> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.qwoty.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Data model
> Learn what a data model is in Qwoty and how to design custom fields that fit your business.
## What is a data model?
A data model is the structure that defines how information is organized in your CPQ. Think of it as the **blueprint** of your sales data — you design it once, then fill it with your actual quotes, products, customers, and contracts.
Qwoty ships with a complete data model out of the box: Quote, Customer, Product, Contract Model, Catalog, Pricebook, and a few dozen other objects. But every business has unique data — an event date on a quote, a hectare count on a customer, a clause variant on a contract. The data model is where you extend Qwoty to carry **your** information.
## Key concepts
### Objects
**Objects** are the main categories of data in Qwoty. Each object represents a type of thing you track.
Qwoty comes with standard objects:
* **Customer** — companies and individuals you sell to
* **Quote** — proposals sent to customers
* **Product** — items in your catalog (with master products and variants)
* **Contract Model** — reusable templates for legal contracts
* **Catalog**, **Pricebook**, **Bundle**, **Discount** — supporting structures for your offer
* **Order**, **Sales Agreement** — what's generated once a quote is signed
* **Approval**, **Workflow** — the rules that govern your sales process
### Fields
**Fields** are the properties that describe each object. They store the actual information.
For example, the **Customer** object has fields like:
* Name
* Address
* Industry
* Linked contacts (a relation to the Contact object)
Fields have different **types**: text, number, date, boolean, and more. You can add **custom fields** to manageable objects (Customer, Quote, Product, Contract Model) to capture data specific to your business.
### Records
**Records** are the individual entries within an object — the actual data your team creates and works with day-to-day.
For example:
* "Acme Corp" is a **record** in the Customer object
* "QUO-2026-0001" is a **record** in the Quote object
**An analogy:**
| Data model concept | Real-world analogy |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------ |
| **Objects** | Sections in a book (the categories) |
| **Fields** | Columns in a spreadsheet (the properties) |
| **Records** | Rows in a spreadsheet (the actual entries) |
You design the data model (objects + custom fields) once, then create thousands of records within that structure.
## Why customize your data model?
Every CPQ deployment is different. Customizing your data model means you can shape Qwoty around **your** quote-to-revenue process instead of forcing yours into a rigid system.
**Common examples of custom fields:**
* An **event date** and **headcount** on quotes for an event production company
* A **hectare count** and **crop type** on customers for an agricultural cooperative
* A **legal clause variant** on contracts for a multi-jurisdiction sales operation
* A **certification level** or **regulatory ID** on products for regulated industries
Custom fields are not just labels — they flow through the quote-to-revenue cycle: they appear on quotes and Dealrooms (when configured to display), populate contract variables, and sync to your CRM.
## Tips to design your data model
### 1. Start with the standard objects
Qwoty already provides Customer, Quote, Product, Contract Model. Most businesses cover 80% of their needs by adding a few custom fields to these — without creating new objects.
### 2. Use fields for properties, not new objects
If something is just a characteristic of an existing object, make it a **custom field**.
**Use custom fields for:**
* Categories and labels (for example, `Customer type` on Customer with values "Prospect", "Key Account", "Partner")
* Status values or stages
* Attributes and properties (event date, hectares, certification number)
### 3. Mark your fields' visibility carefully
Each custom field on an object has three properties that decide where the value flows:
* **Mandatory** — the field must be filled on creation
* **Editable by sale** — sales reps can edit the value (otherwise it's read-only after import or admin entry)
* **Display for customer** — the field appears on the buyer-facing quote and Dealroom
A field marked "Display for customer" is part of the buyer experience. A field that's not displayed stays internal — useful for sales-ops or accounting metadata that shouldn't leak to customers.
### 4. Plan for CRM sync upfront
If you connect Qwoty to a CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive), every custom field can be mapped to a CRM field with three sync directions: **Bidirectional**, **CRM → Qwoty**, or **Qwoty → CRM**. Decide which direction makes sense before creating the field — it shapes how your team enters data.
### 5. Keep it simple first
Start with fields. Add new ones only when you feel the limits — repeated entries, missing data, or a field crowded with too many possible values.
## Questions to guide your choice
Ask yourself:
* Is this just a property of something I already have?
* Will all my customers, quotes, or products carry this information?
* Do I want this field to appear on the quote shown to buyers?
* Should sales reps edit it, or only admins?
* Does it need to sync with my CRM in real time?
If the answer is yes to most, you've found a good candidate for a custom field.
## Accessing your data model
Click **Settings** in the left sidebar.
Under the **Data** section, click **Data model**. You'll see the full list of objects with their **Standard** or **Manageable** badge.
Click any object to see its fields. Manageable objects show a **+ New** button to add custom fields.
Don't see Data model in Settings? Access is restricted to admins with the **Data** permission enabled. Contact your workspace admin if needed — see [Manage roles](/user-guide/settings/users/manage-roles).
## Reference
Concepts and rules that shape how custom fields behave.
Standard vs Manageable objects, and which ones accept custom fields.
Text, Number, Date — what each type is for.
Mandatory, Editable by sale, Display for customer — control where values flow.
Sync directions and how custom fields connect to your CRM.
## How-tos
Step-by-step guides to add custom fields to the four manageable objects.
Add fields shown on quotes — event dates, project codes, headcounts.
Add fields used as contract variables — clauses, addenda, jurisdictions.
Add fields for catalog metadata — certifications, capacities, attributes.
Add fields to qualify customers — types, codes, regulatory IDs.