# Visitor data mapping for customer identity

Use member information supplied by your website and keep a change of customer identity separate from the previous customer.

*Release 3.3 · developer, operator, visitor*

**Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping**

## What it is

**Visitor Data Mapping** lets INSIDE use member information supplied by your website. Selected values can update the customer's contact details. When replacement information identifies a different customer, INSIDE clears earlier member and identity details before applying it.

## Who uses it and why

- Developers connect your website's member information to INSIDE.
- Operators use the resulting details to identify the person they are helping.
- Visitors benefit when changing accounts on a shared browser does not carry the previous customer's details into the replacement profile.

## Where to find it

With the **Settings** or **Manager** role, find mappings under **Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping**. Operators see the resulting details in the visitor and contact information panels.

## How it works

INSIDE receives member information from the website and checks which mapped values have **Persist** enabled. Values that correspond to contact fields update the contact information for that visit. Other persisted values become retained visitor information.

When the supplied identity changes, INSIDE clears previous member information and leftover identity, name and phone details before applying the replacement. It then checks the new information against existing contacts. This can change the associated contact or leave a conflict for review.

If the identity has not changed, an omitted persisted value can retain its earlier visitor value. An omitted field therefore does not always mean that its saved value is deleted.

## Configure it

With the **Settings** or **Manager** role and permission to change **Visitor Data Mapping**, you can add or edit a mapping:

1. Enter the integration's **Variable** and a display **Name**.
2. Select **Member** as the **Data Source** and choose the **Data Type**.
3. Enable **Persist** for values that should be saved.
4. Check that the corresponding contact fields exist where contact storage is required.

Developers should test replacement identities as well as ordinary updates, especially when two people use the same browser.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persist | Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping | website | Off for a new mapping | Settings role, Manager role | Save a mapped member value so it can update contact information or retained visitor data. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping | No | Identify the value supplied by the website integration. |
| Name | Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping | Yes | Set the display name of the mapped value. |
| Data Source | Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping | No | Choose Member for information supplied about the website member. |
| Data Type | Settings › Events › Visitor Data Mapping | No | Describe the mapped value as Number, String or Array. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Manage Visitor Data Mapping, subject to delegated Settings permissions. |
| Manager | Manage Visitor Data Mapping where Manager permissions allow changes. |

## Limits and good to know

- Displaying a member value and persisting it are separate choices.
- A replacement identity does not authorise an unconditional merge of two existing contacts.
- Identity matching can use information supplied over several steps in the same visit.
- Clearing previous session details does not erase the previous customer's saved contact.
- Website sign-out behaviour depends on what your integration sends to INSIDE. Test that flow explicitly.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Visitor contact-field definitions determine which persisted member values become contact information.
- **Configured in** [Visitor data mapping for targeting](VIS-007.md): Visitor Data Mapping selects which supplied member values are saved through Persist.
- **Configured in** [Cookie consent and opting out](VIS-018.md): Restricted no-cookie tracking omits the member identity and contact details used by member-data mapping.
- **Works better with** [Customer contact details](CRM-001.md): Persisted member fields can update contact information.
- **Works better with** [Contact matching](CRM-003.md): Supplied identities are checked against existing contacts.
- **Works better with** [Contact merge preview and assignment](CRM-004.md): Competing identities can require contact review.
- **Works better with** [Salesforce contacts](CRM-011.md): A mapped Salesforce identity can trigger Salesforce matching.

### Used by

- **Enhances** [Visitor identity](VIS-001.md): An integration can supply a member identity that helps restore an existing visitor.
- **Enhances** [Visitor data mapping for targeting](VIS-007.md): Supplied member information provides a source for visitor mappings.
- **Enhances** [Visitor names and session codes](VIS-017.md): Website member information can supply a visitor name.
- **Enhances** [Contact matching](CRM-003.md): Website member information supplies identities and handles replacement customers.
- **Enhances** [Zendesk tickets and contacts](CRM-019.md): A recognised member email can cause INSIDE to change the linked Zendesk user.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why does a value appear during the visit but not update the contact?

Check **Persist** and whether the supplied variable corresponds to a contact field. A display mapping alone does not make it a saved contact value.

### Why did a missing value stay in place?

When INSIDE does not detect a new identity, it can reuse an earlier persisted visitor value. Send and test the intended update rather than assuming omission clears it.

### Why did changing the signed-in customer change the contact?

INSIDE checks replacement identity information separately from the previous customer's details. It may associate the visit with another contact or request conflict review.

### Does changing accounts delete the previous customer?

No. Clearing information from the current visit is separate from deleting a saved contact.