Data Model

Data Model is the visual representation of your CRM's data structure i.e the different entities and the relationships between them of the CRM organisation. It allows you to understand how different entities like modules and sub-forms are connected, and it also provides the list of fields and properties for each entity.

You can access the Data Model feature from Developer Hub > Data Model.

Permission

Users need Manage Extensibility or Modules Customization permission to access the Data Model feature.

Features in Data Model

Data Model comes packed with a lot of features. Here are some of the key features:

Entities and Entity List

The Data Model provides a visual representation of the different entities in your CRM and how they are interconnected. These entities include modules, custom modules, subforms, linking modules, and picklist history. By clicking on an entity, you can easily see its relationships with other entities through highlighted relationships.

You can view the list of available entities on the left side of the model. You can also choose to show or hide specific entities, or hide or show all entities at once.

Relationships

The relationships in the Data Model illustrate the type of relationships between various entities. Single relationship lines indicate a one-to-one relationship (lookup), while multi-relationship lines represent a many-to-one relationship (multi-select lookup).

To determine which field connects two entities, scroll within the entity box. The relationship line will be connected to that specific field within the entity. Please note that this is visible only if your zoom level is 75% or 100%.

For example, in the image shown above, the Campaigns and Deals modules have a one-to-one relationship via the Campaign source lookup field in Deals module. Contacts and Deals modules have a many-to-one relationship through the Contacts field in the Deals module. 

Navigate through the module to discover the connections between different modules and the fields that link them. For example, in the video displayed below, as you scroll through the Activities module, you can pinpoint the relationship between users and Activities modules, along with all the associated fields.

Zoom in/out

To get a closer or wider view of the data model, you can use the zoom in/out feature. You'll find the zoom buttons located at the bottom right corner of the page.

Mini map

The mini map is a useful feature that shows a condensed version of the data model. It allows for easy navigation through the model. To access the mini map, click on the mini map icon located in the bottom right corner of the page.

Full screen

Click on the full screen icon to view the data model in full screen mode to get a larger view. 

Visualize related entities

To visualize the related entities for a particular entity, click the View related entities icon that appears when you hover over the entity. Please note that you can view this icon only if the zoom level is 75% or 100%. 

Filter fields

You can filter the field types in the data model to show only the field types that you want to see. The field types that you can filter by are Single Line, Pick List, Lookup, Email, Phone, Checkbox, Multi-Select Lookup, Multi-Select Picklist, Number, Decimal, URL, Date, Date/Time, Formula, Currency, Auto-Number, Long Integer, Record Image, Multi-Line, File Upload, Image Upload, Multi-Module Lookup, User Lookup, Multi-User Lookup, and Percent. 

Rearrange Layouts

You can move and arrange the entities in the data model as you want by clicking and dragging them. Clicking on the Rearrange layout icon in the top right corner will rearrange the entities in an optimal arrangement.

Developer mode

Developer mode gives you more information about the entities and fields in the data model. In this mode, you can view the module and field API names, as well as the data type of each field. With this feature, you can save time and effort by eliminating the need to check the user interface manually or use APIs to retrieve field API names and data types. 

Show Legends

The Data Model utilizes different colors to represent different types of entities, aiding in better comprehension. The legend shows which color represents which entity type, and also the relations between the entities. You can show or hide the legends using the Show legends option on the top right. 

Module configuration

Hover over an entity to access Open module configuration icon which opens its layout page . This feature becomes particularly convenient when you need to update the entities while viewing the data map. Please note that you can view this icon only if the zoom level is 75% or 100%. 

Automatic updation of Data Model

When you update a module or add/delete a custom module, your data model will be automatically updated. To see the changes, refresh the data model page. If you open this page while it's being updated, you will see a Generation in Progress message. Once the update is complete, you'll be able to click the Open model button and view your updated data model.