Dynamics 365 News, News 31 January 2020

What is Common Data Model?

The most difficult challenge in any (CRM or ERP) project is the integration between the applications. The common data model helps to synchronise these Dynamics 365 apps.

What is Common Data Model?, Fabric

With the launch of Microsoft Dynamics 365 in 2016, Microsoft took it’s applications to a new level and further enforced its presence as a true leader in cloud technologies through the introduction of the Common Data Model.

The most difficult challenge in any (CRM or ERP) project is integration between the applications which takes a lot of development time. The Common Data Model compromises of a set of standard business entities which allow data to be synchronised across multiple applications.

Read more: What is CRM, ERP and which one is Dynamics 365? 

Shared Data Model

As shown in the below diagram, each application has its own database but read and write to a centralised shared data model. The Shared Data Model is the adopter for integrations between applications and makes it easier for information to flow.

Shared data model

For instance, take D365 for Sales and D365 for Finance and Operations. These applications store and process data in a similar way but not identical. Currency data is recorded differently on each transaction, but both apps support and use many different currencies. When integrating these applications, data is easily matched up through the common data model and easily communicated on both sides of CRM/ERP.

The below table illustrates the table structure of the Common Data Model.

Common Data Model

How do I get the common data model?

Simply by subscribing to Office 365 and Dynamics 365. Office 365 is deeply integrated with Microsoft Flow which enables data to be moved across applications with a set of these connectors.

To find out more about how the common data model can be used with your Dynamics 365, get in touch with a cloud application specialist at Fabric IT.

What is Common Data Model?, Fabric

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