IMPORTANT: With our latest version of the iMIS EMS-to-Informz integration, Higher Logic and ASI have developed an on-demand model for syncing marketing lists from your IQAs. This replaces the hourly sync which could slow the performance of your iMIS instance. On-demand syncing works best when lists have fewer than 15,000 contacts; larger lists can time out before the mailing is scheduled to send.
Larger lists will still sync nightly, and we can work with you to confirm which integration version you are using and whether on-demand syncing will fit with your lists. In Q4, both Higher Logic and ASI have improvements planned for handling larger lists that will both raise the threshold and provide better insight into whether a list will finish in time for the mailing to send.
We're also developing a new method for writing back activities to display in a format closer to how activities were displayed before moving to Cloud, with a timeline of late-Q4 to mid-Q1.
NOTE: This article is for the Higher Logic Thrive Marketing Professional integration with iMIS. For information on the Higher Logic Thrive Community integration with iMIS, see iMIS Integration - Version Migration Guide (Thrive Community).
Higher Logic and ASI, along with our partners ATS, have developed new integrations to support customers migrating to iMIS EMS. These integrations are built to provide depth of features while being scalable and maintainable in ASI's iMIS EMS Software as a Service (SaaS) hosting environment. As environments change, there are differences in what data can be pulled and/or written back, and at what frequency.
This guide provides version-based recommendations, as well as information on what features are available when integrating your Higher Logic Thrive Marketing Professional (Thrive Marketing Professional) account with iMIS.
As you plan your migration to iMIS EMS, it's important that you work with Higher Logic, ASI, and your iMIS partner to plan the migration and understand what is changing. To prepare for the migration, we recommend that you review:
- The IQA or SQL queries that you're using — for both the Higher Logic integration and in general — in order to determine how they're being used and how best to accomplish your goals in iMIS EMS.
- The integration features below to understand some of the differences in how data moves between Higher Logic and the various versions of iMIS.
- Your Thrive Marketing Professional target groups, and that you update or remove them, as needed, in order to bring over relevant and high-value lists.
iMIS version migration recommendations
Higher Logic has established version-based migration recommendations.
NOTE: Thrive Marketing Professional does not integrate with iMIS versions 100/200.
| iMIS Version | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 20.2.x | Maintain your existing integration until you upgrade to iMIS EMS. Coordinate with ASI and/or your ASI partner to plan your upgrade and review your queries ahead of a planned upgrade. |
| 20.3.x, using Higher Logic integration, v1 | Work with Higher Logic to upgrade to Higher Logic integration, v2. Higher Logic will contact you to plan this upgrade. |
| 20.3.x, using Higher Logic integration, v2 | No action necessary; you are on the latest version. |
Integration features
NOTE: Thrive Marketing Professional does not integrate with iMIS versions 100/200.
This section provides information on integration features, based on iMIS versions and current integration types.
iMIS version 20.2.x
Integration: SQL-based
The SQL-based integration will continue to connect with this iMIS version. iMIS-hosted customers must coordinate the installation and access with ASI.
iMIS version EMS 20.3.x
Integration: Higher Logic integration, v2
Integration features:
- Custom Personalizations are pulled nightly from Panel fields, via IQA
- Updated Contacts and standard personalizations are synced hourly
- Marketing Lists synced from an IQA, on demand via the Thrive Marketing Professional user interface
- All lists in the IQA folder are updated nightly for new lists and campaigns
- An iMIS communications preference token can be included in mailings as a preference link
- Writebacks are supported. Currently, they are sent to the Activities table but a move to Panel fields is planned in 2023.
IMPORTANT: Migrating to Cloud/EMS from self-hosted iMIS
Your organization might have custom SQL or scripts running that support the integration, manage mailing lists, or which automate activities that may or may not be Higher Logic-related.
It's important that you review those with ASI or your iMIS reseller/AiSP prior to migrating. Some of these might not be supported in EMS or might have to be updated and/or converted to an IQA and reviewed for performance in the SaaS hosting environment.