Get Phone Number List Facet from IContactProcessingContext

Question

I have a custom activity in marketing automation. Then I try to get phone number when user IContactProcessingContext, but context.Contact.GetFacet() return null. Any suggestions as to what I need to do in order to get the Phone Number from PhoneNumberList facet ?

I'm using Sitecore 9.0.2.

My controller:

public class SendSMS : IActivity
{
    public IActivityServices Services { get; set; }
    // Parameters
    public string Message { get; set; }
    public ActivityResult Invoke(IContactProcessingContext context)
    {
        string preferredMail = string.Empty;            

        ////get email facet from context contact            



        PhoneNumberList facet = context.Contact.GetFacet<PhoneNumberList>();

        ////exiting activity with failure
        if (facet == null || facet.PreferredPhoneNumber == null)
        {
            return (ActivityResult)new Failure("The Phone Number list Facet Has Not Been Set Successfully");
        }
        string phoneNumber = facet.PreferredPhoneNumber.Number;
        //instantiating email service without DI for simplicity
        var smsService = new SmsService();
        if (!smsService.SendSms(phoneNumber, this.Message))
        {
            return (ActivityResult)new Failure("Failed to send sms message");
        }

        return (ActivityResult)new SuccessMove("true");
    }

Answer 1

The PhoneNumbers Facet is not included as a default facet expand options in MA

I think I found this for you. The xml configuration file sc.MarketingAutomation.ActivityTypes.xml has a section called IncludeFacetNames that defines what facets to include when the contact is created. So if you update the section to include the PhoneNumberList facet, it will be there by default.

<Options>
    <IncludeFacetNames>
        <Facet1>Emails</Facet1>
        <Facet2>ListSubscriptions</Facet2>
        <Facet3>ContactBehaviorProfile</Facet3>
    </IncludeFacetNames>
    <ExcludeFacetNames />
</Options>

to

<Options>
    <IncludeFacetNames>
        <Facet1>Emails</Facet1>
        <Facet2>ListSubscriptions</Facet2>
        <Facet3>ContactBehaviorProfile</Facet3>
        <Facet4>PhoneNumbers</Facet4>
    </IncludeFacetNames>
    <ExcludeFacetNames />
</Options>

The file can be located here in the root of your xconnect site.

\xconnect\App_Data\jobs\continuous\AutomationEngine\App_Data\Config\sitecore\MarketingAutomation\sc.MarketingAutomation.ActivityTypes.xml

Now when the contact loads, phone numbers are there.

The Proper way to patch a config in MA service

Rathen than edit the out of the box xml config files. It is better to patch them. Here is how you do it.

In the folder \xconnect\App_Data\jobs\continuous\AutomationEngine\App_Data\Config\sitecore\MarketingAutomation\ create a folder called custom. In that folder create a file called sc.MarketingAutomation.ActivityTypes.xml. It must be named exactly the same as the file you are patching. In that file, place the xml below and save. Restart the MA windows service.

<Settings>
  <Sitecore>
    <XConnect>
      <MarketingAutomation>
        <Engine>
          <Services>
            <MarketingAutomation.Loading.ContactFacetsConfigurator>
              <Options>
                <IncludeFacetNames>
                    <Facet4>PhoneNumbers</Facet4>
                </IncludeFacetNames>
               </Options>
            </MarketingAutomation.Loading.ContactFacetsConfigurator>
          </Services>
        </Engine>
       </MarketingAutomation>
     </XConnect>
   </Sitecore>
</Settings>

Answer 2

You need to include the PhoneNumberList facet which has a facet key of PhoneNumbers. You can patch it in by creating a new file that loads after the xconnect_root\App_data\jobs\continuous\AutomationEngine\App_Data\Config\sitecore\MarketingAutomation\sc.MarketingAutomation.ContactLoader

<Settings>
  <Sitecore>
    <XConnect>
      <MarketingAutomation>
        <Engine>
          <Services>
            <MarketingAutomation.Loading.ContactFacetsConfigurator>
              <Options>
                <IncludeFacetNames>
                  <PhoneNumbers>PhoneNumbers</PhoneNumbers>
                </IncludeFacetNames>
              </Options>
            </MarketingAutomation.Loading.ContactFacetsConfigurator>
          </Services>
        </Engine>
      </MarketingAutomation>
    </XConnect>
  </Sitecore>
</Settings>

Answer 3

After creating the Activity Type class and registering your custom activity type and services in Marketing Automation, you'll need to register the PhoneNumber facet in Marketing Automation.

By Default, below OOTB facets are registered under Markating Automation:

   <IncludeFacetNames>
          <Addresses>Addresses</Addresses>
          <ConsentInformation>ConsentInformation</ConsentInformation>
          <Emails>Emails</Emails>
          <EngagementMeasures>EngagementMeasures</EngagementMeasures>
          <ListSubscriptions>ListSubscriptions</ListSubscriptions>
          <Personal>Personal</Personal>
          <InteractionsCache>InteractionsCache</InteractionsCache>
    </IncludeFacetNames>

Now, To register the other contact facets in ContactLoader config patch. Create a new patch file sc.MarketingAutomation.ContactLoader.xml at below path <path_to_xconnect>\App_Data\jobs\continuous\AutomationEngine\App_Data\Config\sitecore\MarketingAutomation_patch

(Note: I've created a new folder named MarketingAutomation_patch to include all patches for marketing automation under this folder.)

<Settings>
 <!--
   Marketing Automation contact loader configuration
-->
 <Sitecore>
   <XConnect>
     <MarketingAutomation>
       <Engine>
         <Services>
           <MarketingAutomation.Loading.ContactFacetsConfigurator>
             <Options>
               <IncludeFacetNames>
                 <PhoneNumbers>PhoneNumbers</PhoneNumbers>
               </IncludeFacetNames>
             </Options>
           </MarketingAutomation.Loading.ContactFacetsConfigurator>
         </Services>
       </Engine>
     </MarketingAutomation>
   </XConnect>
 </Sitecore>
</Settings>

I've covered all the steps in details to create a new custom action in Marketing Automation and deployment here: https://sitecorewithraman.wordpress.com/2021/04/25/sitecore-marketing-automation-custom-action-part-iii/