How are CDAs maintained and updated | Community
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I am looking for documentation on how CDA attributes are created and updated as these attributes change, specifically how these are updated when the CDA originates from a 3rd party system (e.g. when customer data is updated in our CRM, how do I synchronize these changes in the Intercom CDA array?)

Hey ​@John Kaczmarowski 👋 Jacques here from Intercom Support. I hope all is well today!

Custom Data Attributes (CDAs) in Intercom are fields used to store customer-specific information, such as plan type or signup date. Here’s how they are created, updated, and synchronized with third-party systems like a CRM:

  • Creation:
    CDAs can be created manually in the Intercom UI, via the REST API, or automatically when data is sent from a third-party integration (e.g., CRM, Stripe, Salesforce). If a new attribute is sent from a third-party system and doesn’t exist in Intercom, it will be created automatically (if workspace settings allow).

  • Updating:
    CDAs are updated through several channels: API calls, CSV imports, third-party integrations, or (optionally) via the Intercom Messenger. Each attribute can be configured to restrict updates from the Messenger for security. Updates must use valid JSON values (string, number, boolean, or timestamp).

  • Synchronization with Third-Party Systems:
    When customer data changes in your CRM, the integration or a custom sync process sends the updated values to Intercom, updating the mapped CDAs. This is typically a one-way sync: the CRM is the source of truth, and Intercom receives updates via API, scheduled imports, or built-in integrations. Intercom uses an ExternalReference mapping to ensure updates are applied to the correct records.

  • Best Practices:
    • Restrict Messenger-based updates for sensitive CDAs to prevent unauthorized changes.
    • Enable Identity Verification for added security.
    • Regularly review CDA mappings and usage to maintain data integrity.

Not all data types are supported - CDAs accept strings, numbers, booleans, and timestamps, but not nested objects or arrays. Synchronization is generally one-way from the third-party system to Intercom to avoid data conflicts.

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