by selecting the specific events you want to receive.

It is not possible to do a reverse/negative filter, meaning that you cannot select the events you do not want to receive. 

Example:

You setup 3 filters for each of these events, example: "pageView", "conversion" and "customer fact". Then you add "pageView" and "conversion" to your Azure EventHubs connector.

If the following events come:

 pageView
 pageView
 customer fact
 conversion
 pageView

This would result in the azure event hub receiving: 

 pageView
 pageView
 conversion
 pageView

Even though you have created a filter for "customer fact" but its not actually linked to the connector.

 

Using filters

The first step of using filters is creating a filter that matches your criteria. This is followed by adding this filter to an event connector. Once this is done you will have a working event connector with filtering capabilities.

 

Creating a filter

How to create a filter:

1. Navigate to "Data" > "Filters" on the menu bar
2. Then click on "Add filter"
3. Create a name (Advice is to use a name that describes the events or type of events you are adding)
4. Click on "Add an event"
5. Select the event, for facts and engagements the event type, that you want to filter
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 if more events should be added to the filter
7. Finally click on "Create filter"

 

Editing/deleting a filter

Deleting a filter can be done by clicking on the bin icon on the right side of the screen.

How to edit a filter:

1. Click on the name of the filter you want to edit
2. On the top right click on "Edit filter"
3. Add or remove any filter criteria
4. Then click on "Update filter"

Adding a filter to a connector

Once a filter is created, it does not do anything until it has been linked to a connector. Once you link the filter to the connector, it will become active immediately and only those events will be sent towards the channel.

How to link a filter:

1. Go to "Data" > "Connectors" > "Event Connectors" on the menu bar
2. Click on the connector you want to apply the filter on. Filters do not work on Facebook CAPI yet
3. Click on "Add filter"
4. Then click on "Update"

In addition you can see if a filter is already in use by for one or more connectors by going to the filter page and checking the "used in" icon as shown below.

 

Closing note

You should now understand how filters can help you in selecting a subset of events to be received and sent. Refer to event connectors for more information on how to use and set them up.