How integrations, Data Sets, and Data Blends work together to power your Avid experience.
Overview
Avid connects to your external systems, pulls data into structured Data Sets, and combines those Data Sets into Data Blends. Understanding this flow helps you troubleshoot data issues and get the most out of Insights, Pathways, and Playbooks.
What is an integration?
An integration is a one-way connection between Avid and an external system such as your CRM, email platform, or ad network. When you connect a system, Avid reads data from it on a recurring schedule. Most integrations update daily. Manual file uploads update only when you upload a new file.
Avid never writes back to your connected systems. The data flow is read-only.
What is a Data Set?
A Data Set is a view of the data extracted from one connected system. Each integration creates one or more Data Sets. For example, connecting your CRM creates Data Sets for constituents, gifts, campaigns, and other record types depending on your system.
You can add filters to Data Sets and use them as standalone data sources in Insights and Pathways.
What is a Data Blend?
A Data Blend combines data from multiple Data Sets into a single, enriched view. It merges records across systems so you can analyze donors holistically rather than one source at a time.
Data Blends contain two types of columns:
- Mapped columns -- Fields pulled directly from your connected Data Sets through column mapping.
- Calculated columns -- Fields Avid generates automatically, such as lifecycle classifications, giving summaries, and retention metrics.
Data Blends power the analysis in Insights and serve as data sources for audiences in Pathways.
How they work together
| Layer | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | Connects Avid to an external system and syncs data on a schedule. | Your Salesforce CRM connection |
| Data Set | Stores the raw data pulled from one integration. | Salesforce Contacts, Salesforce Opportunities |
| Data Blend | Merges multiple Data Sets into an enriched view with calculated fields. | Constituent Data Blend (CRM + email + wealth data combined) |
Column mapping
Avid maps a standard set of columns by default based on your connected system. You can customize this mapping to tell Avid which columns in your Data Sets should feed into your Data Blends. Open Settings to review and adjust mappings after your first data sync completes.
Related
- What is in a Data Blend? -- Column-level overview of what a Data Blend contains.
- Connections: A Deeper Look at Platform Integrations -- Full reference on how Avid connects to external platforms.
- Constituent Data Blend Glossary -- Complete field definitions for the Constituent Data Blend.