What is a Data Object 

A data object represents a business object that allows you to stage data relevant for mobile applications in SAP NetWeaver AS.A data object comprises:

·        The processing information in the form of a flow definition

·        A back-end adapter to exchange data with the back-end systems

·        A distribution model that ensures data distribution to various receivers

Structure

A data object has a hierarchical structure that consists of nodes. The following figure shows the structure of a data object.

You can have only one root node for a data object, however there is no limit on the number of child nodes.

The root node contains the header data, for example, the order ID of a sales order, while the child nodes can represent data that can have multiple instances, for example, a child node for the order items.

You can define node attributes for each node in the node hierarchy. Each node contains the following keys:

●      Data Orchestration Engine (DOE) key or synchronization key (SyncKey)

Uniquely identifies the row of a data object node in the CDS table.

●      Back-end or application key

Back-end applications use this key to store the object instance.

●      Parent SyncKey (except the root node)

Ensures referential integrity of the nodes within the data object.

When you activate the data object, a table is generated in the consolidated data store (CDS) for each node in the data object along with the SyncKey. The node attributes form the fields of the generated table.

More information: Keys Used in DOE