1. Sage CRM Developers Course
Entities and the Data Model (Part 1)

2. Looking ahead to the classes
DP01: Introduction to the Development Partner Program DP02: Entities and the Data Model (Part 1 of 2) DP03: Entities and the Data Model (Part 2 of 2) DP04: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 1 of 2) DP05: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 2 of 2) DP06: Screen and User Independent Business Rules DP07: Workflow (Part 1 of 2) DP08: Workflow (Part 2 of 2) DP09: Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 1 of 2) DP10 : Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 2 of 2)
DP11: Using the Component Manager DP12: Programming for the Advanced Manager DP13: Using the Web Services API DP14: Using the Web Services API (Part 2 of 2) DP15: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 1 of 2) DP16: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 2 of 2) DP17: Using the .NET API (Part 1 of 2) DP18: Using the .NET API (Part 2 of 2)

3. Agenda
How data and record identity is handled Record Object vs. SQLQuery Object Role of Stored Procedures Allowed Database Changes Meta Data and Physical Data Types New Tables and Fields in CRM Linking to External Database tables How and where table data is stored in Meta Data

4. How data and record identity is handled
Record Object vs SQLQuery Object
Role of Stored Procedures

5. New Sage CRM v7.2 Installs on MS SQL Server use SQL Identity Columns
In Sage CRM v7.1 and earlier Primary Key values were generated and maintained by stored procedures. This was to create common method mechanism between main install and SOLO. SOLO dropped in favour of new Mobile Apps New installs on SQL Server will now use SQL Identities Significant performance improvements New version of Stored Procedure for existing installs NO Change for Oracle

6. New Installs on MS SQL Server use SQL Identity Columns
SELECT t.TABLE_NAME ,c.COLUMN_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS AS c JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES AS t ON t.TABLE_NAME = c.TABLE_NAME WHERE COLUMNPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID(c.TABL E_NAME) ,c.COLUMN_NAME,'IsIdentity') = 1 AND t.TABLE_TYPE = 'Base Table'

7. eWare_get_identity_id stored procedure use in QueryObject code
Problems will arise with add-on code that does a direct insert using eware_get_identity_id in Query object.
‘hidden’ or automatic rules within CRM
Validation Rules
Table Level Scripts
ASP and .NET Application Extensions
Record object not effected

8. Inserts using QueryObject
Sage CRM v7.1 var strSQL = int"; strSQL += 'cases'"; strSQL += "INSERT cases"; strSQL += "(case_caseid, Case_Description, Case_PrimaryCompanyId)"; strSQL += "VALUES 'abc',10)"; var myQuery = CRM.CreateQueryObj(strSQL,""); myQuery.ExecSQL() Sage CRM v7.2 var strSQL = "INSERT INTO Cases"; strSQL += "(Case_Description, Case_PrimaryCompanyId)"; strSQL += "VALUES ('abc',10)")"; NOTE: Upgraded Systems will still use old ID mechanism.

9. Oracle and Inserts
No equivalent stored procedure in Oracle so there is no safe way of getting ids directly.
SEQUENCES are used to control the identities.
Sequence created in the CRM database for each table with the name TablePrefix_SEQUENCE
Eg comp_sequence, pers_sequence etc.
Cases and CaseProgress share the same sequence as do Opportunity and OpportunityProgress.
Next value from a sequence obtained by calling the NextVal function of the sequence. Returns the next val and increments the sequence.
SELECT Comp_Sequence.NextVal from DUAL;
NOTE: Does not take into account the rep_ranges table, and therefore is not advised
SOLO allocates Ranges to client machines
Held in Rep_ranges table.
When not using API object you will need to check that data is not going out of range.
The process is as follows
Look up Range_RangeStart and Range_RangeEnd in Rep_Ranges where Range_TableID is the identifier of the table. TableID is 5 for the Company table.
Call SELECT Comp_Sequence.NEXTVAL FROM DUAL to get the next sequence number.
If the sequence range is outside the range found in step 1 (which it will be because you dropped the sequence and recreated with a sequence start of 1), then assume that this range has been filled up, so move to the next available range.
Ranges are allocated in blocks of 50000, so the first range is 8001 to 58000, the second range is to , the third range is to , and so on.
Problems may arise if more than 1 process is trying to allocate a new range at the same time.
NOTE: Do not run process when CRM is running.
NOTE: Accessing the ranges table at the back end is not supported.

