Adobe Campaign Classic Interview Questions
Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) remains a robust marketing automation platform for enterprise-grade campaign management. Whether you’re applying for a technical consultant, developer, or campaign manager role, expect a mix of SQL logic, campaign design, delivery configuration, and integration questions. Here’s a list of commonly asked questions and suggested answers to help you prepare.
What is Adobe Campaign Classic and how is it different from Adobe Campaign Standard?
Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) is the on-premise or hybrid version of Adobe Campaign, offering deep customization, scripting (JS, SQL), and database-level access. Campaign Standard is a cloud-based version, more limited in customization but easier to manage and update.
What is the difference between Adobe Campaign Classic v7 and v8?
Adobe Campaign Classic v8 is a cloud-based, fully Adobe-managed version of the platform, offering improved scalability, performance, and reduced infrastructure maintenance. In contrast, Adobe Campaign Classic v7 is typically deployed on-premise or in a hybrid model, giving organizations full control over their infrastructure, server configurations, and customizations. While v7 allows deeper backend access and flexibility, v8 is optimized for the cloud with a managed Snowflake database and tighter security and governance controls.
What’s the difference between a query, split, and intersection in Adobe Campaign Classic workflows?
- Query: Selects records from the database using filter conditions.
- Split: Divides a population into branches based on conditions.
- Intersection: Returns only records present in both incoming populations, useful for refining segments.
How do you debug a failed delivery or workflow in Adobe Campaign?
Start with the workflow journal or logs to trace errors. For deliveries, find delivery in execution folder look for any error message in the audit log of delivery.
What is a typology rule in Adobe Campaign and how do you use it?
Typology rules govern delivery behavior. For example, pressure rules limit how many emails a person can receive in a period, and exclusion rules remove records based on criteria (like opt-outs). They are added to typologies and linked to delivery templates.
How does Adobe Campaign Classic handle data schemas?
ACC uses XML-based data schema definitions. You define custom schemas in custom/ namespace, extending built-in schemas or creating new ones. These schemas define database tables, fields, links, and cardinalities.
What is a ‘target mapping’ in ACC and why is it important?
Target mappings define how a delivery maps recipient data (like email or mobile). It sets the primary table (e.g., nms:recipient) and fields used for personalization, tracking, and delivery. Wrong target mapping can cause delivery errors or data mismatches.
What’s the role of JavaScript in Adobe Campaign Classic?
JavaScript in Adobe Campaign Classic is used across workflows, delivery personalization, and custom activities. The platform supports server-side JavaScript (ECMAScript 5), which allows you to extend functionality by integrating with external systems, processing or transforming data, and logging custom messages to the workflow journal or console.
What is a package in Adobe Campaign and how do you use it?
A package (.pkg or .xml) is a collection of configuration elements (schemas, workflows, deliveries, folders, JS libs) bundled for deployment across environments. You export from one instance (e.g., QA), validate, and import into PROD using the Package Import wizard or nlserver commands.
How do you ensure package integrity between environments?
- Maintain consistent naming conventions—especially for namespaces and internal names. A good rule of thumb: if an element is not intended to be moved across environments (e.g., test-only workflows), it doesn’t require a custom internal name. Reserve custom internal names for reusable or transportable components to avoid naming collisions and ensure package compatibility.
- Make sure all dependencies are included in the package
- Maintain versioned copies of exported packages (e.g.,
v1.3_prod_202406.xml). - Before importing, back up affected objects (schemas, workflows, deliveries) in PROD or make sure you can rollback entire server from back up.
- If possible, maintain a Git-like structure outside Adobe (manual or automated via API) to version control XML definitions.
What is the JSAPI in Adobe Campaign Classic?
The JSAPI (JavaScript API) is Adobe Campaign’s server-side scripting interface that allows you to interact with the application server using JavaScript. It extends ECMAScript 5 and provides objects like xtk.queryDef, xtk.session, and logInfo.
How do you query the database using JSAPI?
You use xtk.queryDef to define and execute database queries.
How do you pass data between activities?
You can pass data between workflow activities using JavaScript by storing values in vars or instance.vars objects.
What is the difference between vars and instance.vars in Adobe Campaign Classic?
In Adobe Campaign Classic, both vars and instance.vars are used to store and pass data within workflows, but they differ in scope and lifespan:
vars:- Scope: Local variables within a single execution thread of a workflow. Accessible to all activities downstream within the same transition path.
- Lifecycle: Values stored in
varsare lost once the workflow completes or is restarted. - Use case: Temporary data between activities in one run, e.g., storing a timestamp or query result. Adobe Campaign creates vars after each file import or delivery.
instance.vars:- Scope: Global to the workflow instance. Available to all activities in the workflow from the moment they are initialized.
- Lifecycle: Values persist even after the workflow is stopped and restarted.
- Use case: Retaining data like configuration flags or state across multiple runs or between parent and sub-workflows.
