Data Modeling and Data Management
Core concepts
Appian data modeling centers on record types (the modern abstraction over data stores), data stores, and the CDTs that describe structure. Understand the record type as a logical layer: it defines fields, relationships, and the source (a data store entity, a web service, a process, or a Salesforce/external integration). Know the difference between a record type and its data source, and how relationships (one-to-many, many-to-one, many-to-many) are configured versus how they appear in queries.
Querying and performance
Be comfortable with query record types and filters, aggregation (count, sum), and paging. Understand that record type queries push filtering to the source where possible and that indexes on the underlying data store entity matter for performance. Know the role of the data store entity as the physical table mapping and how CDT fields map to columns.
Traps
- Confusing a record type's source with the record type itself; a record type can exist without a local data store.
- Assuming a relationship automatically returns related data - you often still need a query or a related-record reference.
- Mixing up local variables vs process variables vs rule inputs when passing data.
- Forgetting that a CDT change requires a data store update to alter the physical schema.
Worked rule of thumb
If you need to filter or sort on a field at scale, that field should be indexed in the data store entity, and the query should use record-type filters rather than filtering in a process or expression after retrieval. Retrieve only the fields you need.