Models

A model is the top-level object in Grunddata. Its only job is to group tables together, in the same way a folder groups files, a workbook groups sheets, or a schema groups database tables.

A model holds no data of its own — just a name, a description and tags.

Structure

Field	Description	Required
Name	The name of the model	Yes
Description	Free text	No
Tags	Any number of tags	No

Every model also receives a source_id (UUID) that identifies it permanently. See Identifiers.

Create a model

1. Go to Models.
2. Click Create New Model.
3. Enter a name, an optional description, and any tags.
4. Click Create.

After the model is created, the Create Table dialog opens for that model. Create its first table now, or close the dialog and add tables later.

Model names are unique

Two current models cannot have the same name. Pick a name that tells people what belongs together, such as Reference or COREP RF 4.3.

Update a model

On the Models page, click the pencil icon on the model row. You can change the name, the description and the tags.

If you rename a model, its new name must not already be used by another model.

Tip

Renaming a model is completely safe. Tables reference their model by source_id, not by name, so nothing downstream is affected.

Delete a model

On the Models page, click the trash icon on the model row and confirm.

Caution

Delete the model’s tables first. A model that still contains tables cannot be removed cleanly, and deleting structure that holds records is not something you want to do by accident.

How to organise your models

There is no technical rule — organise them the way your business thinks about the data.

By business domain (recommended)

Accounting
 ├── Accounts
 └── Balance sheet

Risk
 ├── Credit risk
 ├── Market risk
 └── Liquidity risk

Reference
 ├── Currency
 ├── Country
 └── Counterparty

By regulatory framework

Useful when an external body publishes a new version of a reporting framework and you must retain the old one:

COREP RF 4.0
COREP RF 4.2
COREP RF 4.3

Keep shared lookups in one place

Domain tables such as Currency or Country are usually referenced from several domains. Put them in a single Reference model so everyone knows where they live. An attribute can reference a domain table in any model — the model boundary does not restrict it.

Models are not versioned

Grunddata does not version models. If you need a frozen copy of a structure, copy the model and encode the version in the name. The reasoning is explained in Coming from Microsoft MDS.

Models are not a security boundary

Access is controlled through tags and groups, not by model. Do not create a model purely to hide data from a team.