Your First Application - Part 3

Creating the Data Model

In Part 2, we created a menu system with security access. Now we'll create a simple data model for our customers and projects, including relationships and business rules.

Step 1: Create the Customer Entity

Let's start by creating our first entity to store customer information:

1. Navigate to Data Dictionary → Entities / Attributes
2. Click "New Entity"
3. Set Entity name: Customer
4. Save the entity

Step 2: Add Customer Attributes

Now we'll add attributes to the Customer entity. Make sure the Customer entity is selected:

Company Name Attribute

1. Click "New Attribute"
2. Configure the attribute:
   • Attribute name: CompanyName (no spaces)
   • Label: Company name (can have spaces)
   • Type: String
   • Length: 50

Relationship Date Attribute

1. Click "New Attribute" again
2. Configure the attribute:
   • Attribute name: RelationshipDate
   • Label: Relationship date
   • Type: Date

Calculated Relationship Duration Attribute

Let's create a field that automatically calculates the relationship duration in years:

1. Click "New Attribute"
2. Configure the attribute:
   • Attribute name: RelationshipDuration
   • Label: Relationship years
   • Type: Integer
   • Length: 4
   • Formula: dateDiff(RelationshipDate, now(), "y")

Formula configuration for auto-calculating relationship duration in years

This formula will dynamically calculate the relationship duration whenever the field is displayed or used in a calculation.

Step 3: Create the Project Entity

1. Click "New Entity"
2. Set Entity name: Project
3. Save the entity

Step 4: Add Project Attributes

With the Project entity selected, create the following attributes:

Project Name Attribute

1. Click "New Attribute"
2. Configure:
   • Attribute name: Name
   • Label: Project Name
   • Type: String
   • Length: 50

Project Status Attribute

1. Click "New Attribute"
2. Configure:
   • Attribute name: Status
   • Label: Status
   • Type: String
   • Length: 1

Step 5: Create Value List for Project Status

To make the Status field display as a dropdown list, we'll create a value list:

1. Navigate to Data Dictionary → Value Lists
2. Click "New Value List"
3. Set Value List name: ProjectStatus

Add Status Options

1. Click "New option" and configure:
   • Value: P
   • Text: Pre-sales
2. Click "New option" again for:
   • Value: I
   • Text: In-progress
3. Click "New option" once more for:
   • Value: C
   • Text: Complete

ProjectStatus value list with Pre-sales, In-progress, and Complete options

4. Click "Save all" to save the value list

Step 6: Associate Value List with Status Attribute

1. Go back to Data Dictionary → Entities / Attributes
2. Select the Project entity
3. Select the Status attribute
4. In the Value List dropdown, select ProjectStatus

Step 7: Create Relationship Between Entities

Now we'll create a relationship saying that a Customer can have multiple projects:

1. Navigate to Data Dictionary → Links
2. Click "New Link"
3. Configure the relationship:
   • Link name: CustomerProject
   • Entity from: Customer
   • Entity to: Project
   • Cardinality: 0 (0 means unlimited)

Link configuration showing one-to-many relationship between Customer and Project

4. Save the link

Step 8: Understanding DataSets

We've created the database structure with Entities, Attributes, and Links. Now we need to create a "DataSet" - a specific view of the data.

Examples of different DataSet approaches:

• Customer-focused DataSet: Start from Customer, access their projects and related information
• Project-focused DataSet: Start from Project, access customer information and other project-related data

Step 9: Create Customer DataSet

1. Navigate to Data Dictionary → Data Set
2. Click "New Data set"
3. Set DataSet name: Customer

Add Customer Entity to DataSet

1. Click "Add entity to Data set"
2. Configure:
   • Alias: Customer
   • Entity name: Customer
3. Save this entity

Add Project Entity to DataSet

1. Click "Add entity to Data set" again
2. Configure:
   • Alias: Project
   • Entity name: Project
   • Link from entity: Customer (save the previous entity first to see it in the list)
   • Link name: CustomerProject

Customer DataSet showing the hierarchical relationship between Customer and Project entities

3. Save your changes

Step 10: Configure Dynamic Attribute Rules

Let's demonstrate Opadeez's dynamic attribute rules by making the RelationshipDuration field conditionally visible:

1. Make sure the "Customer" DataSet Entity is selected
2. Click "Modify attribute rules" to open the DataSet Attributes page
3. Click "Add Attribute definition"
4. Configure the rule:
   • Attribute name: RelationshipDuration
   • Visibility rule: Customer.RelationshipDate <> ""

Dynamic attribute rule making RelationshipDuration visible only when RelationshipDate has a value

This rule ensures that the RelationshipDuration field is only visible when the customer has a relationship date entered.

What's Next?

This completes Part 3 of the tutorial. Continue with:

• Part 4: Create basic flows and UI for the customer database functionalities

Key Concepts Learned

• Entity Design: Creating entities and attributes with proper data types
• Calculated Fields: Using formulas for automatic calculations
• Value Lists: Creating dropdown options for better user experience
• Entity Relationships: Linking entities with cardinality rules
• DataSets: Creating navigable views of your data model
• Dynamic Rules: Implementing conditional visibility and behavior