Getting Started: Data Modeling Guide

Overview:

In this article, you will learn about how to document your data model, with required and key attribute sources. This will help prepare your data prior to importing it into Totango. 

Topics: 

• Getting Started
• Setting up your Data Model Workbook
• What now?

Getting Started:

Before you get started, make sure to familiarize yourself with the basic required attributes for accounts and users.

Required Attributes for Accounts: 

• Account ID
• Account Type
• Account Name
• Status

Required Attributes for Users or Contacts: 

• User ID
• Name
• Account ID(s)

Setting up your Data Model Workbook

Download our Data Model Workbook (linked at the bottom of this article) and start to document your customer Hierarchy and data sources. 

Step 1: Review all instructions and embedded notes.

Attributes in red are required.

Cells highlighted in yellow represent the level of the hierarchy where that attribute value should be brought in.

The pink column represents your Customer Success Working level, this is where your CSMs are assigned to manage the account and where they will log their engagements. 

Step 2: Setting up your hierarchy

• Columns D-F represent the various levels in your hierarchy. Each column header represents the name of that Account Type. Edit these column headers if you would like to use different Account Type names (For example - you might use 'Corporation' to represent an ultimate parent record).
• If you do not have hierarchy (one customer record and no product records) then remove Column D and F and all data will be brought into the 'Customer' record. 
• If you have multiple Products, the best practice is to use Account Type=Product and then use a 'product_id' to distinguish between different products.

Step 3: Setting up your Customer Success Working level

• By default, the workbook has the 'Customer' record as your CSMs working level. If your CSMs are assigned at a different level, for example, they are assigned at the product because they have product specialty, then move the working level. 
• If there is an attribute in the Workbook that says 'manually managed in Totango', this attribute should be at the working level

Step 4: Documenting your data sources

• Remember, attributes in red are required to get started. Other attributes are optional and provide additional value depending on your use case. 
• Now you want to start to document where each of these attributes lives in your data sources. Tip: if you have the API name of that attribute from your source system, it a good practice to document that here.

What now? 

Now that you have documented your customer hierarchy and data sources for all of the data you would like to bring into Totango, you are ready to start integrating your data! 

Tips: Each source will require a separate integration. There are several methods for bringing data in depending on the data source. Totango has many native/direct integrations for the most popular data sources. You can also use a one-time or automated CSV import and API in some cases. 

Account data and user data must be brought in separately (Account data first, then layer in your users or contacts). 

Account Data:

• Adding Accounts to Totango
• CRM integrations
• CSV integrations
• CSV files with Hierarchy
• Datawarehouse integrations

User Data: 

• Adding Users & Contacts
• Account & User binding for CRM

View the entire Getting Started with Data series. Still have questions? Attend our Data Ask Me Anything!