Exporting session data is an integral feature to a session archive solution. The session data that is exported with data export can be used to resolve various problems and help settle disputes with customers.

You must purchase data export separately. Upon purchase, the feature is enabled and displayed in the Manage data navigation. If data export is not listed, it means that your organization did not purchase the feature.

The data export feature exports data only, it is not an archive solution. Where, why, and how you store exported session data depends on standards and guidelines at your site. For example, for exported sessions you might archive exported session data with Amazon Web Service, or your own on-premise storage systems. See Set up a storage bucket for your exported data with Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) for an example of what you need to do if you are using Amazon S3 for storing exported sessions.

About data export

Data export is a separately purchasable add-on for creating, managing, and monitoring tasks that export session data to long term storage. In addition to the information provided below, we also offer a data export course in Acoustic Academy. To enroll, visit Data Export Add-On - Tealeaf SaaS.

Note: Customers that have the data export add-on, also get offline replay. With offline replay, you can download and package visitor sessions that can be played without being connected to the internet. For information on how to download and use offline replay sessions, see Offline replay.

With data export you can extract session data, which can then be stored for retrieval later. You can also use data export to monitor and manage Session list export tasks.

When using data export to export sessions, users with Administrator authorization can select sessions of interest to export based on defined criteria. For example, a user can export customer sessions that include specific types of events or session attributes.

A tool for tracking visitor interactions is provided in the user interface. The tool calculates and tracks million monthly interactions (MMI) data for sessions, which can help you determine the resources that are needed to meet your session export requirements. An administrator can view and export MMI data for exported sessions from the MMI Report.

To export sessions, a user creates a task that exports sessions to a specified file format (CSV or LTS).

Note: For larger exports, export CSV size limit for production environments in all data centers (DAL, WDC, FRA, SYD) is 150GB. Smaller exports will result in no change.

If you choose LTS as the format for the exported session, the output is a PDF file for metadata and electronic signature with an embedded lts attachment. The metadata contains all the captured data so that you can retrieve the session data exactly as it was seen in .

If you choose CSV as the format for the exported session, the output is a dat file (in CSV format). The first row contains the headers and the following rows contain the session data. You can open dat files with a standard text file editor. Each file contains data from 25 sessions (25 sessions are exported in a batch).

The output from a session that is exported in CSV format is a dat file with the following content:

Note: Every file has session IDs and hit IDs as common identifiers.

• BulkEvents: Events and Dimensions
• SessionDetails: Session details
• HitCookies: Hit cookies
• HTTPHeaders: Http headers
• BulkURLs: URLs
• EventNames: Event name 
• DimensionNames:  Dimension name

Before the selected sessions are archived, the data is compressed to significantly reduce data storage requirements. Sessions that are not marked for export are eventually discarded in accordance with data retention values.

In addition to exporting sessions by task, you can export sessions extemporaneously using the Download Session option from the session search list.

Data export tasks

You can also use data export to monitor and manage session list export tasks that can be created from the session search results page. After you create a data export task, it runs according to the time and schedule specified.

You can remain on the interface to monitor the progress of the task. Refresh the page to see progress.

The success or failure of the task is noted in the user interface. If the task fails, you can hover over the Failed icon to get information about what caused it to fail.

Create a data export task

Expand Manage Data from the navigation, and select Data Export. Then, select + New task and complete the configuration steps. You can also create an export task for a session list from the Session Search results page.

Schedule the task.

1. Provide a name and description.
2. Activate or deactivate the task.

   Activating the task means that the task is triggered automatically at the time that is specified in Run export at.

   Deactivating the task means that the task is not triggered automatically. The session export task remains dormant until you activate it manually.

   You can activate or deactivate tasks from the Actions menu in the Session Export user interface.

3. Specify an output format for the session that you are exporting.

   Sessions that are exported in the CSV format are not replayable. If you select CSV as the format, the output for the exported session data is a .DAT file in .CSV format.

   When you select a CSV format, an additional step for configuring the output of the .DAT file is displayed.

   If you want users to be able to upload and replay the exported session, select LTS. The output is a .pdf file with an embedded lts attachment.

4. Set the time and schedule to run the task.

   If you select the session export period retrospectively, the time must be within your purchased retention period for Tealeaf. For example, if today is November 14 and your organization has 14 days of retention for Tealeaf, you can select the period that starts November 1.

5. Select the application from which you want to export session data.
6. Set filters for the export task.

   Using the radio buttons, specify the type of data to include or exclude and then further refine your filter.

   If you select more than one type of data, the exported sessions meet any of criteria that you selected. For example, you might want to filter by a "purchase" event or by a customized event for a "promo code". If you are filtering by a purchase event, the exported session can be used as record for the returning customer, if that customer disputes the 30-day return policy. For the case of a "promo code", the exported session might be used for returning customers who dispute the promo code.

   You can also select Saved searches and apply the existing search conditions from a saved search as a filter for the session export task.

7. For CSV format type only: Configure the output of the .DAT file.

   Specify which bulk attributes to include your session export by selecting the .DAT files.

   By selecting only the .DAT file(s) you need, you can reduce the size of the .DAT file, which can lower your Export MMI costs.

   If you are exporting BulkEvents.dat, select the events to include.

