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This article describes design principles for data entities. It also includes guidelines for the names of data entities, fields, relation roles, roles, and OData EntityTypes and EntitySets.
A data entity should provide a holistic object that encapsulates the relevant business logic in a single consumable contract. The contract is then exposed through application interfaces (APIs), such as OData, import and export, integration, and the programming model. Each data entity should be designed to meet the following goals.
Do | Don’t |
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Prefix the name with standard prefixes, because of the lack of namespaces. | Don't include underscores in names. |
Add the postfix "Entity" to the name to prevent conflicts with tables and classes that have the same prefix. | Don't use abbreviations in conceptual names. |
Give the entity a conceptual name that is aligned with the name in the en-us UI. For example, the conceptual name of the entity that exposes records from the InventTable table should be named ReleasedProduct, so that the full name of the entity will be EcoResReleasedProductEntity. |
Result: <prefix><ConceptualName>Entity
Do | Don’t |
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Use a unique label for your entity, ensure no other entities are using the same label. | Reuse an existing label, do not use the same label for more than 1 entity. |
Do | Don’t |
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Give the field name a conceptual name that is aligned with the name in the en-us UI. For example, use ItemNumber instead of ItemID as the field name to align with the UI, where the label is Item number. | Don't include prefixes in field names. For example, a field should not be named InventLocationId. |
Add the postfix "ID," "Number," and so on, to the name of a field that is part of foreign keys to prevent collision with the navigation properties. For example, use WarehouseID instead of Warehouse as a field name, because Warehouse is the navigation method to the Warehouse entity. | Don't include country/region-specific postfixes in field names. For example, a field should not be named InventoryProfileID_RU. |
Don't include underscores in field names. | |
Don't use abbreviations in field names. |
Do | Don’t |
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Use the plural form when you name roles that have a cardinality that is higher than 1. For example, the foreign key on Customer to Party should have the role name of Customers, because the cardinality from Party to Customer is 0...N. | Don't include prefixes in relation role names. For example, don’t use the name WMSWarehouseLocation, even though the referenced entity includes the prefix "WMS." |
Use the singular form when you name roles that have a cardinality of 0 (zero) or 1. For example, the foreign key on Worker to Person should have the role name of Worker, because the cardinality from Person to Worker is 0..1. | Don't add the postfix "Entity" to relation role names. For example, don’t use the role name WarehouseEntity in a relationship, even though the referenced entity includes the name "Entity." Instead, use the name Warehouse. |
Consider adding the role of the relationship as a prefix. For example, to clearly describe the role of the relationship, name a relationship BuyingLegalEntity instead of LegalEntity. | Don't add country/region-specific postfixes to relation role names. For example, don’t use the role name InventoryProfile_RU, even though the relationship applies only in an RU country/region format. |
Don't include underscores in relation role names. |
Do
Do
Do
Note that Microsoft Excel based import/export supports a maximum of 255 columns. If it is expected for an entity to be able to export/import more than 255 columns, then a non-Excel format must be planned or the entity should have less than or equal to 255 columns.
Events
Mar 31, 11 PM - Apr 2, 11 PM
The ultimate Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, SQL, and AI community-led event. March 31 to April 2, 2025.
Register today