Prepare your targeting CSV file for an Email deployment via Skeepers Targeting

Updated August 17, 2026 15:13

This article walks you step by step through creating your targeting CSV file, used with Targeting Studio for your Email campaigns.

What is the targeting CSV file for?

The targeting CSV file lets you associate each contact with the campaign they should receive. This means each row represents one contact.

The targeting_ref column defines which campaign should be sent to them.

Once the file is completed, it is deposited on the SFTP, where it is automatically picked up and processed by the platform (learn more about FTP deposit types).

This file is not a complete CRM contact database. It is used solely to manage targeting orders.

Naming the CSV file

To ensure your files remain compatible over time, we recommend using a versioned naming convention.

Use the following format:
targeting_v1_YYYY-MM-DD (for example : targeting_v1_2026-04-28-clients_vip.csv)

This convention makes it possible to anticipate future changes to the file format without impacting your existing campaigns.

General file structure

Your file must comply with the following rules:

Format: CSV (UTF-8)
A header row (required)
One row = one contact
Required content:
- standard fields
- the targeting_ref column
- at least one contact identifier: consumer_id, email or phone

All column names must be in lowercase.

Since our data processing tools are case-insensitive, it is not possible to process two columns in the same file whose names differ only by case (e.g. Nom_Custom vs nom_custom).

Use lowercase only for all your columns (standard and custom).

Standard fields

Standard fields are common to all customers. They let you identify the contact and, if needed, personalize your messages.

Column	Status	Description
`firstname`	Required	Contact's first name
`lastname`	Required	Contact's last name
`targeting_ref`	Required	Value of your choice
`consumer_id`	Optional	Your internal customer identifier (customer number, CRM ID…). Lets you identify a contact without relying on their email, and stays the same regardless of the channel (email and SMS).
`email`	Optional	Email address
`phone`	Optional	Phone number
`gender`	Optional	Gender (M / F)
`civility`	Optional	Title (Mr / Ms / Dr)
`lang`	Optional	Preferred language (e.g. fr, en)
`country`	Optional	Country
`solicitation_date`	Optional	Lets you explicitly define the date on which the contact should be solicited.

Points to note

Column names must be strictly identical
targeting_ref is the link between your file and your campaigns
Even though consumer_id, email and phone are all three optional, each row must contain at least one of the three in order to be processed. The delivery channel remains a constraint on top of this: an email campaign requires a usable email, and an SMS campaign requires a usable phone.
If solicitation_date is empty, the date used will be the file's integration date
A delay can be applied via the campaign launch rules

Identifying a contact: the consumer_id field

Historically, a contact was identified by their email (or phone number). You can now use your own customer identifier via the consumer_id column.

Why use it?

A single identifier for both channels: the same consumer_id value can be used for email and for SMS, which avoids having to manage two different identification keys.
You stay in control of the key: it is your own CRM / e-commerce identifier, independent of changes to your customers' email address or phone number.
More reliable tracking: solicitations and responses from the same customer are linked to the correct contact, even if their contact details change.

Priority order for identifying the contact

The consumer_id field is optional. When processing the file, contact identification follows this cascade:

consumer_id if provided
otherwise email
otherwise phone

If none of the three is provided, the row cannot be processed.

Best practices

Use a value that is stable over time: the same customer should always carry the same consumer_id, from one file to the next.
Use a value that is unique per customer: two different customers should never share the same consumer_id.
If you adopt consumer_id, populate it on every row of your files, in order to avoid mixing two identification logics.

Example CSV file with consumer_id

consumer_id	firstname	lastname	email	phone	targeting_ref
CLI-100234	Marie	Durand	marie@email.com	+33600000001	VIP_CLIENT
CLI-100987	Jean	Martin		+33600000002	NOUVEAU_CLIENT

In this example:

Marie and Jean are identified by their consumer_id, regardless of the channel used
Jean can be targeted even without an email address, via his phone number

Minimal example CSV file (without consumer_id)

firstname	lastname	email	targeting_ref
Marie	Durand	marie@email.com	VIP_CLIENT
Jean	Martin	jean@email.com	NOUVEAU_CLIENT

In this example:

Marie will receive the campaign associated with VIP_CLIENT
Jean will receive the one associated with NOUVEAU_CLIENT
identification relies on the email address, in the absence of consumer_id

Adding custom attributes

You can enrich your file with custom columns to:

Add business information
Create segments
Personalize your messages

The column name must exactly match the name of the attribute that already exists in your Feedback Management account.

Duplicate management

Duplicate management is handled automatically when the file is processed.

Deduplication relies on the identifier used for the row (see the priority order above) combined with targeting_ref:

If consumer_id is provided → duplicate detected on the consumer_id + targeting_ref pair
Otherwise → duplicate detected on the email + targeting_ref pair
Otherwise → duplicate detected on the phone + targeting_ref pair

Only one contact is kept; duplicates are automatically removed.

Key takeaways

Before uploading your file, check that:
the file is in CSV format
column names are correct and in lowercase
the targeting_ref column is present
each row contains a targeting_ref value
each row contains at least one identifier: consumer_id, email or phone
consumer_id values are stable and identical from one file to the next
your custom attributes exist in your account

Errors to avoid

Renaming the standard fields
Forgetting the targeting_ref column
Leaving a row with no identifier at all (consumer_id, email and phone all empty)
Changing a consumer_id value for the same customer from one file to the next (creates duplicates)
Using the same consumer_id for several different customers
Mixing several targeting logics inconsistently
Using special characters or spaces in column names

Download the CSV file template

To help you, we provide a ready-to-use CSV template, including:

standard fields (including consumer_id)
the targeting_ref column
examples of custom attributes

Download the standard targeting CSV template

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Customer Care team.

This article walks you step by step through creating your targeting CSV file, used with Targeting Studio for your Email campaigns.

What is the targeting CSV file for?

Naming the CSV file

General file structure

Standard fields

Points to note

Identifying a contact: the consumer_id field

Why use it?

Priority order for identifying the contact

Example CSV file with consumer_id

Minimal example CSV file (without consumer_id)

Adding custom attributes

Duplicate management

Key takeaways

Errors to avoid

Download the CSV file template

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Customer Care team.

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