Defining Data Models in the Configuration Workbench

You can use this Web Dynpro application to define and activate a data model to map master data in the system, along with its properties and relationships. The system uses this data model to generate database tables in which the master data can be stored.

You can assign a reuse active area to a data model or to individual entity types of a data model. Then the inactive portion of master data for this data model is stored in the generated tables and the active portion is stored in the database tables specified in the reuse active area.

Note Note

You can also assign a reuse active area on the level of an entity type.

End of the note.

Prerequisites

You have created any customer-specific data elements you want to use for the entity types in the data model or for their attributes.

If you use entity types with internal key assignments, you can define prefixes for internal key assignment. You do this in Customizing for Master Data Governance under Start of the navigation path General Settings Next navigation step Define Prefixes for Internal Key Assignment End of the navigation path .

Features

Selecting Data Models or Creating New Ones

In the Configuration Workbench screen, you can select a data model for editing or you can create a new data model. By default, the system displays all data models that are available for processing.

For each data model you can see whether an inactive version of the data model exists alongside the active version and whether that version differs from the active version. .

Working with Data Models and their Entity Types

After you select a data model for editing or create a new data model in the Configuration Workbench screen, the Data Model screen opens.

In the Data Model screen, you can complete the following tasks:

Edit data model details
Create and customize entity types that belong to a data model.
Check the validity of your settings using the Check button.
Activate changes using the Activate button.
Enable and disable entity types, attributes, and relationships
For more information, see Adapting Standard MDG Content to Your Business Needs

Data Model Details Panel

In the Data Model Details panel, you can edit the data model description and view details such as version, and activation status

Entity Types Panel

You can select an entity type or create a new one in the Entity Types panel. You can edit settings for a selected or newly created entity type using the tab pages.

Entity Details Tab

Entity Details is divided into the following sections:

General Details

You must define a Storage and Use Type for the entity type. In addition, you can provide other data, such as a description and a data element.
Hierarchies

You can indicate whether hierarchies are allowed and what properties they are allowed to have. You can only allow a hierarchy to be set up for entity types with storage and use type 1.
Key Assignment

You can indicate how keys are assigned to the entity type.
Enablement Status
You can enable entity types that are relevant to your business and disable entity types that are irrelevant to your business.
Reuse
You can specify a reuse active area and references to elements of the data dictionary.
Texts

You can specify the fields of the check tables that contain the texts for an entity type. This is only possible for entity types of storage and use type 3.

Attributes Tab

Here you define the attributes of each entity type in the data model. Attributes are mapped as non-key fields in the generated database tables of the entity type. You also need to assign an existing data element to each attribute. The data element determines the technical properties of the attribute as well as the field labels and the input help texts on the user interface. Attributes can be defined as required entry fields or as optional fields. You use a currency-supplying attribute or a unit-supplying attribute to assign a currency or unit of measure to the attribute.

Incoming Relationships and Outgoing Relationships Tabs

Relationships can be viewed from the perspective of each of the entity types that are involved. For example, the HAS_ADRE relationship between BP_HEADER and ADDRESS can be viewed from the perspective of both entity types.

You can view the relationship in the following ways:

If you select the BP_HEADER entity type, you can view the relationship in the Outgoing Relationships tab page.
If you select the ADDRESS entity type, you can view the relationship in the Incoming Relationships tab page.

For all relationships, you can define properties such as:

Relationship Type (leading, referencing, qualifying, or foreign key)
Cardinality
Fields of foreign key relationships

You can assign the key fields of the from-entity type to the attributes and key fields of the to-entity type.

Example Example

In the PFLI entity type of the SF data model, you model flight scheduling data. For example, you can specify the cities CITYFROM and CITYTO. The GEOCITY entity type has a storage and use type of 3. It acts as a check table for valid cities. If you want to ensure only valid cities are selectable, you create a foreign key relationships between CITYFROM and GEOCITY, and between CITYTO and GEOCITY.

To maintain the foreign key attributes for PFLI, you can open the Incoming Relationships tab, select the relationships CITYFROM and CITYTO, and choose the foreign keys button. You want to define foreign key relationships so that the fields PARTNER_1 and PARTNER_2 at entity type BPREL contain only the values of the field BP_HEADER at entity type BP_HEADER.

End of the example.

Business Object Types Tab

You have to assign business object types only for entity types of storage and use type 1 that you want to replicate, or for which you want to generate their own Enterprise Search template.

If you have assigned the same business object type to multiple entity types, then you have to specify the entity type to be used for each business object type.

You can do this in Customizing for Master Data Governance under Start of the navigation path Data Modelling Next navigation step Specify the Entity Type to Be Used for Each Business Object Type End of the navigation path

Hierarchies Tab

If you want it to be possible to set up a hierarchy for the entity type, you must specify at least the root node (hierarchy name) for the hierarchy here. To do this, choose one of the available entity types and assign Hierarchy Name as the usage type. You also can specify all entity types that are to be allowed in the hierarchy of the entity type (No Special Use or Ranges Permitted on End Nodes)