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Data Modeling — How Your Business Actually Works

Data modeling captures how your business actually works, and therefore how information is structured in your CRM.

It's a combination of technical preparation and business logic questions, aimed at making the CRM instance a source of clarity.

Model first, build second

We spend time upfront clarifying your business flow before building anything. Getting the model right means your systems can evolve with your business instead of fighting against it.

New to data models? Twenty has a good introduction.Data Model — Twenty Documentation

Why data modeling comes first

1

Validate the business logic

Walk through realistic scenarios with mock data to catch mismatches before they're built into the system.

2

Lock down the API contract

A required step before integrating with other systems or writing automations. Changing API contracts later means updating every integration, breaking automations, and potentially losing historical data.

3

Visualise objects, configurations, dashboards

The data model also defines the UI of the Twenty instance — so you understand it better simply by using it.

4

Prepare for migration

Before the Twenty instance goes live, historical data moves across from older CRMs, spreadsheets and the like. A correct data model ensures nothing is lost in transition.

What you get

A fully configured Twenty CRM instance, ready to validate against real scenarios.

Included

  • All objects defined (Opportunities, People, Companies, custom objects)
  • All fields and relationships set up (how things connect to each other)
  • Views and filters configured, so you can actually find information — up to 10 views
  • Dummy data populated with realistic examples showing how it works — up to 100 records
  • Working documentation in Notion, so the key logic is captured
  • A draft roadmap for integration and automation

Scoped separately

  • Live integrations (input/output) with ERP, or real customer data flowing in
  • Technical evaluation of integrations, such as ERP
  • Code for business logic unique to your business
  • Features outside Twenty's functionality, like PDF generation or quote emailing
  • Data migration from previous systems
  • CRM configuration: authorization, authentication, email & calendar sync (the data model does set the stage for authorization controls later on)
  • User training and documentation

These items need further investigation and are scoped on their own.

Process and duration

Usually 2–3 weeks

From first questions to a data model that's ready to build on.

Run over Slack or Teams

A conversation about a single field often turns into a lengthy discovery, so chat suits it better than meetings.

This is the stage where we ask a lot of questions about your business and tech. It helps us understand your business, plan for meaningful reporting, improve on the old CRM, and make sure nothing is missed that would force a reimplementation later down the line.

See a demo data modelBuilt for a real estate business, live in Twenty.

Get the foundation right

Every integration, automation and dashboard sits on the data model. Let's map yours before anything depends on it.