10. CRM Components & Database Type
System Variables available in component allows the Install to be checked.
Write components to accommodate database type.
//iDatabase - returns the current installed database.
// Constants returned
// ISQLServer
// IOracle
// e.g.
// if (iDatabase == IOracle)
// {
// //Do this;
// }
sViewText="CREATE VIEW vMyPhone AS SELECT"; if (iDatabase == IOracle) { sViewText = sViewText + " Phon_CountryCode || N ' ' ||Phon_AreaCode || N ' ' || Phon_Number"; } else sViewText = sViewText + "RTRIM(ISNULL(Phon_CountryCode, '')) + ' ' +RTRIM(ISNULL (Phon_AreaCode, '')) + ' ' + RTRIM(ISNULL(Phon_Number, ''))"; sViewText = sViewText + " AS Phon_FullNumber, Phone.* FROM Phone "; sViewText = sViewText + ", Custom_Captions WHERE LOWER (TRIM(Phon_Type))= LOWER(TRIM(Capt_Code(+))) AND"; sViewText = sViewText + "LEFT JOIN Custom_Captions ON Phon_Type = Capt_Code WHERE"; sViewText = sViewText +" Phon_Deleted IS NULL"; AddView("vMyPhone", "Phone", "This selects all of the phone numbers", sViewText, false, false, false, false, false);

11. Allowed Database Changes
Meta Data and Physical Data Types
Allowed Database Changes

12. Business Rules in Database
CRM makes use of physical data types but meta data ‘adds value’ Custom_edits See Developer Guide reference for discussion of EntryBlock.EntryType property in API CRM DOES NOT use constraints within database. When installing CRM the only SQL rule that is written into the tables structure is whether the Primary Key column is NOT NULL. All constraints implemented in application layer.

13. CRM FieldTypes & SQL Server Datatypes
Product
int
IntelligentSelect
nvarchar
Multiselect
DateOnly
Datetime
Currency
Numeric
Currency_CID
Int
SearchSelectAdvanced
Minutes
CurrencySymbols
Text
StoredProc
Checkbox
PhoneNumber
MultilineText
ntext
address
WWWURL
Selection
UserSelect
TeamSelect
Integer
numeric
DateTime
datetime

14. How and where table data is stored in Meta Data

16. Meta Data Definitions of Tables
Custom_Databases
Manages all the connections to remote databases
All passwords encrypted using encryption algorithms
All database connections are opened at the first CRM logon
Custom_Tables
Bord_WebServiceTable enables extra objects to be exposed to the WSDL
Custom_Edits
EntryType controls how the system displays fields
EntrySize controls how many characters can be entered on screen (can be changed, but must be <= column width)
Colp_System may cause fields not to appear for selection. You can undo this, but be careful
Custom_Views
The whole system uses views to display data
Views should be maintained from within the CRM system, never from SQL Server
SQLLite relevant for SOLO only
Custom_Table
bord_tableid
1 Address
2 CaseProgress
3 Cases
4 Communication
5 Company 6
7 Library
8 Marketing
9 Notes
10 Opportunity
11 OpportunityItem
12 OpportunityProgress
13 Person
14 Phone
15 Products
17 Team
CRM database used to store business data and metadata.
Business Data: Implementation specific data such as company, person, links, etc.
Metadata: Base configuration for the CRM system. Generic drop-downs and custom screen captions, screen structures, lists etc.
Meta Data Dictionary
Automatically Maintained
Tables
Custom_captions
Controls Captions for Buttons, Images, Tabs, Error Messages, System Messages, Drop downs
Also controls Links (Address Types, Person Types)
Controls tab / dropdown order
Person Relationship Types
Captions default to US values (not the capt_code value) if one exists
Out of the box, there are about 7000 strings
Custom_ContainerItems
Primary Use is for storing the users dashboard layouts and contents
Custom_Databases
Manages all the connections to remote databases
All passwords encrypted using the new 5.8 encryption algorithms
All database connections are opened at the first CRM logon
Custom_Edits
EntryType controls how the system displays fields
EntrySize controls how many characters can be entered on screen (can be changed, but must be <= column width)
Colp_System may cause fields not to appear for selection. You can undo this, but be careful
Custom_ Address
Stores the manager mailbox addresses being monitored
Stores the aliases for sending from CRM
Custom_Lists
Showselectasgif displays an icon
Custom_ReportBands
Custom_ReportCharts
Controls the charts
Some fields not exposed through UI e.g. rotation, size, but can be used
Custom_ReportFavourites
Controls users favourite reports
Ordered alphabetically on screen
Custom_ReportFields
Custom_ReportGroups
Custom_Reports
Custom_ReportSearches
Custom_RuleSets
Used for the mail manager rules
Custom_ScreenObjects
Defines the screens in the application
Custom_Screens
Defines the structure of almost all screens in the application
Custom_Scripts
Used for maintaining all user defined table and entity level scripts
Custom_Tables
Bord_WebServiceTable enables extra objects to be exposed to the WSDL
Custom_Sysparams
Contains many system settings that control system behaviour
Parm_Name and Parm_Value are the two relevant columns
Custom_Tabs
Controls all the tab layouts in the application
The main menu and administrator left hand frames are also tab groups
Custom_Views
The whole system uses views to display data
Views should be maintained from within the CRM system, never from SQL Server
SQLLite relevant for SOLO only

