---
title: "Configuration Steps"
slug: "configuration-steps"
updated: 2025-09-30T12:55:17Z
published: 2025-09-30T12:55:17Z
canonical: "help.csgi.com/configuration-steps"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.csgi.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuration Steps

#### 1️⃣ **Pre-Production Environment**

[Create](https://xponent-knowledge-base.document360.io/docs/environments#create-environments) and [select](https://xponent-knowledge-base.document360.io/docs/advanced-settings#analytics) an environment as your **Pre-production** analytics environment through the project settings.

All CSA data will be stored in this non-production data store to ensure separation from live production data.

If this step is not completed before uploading a file, users will see the following error: A Pre-Production environment must be designated to proceed with this workflow.

#### 2️⃣ Create Channels and Identifiers

You must pre-create the [Channels](https://xponent-knowledge-base.document360.io/docs/creating-an-interaction-type#add-a-channel) and [Identifiers](/cx/docs/creating-an-identifier-type) that are referenced in the data file before starting the CSA workflow.

Channels, associated with Interactions, are managed at the Project level, while Identifiers, associated with Profiles, are managed at the Organization level and can be reused across projects.

#### 3️⃣ Prepare Input File

Prepare a [clean input file](/cx/docs/file-upload#upload-guardrails) (≤1GB) containing Events, Channels, Identifiers, and Timestamps in [ISO 8601](https://www.iso.org/iso-8601-date-and-time-format.html) format. Xponent's default timezone is UTC. If your data is not in UTC, include a time zone offset to avoid misinterpretation.

Remove unnecessary columns, ensure data accuracy, and use clear column names for easy mapping.

#### 4️⃣ Upload File

Go to the Journey Discovery Analytics Dashboard page and use the Import Data option to [upload](/cx/docs/file-upload) the prepared file.

Only CSV and Parquet file types are supported. When selecting a file, only files of these supported types will be shown.

#### 5️⃣ Saved Mapping

If you are uploading a file with data associated with a previously saved mapping, you can also choose to reuse a **Saved Mapping** from a previous session.

This automatically applies your previously saved mapping schema to the new dataset, with the option to adjust them if needed. Using Saved Mapping saves time and ensures consistency across multiple uploads.

#### 6️⃣ Map Columns

Users must map the uploaded [columns](/cx/docs/column-header) to the required Xponent constructs: **Channels**, **Events**, **Identifiers**, and **Timestamps**.

Only one column can be mapped to Channel and Timestamp. The workflow cannot proceed until all four constructs are mapped.

#### 7️⃣ Map Identifiers

During the [Identifier Mapping](/cx/docs/identifier-mapping) step, select from the list of existing Identifiers created earlier.

New Identifiers cannot be created within the CSA workflow; pre-creation is required. If the list is long, start typing to quickly find the correct Identifier.

#### 8️⃣ Map Channels

Select from existing **Channels** created earlier during the [Channel Mapping](/cx/docs/channel-mapping) step.

New Channels cannot be created within the CSA workflow; pre-creation is required.

#### 9️⃣ Map Events

Assign each [event](/cx/docs/event-mapping) as either a Journey Step or an Interaction.

You can select from existing ones or create new ones by adding a name, description, and outcome (for steps) or engagement score (for interactions).

#### 🔟 Submit Mapping

Once all mappings are complete, [submit the workflow](/cx/docs/submit-for-processing).

The system processes the data in the background, typically **within 30 minutes**, but it may take **up to 2 hours** for large or complex files.

#### 1️⃣1️⃣ Save Mapping

After submitting a file for processing, you can save the mapping configuration for future use. The saved configuration acts as a template, making it easier to apply the same setup when uploading similar files. Once saved, the template will be available for selection under [Saved Mapping](/cx/docs/file-upload#saved-mapping) Templates.

#### 1️⃣2️⃣ View in the Analytics

After processing is complete, navigate to the J[ourney Discovery Analytics Dashboard](/cx/docs/journey-discovery-analytics-dashboard) page.

Ensure the environment filter is set to Pre-Production to view the uploaded Current-State Analytics data.