AEP identity: how identity resolution works

Core concepts

Identity namespace

The context of an identifier, for example Email or CRM ID. Custom namespaces can be created.

Primary identity

The identifier used to store a record's profile fragment.

Identity graph

The set of linked identities for one person.

Designing an identity strategy step by step

1. Inventory every identifier in each source and how reliably it identifies a person.
2. Rank identifiers by uniqueness (for example CRM ID above email above device IDs).
3. Decide which identifiers should link profiles and which should not.
4. Exclude shared or low-quality values (shared devices, placeholder emails, test data).
5. Test graphs with real sample data in a development sandbox before production.

Common identity problems

• Graph collapse: a shared identifier (such as a call-centre phone number) links many people into one graph.
• Missing links: authenticated events do not carry the CRM ID, so known and anonymous activity never join.
• Format mismatch: the same email arrives in different cases or hashing formats.

Review the current Adobe documentation for identity graph linking rules and limits before you design production graphs, as these capabilities evolve.

Who this guide is for

This guide is written for beginners, students and career switchers who want a clear mental model, and for developers, data engineers, implementation specialists, consultants, architects, marketers, agencies and enterprise teams who need practical, step-by-step detail they can apply on real projects.