8. Configure notifications by adding email addresses of the users who you want to notify when the task completes.

Export data from an uploaded session list (CSV) file

As a Data Export administrator, you can use Data Export to export data from an uploaded Session list (CSV file).

Use the following procedure to export data from a Session list (CSV file).

1. From Data Export, select the Session data tab.
2. Click +New task and configure the task.
   • To export data from a session list, you must select Run once from the session export options.
   • If you select CSV as the format, an option to configure outputs is added to the form.
3. Click Next.
4. Select the application and click Next.
5. From the Filter the data step, select the radio button for Session list.
   • You can download the CSV file template.
6. Browse the CSV that you want to upload and select it. If the file meets the size and format guidelines, it's uploaded.
7. Click Next.
8. Set notifications and Save.

You can manage and monitor the uploaded session list export task from the "once-run" table in the Session list tab.

Set up a storage bucket for exported data with Amazon S3

The following is a procedural guideline for setting up an Amazon S3 storage bucket for that data that is exported by the Data Export feature that is owned by you, the client. For detailed instructions on how to set up and use Amazon S3, see the Amazon Simple Storage Service Documentation.

Note: The setup procedure below contains sample data values, which you would replace with values specific to your configuration.

1. Provide your S3 bucket name and ARN of KMS key to Acoustic.

For example:

arn:aws:kms:us-east-1:888888888888:key/88d88888-c35d-4e9e-88bf-f8e7b8ede7bf

Test Bucket Name:

my-own-export-bucket

Use full ARN of KMS key in the bucket encryption setting.

2. Add KMS key access policies to allow Acoustic IAM user / role to access the key.

For example:

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow", 
            "Principal": {
                "AWS": [
                   "arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks-worker-role",
                   "arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks2-worker-role"
                   ]
            },
            "Action": [
                "kms:Decrypt",
                "kms:Encrypt",
                "kms:GenerateDataKey",
                "kms:DescribeKey"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:kms:us-east-1:287583490320:key/keyName"

3. Add the bucket policy to allow an IAM role of Acoustic account to Get/Put objects.

Using arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks-worker-role as an example:

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Principal": {
                "AWS": [
                   "arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks-worker-role",
                   "arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks2-worker-role"
                   ]
            },
            "Action": [
                "s3:PutObject",
                "s3:PutObjectAcl",
                "s3:GetObject",
                "s3:GetObjectAcl"
            ],
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:s3:::my-own-export-bucket/*"
            ]
        },
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Principal": {
                "AWS": [
                   "arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks-worker-role",
                   "arn:aws:iam::888888888888:role/tealeaf-prod-dc-eks2-worker-role"
                   ]
            },
            "Action": [
                "s3:ListBucket",
                "s3:GetBucketLocation"
            ],
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:s3:::my-own-export-bucket"
            ]
        }

After you have created your Amazon S3 bucket, representatives from Acoustic will guide you through the procedure of testing the S3 storage bucket and migrating data to the S3 bucket (applicable to existing Data export customers only). 

Access your exported session data from a Tealeaf-managed S3 bucket

When you export session data from Tealeaf, the data is exported to a cloud-based AWS server, which is S3-compatible. With S3-compatible storage, you can access, manage, and download exported session data over an S3-compliant client, such as Cyberduck or WinSCP.

The following diagram illustrates the process for accessing your exported session data over an S3-compliant client.

The following conditions must exist for users to be able to log into the S3-compliant client and access the session data from the S3 bucket.

• The user must be an active Tealeaf user.
• The organization must be an active Tealeaf organization.
• The user has access to the Tealeaf organization.
• The API Key ID is used as the Login ID and the user’s Acoustic password to logon to your bucket.
• The cloud storage account type is Default.

1. Generate and save your API key.

   The API key serves as you username in the S3-compliant client.

   To generate the API key, you must be an administrator in My Acoustic. If you aren't an administrator, ask one to generate the API key and give it to you to complete the process.

   1. Go to My Acoustic. Click the three-dot menu on the tile for your organization, and click Manage. Click API keys from the left navigation.
      

      

   2. Click Generate API key, enter a name and description and click Generate.

      Note: Make sure to copy the generated API key from the UI and paste it into a document. The generated key is not saved in the UI. Once you close the UI you will no longer have access to the key. If you lose the key, regenerate the key and complete the process with the new key.

      

      Note: The API keys will expire and stop working if you do not use them for 30 days.

2. Obtain the AWS server URL for your organization and copy it.
   1. Select Data Export from Tealeaf navigation.
   2. Expand an export task to view the history, and select the information icon to access the server URL.

      

   3. Copy the Server URL.
3. Enter the API key and server URL so the S3-compliant client can connect to the AWS server.

   Make sure the port is 22 and SSH private key is set to None.

   Using the Cyberduck client as an example:

   

   Save and close your configuration settings for the client.

4. Connect to the AWS server over your S3-compliant client.

   Some SFTP clients allow you to save connection settings in a bookmark. The bookmark stores the details of an FTP connection so you can reconnect to the server quickly and easily.

   Open your saved connection properties and log into the AWS server with your Acoustic ID.

   Using Cyberduck as an example:

   

5. Expand the S3-bucket containing the exported session data and download to file to your computer.

   

Your download is complete and you are able to use the files.

What's next?

Now that you've learned the foundation of exporting session data, check out our Acoustic Academy course, Exporting All Data to learn more!