Equivalent Data and Native IDs
As stated above, data synchronization keeps equivalent data across multiple systems consistent. Equivalent data in resources does not necessarily use the same layout or structure. The data structure is based on the requirements of the resource. The following example shows different data structures for customer data that a CRM system and a Billing system might use:
Structure of customer data in a CRM system | Structure of customer data in a Billing system |
Customer ID Customer Name First Surname Customer Address Line1 Line2 City State ZipCode Country Customer Payment Information Customer Account | Account ID Account Type Billing Account Owner Last First Billing Address Number Street AptNumber CityOrTown State Code Country Billing Preferences |
Data in an application contains a key value that uniquely identifies an object within the application. In the example above, the key value that uniquely identifies a customer within the CRM system is the Customer ID; similarly, the key value in the Billing system is the Account ID. The key value in a specific application is referred to as that application’s native ID. In other words, the native ID for the CRM system is the Customer ID, and the native ID for the Billing system is the Account ID.