17. Basic Table Description
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[MyTable](
[mytb_mytableid] [int] NOT NULL,
[mytb_CreatedBy] [int] NULL,
[mytb_CreatedDate] [datetime] NULL,
[mytb_UpdatedBy] [int] NULL,
[mytb_UpdatedDate] [datetime] NULL,
[mytb_TimeStamp] [datetime] NULL,
[mytb_Deleted] [int] NULL,
[mytb_Secterr] [int] NULL,
[mytb_Workflowid] [int] NULL,
[mytb_Description] [nchar](30))
Create externally and then link
Not able to become full entity
Create table via interface
Advanced Customization Wizard.
Entity Wizard
All Ids managed by CRM
Tabl_Secterr for primary entities only, enforces security on that entity.
Security is discussed more later in the course
New Table and Field definition will be in custom_tables and custom_edits

18. Problems
Problems occur if developer introduces Database constraints Foreign key constraints Checks Other changes such as identity columns.

19. Holding Data in CRM New Columns in Tables Rows as Columns
Adding columns to Entities, Company, Person, etc
Marketing table for Company and Person
Rows as Columns
Key Attribute Data
DD tables
Target List technique for SQL
Logs for use in screens
Data Sets
User_settings
Custom_sysparams

20. Columns versus Datasets
Most data is held within a table within columns
E.g. User_userid, user_lastname, user_firstname.
Some instances of using Datasets (or rows) to model attributes
User Preferences
Held in the usersettings table as a record set
E.g. To find a users timezone preference you would have to look in the usersettings table.
Custom_sysparams
Hold system settings

21. Datasets and Customizations
Can only use simple meta data definitions for screens where data is within a single row.
Consider Company Summary Screen and
Companyboxlong
Addressboxshort
personboxshort
Require Advanced Customization for Screens and Lists for
Phone/ screens
Custom_sysparams
User_settings
Key Attribute Profiling
Examples of creating screens not based on single rows are covered in later part of the course

22. Q&A

23. Looking ahead to the classes
DP01: Introduction to the Development Partner Program DP02: Entities and the Data Model (Part 1 of 2) DP03: Entities and the Data Model (Part 2 of 2) DP04: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 1 of 2) DP05: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 2 of 2) DP06: Screen and User Independent Business Rules DP07: Workflow (Part 1 of 2) DP08: Workflow (Part 2 of 2) DP09: Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 1 of 2) DP10 : Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 2 of 2)
DP11: Using the Component Manager DP12: Programming for the Advanced Manager DP13: Using the Web Services API DP14: Using the Web Services API (Part 2 of 2) DP15: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 1 of 2) DP16: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 2 of 2) DP17: Using the .NET API (Part 1 of 2) DP18: Using the .NET API (Part 2 of 2)

24. Visit the Sage CRM Ecosystem at www.sagecrm.com
Facebook: Sage CRM
Twitter: wwwsagecrmcom
LinkedIn: Sage CRM (Official Group)
YouTube: wwwsagecrmcom