The object-centric data model (OCDM)
An object-centric data model (OCDM) is a way of representing how a business actually works by modeling all relevant business objects (such as orders, invoices, deliveries, customers, or materials), the events that happen to them, and the relationships between those objects and events. Instead of forcing everything into a single case notion (like “one order = one case”), the model allows multiple objects to coexist and interact, reflecting real-world complexity.
Within Objects and Events, you can view your object-centric data model in the following ways:
The graph view is a visual representation of your object-centric data model. It shows object types as nodes and relationships as lines, making it easier to understand how objects and events are connected across your processes.
To access the graph view from the dashboard, click View Graph:
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When viewing the graph, you have the following features:
Navigation tools: The Graph view displays object types as nodes and their relationships as lines. You can pan by dragging the gray background and zoom using the controls at the bottom of the model. Drag objects to reposition them, or click Auto align to restore the optimized layout.
Search: Search for any object type or event type and see its details.
Filters: Select Add a filter to create your own combination of filters by namespace (Celonis or custom), tags, or object types. You can only have one active filter of each kind.
Presets: Presets make it easy to switch between different process views without manually reapplying filters. Click + Save to
The object-centric data model can also be viewed as a list of objects and events, accessed by clicking either Objects or Events from the dashboard:
When viewing the list, you have the following features:
Search: Search for any object type or event type and see its details.
Filter: Select an existing category and filter to narrow down the list of objects or events. Click + to add your own custom filter category.
Sort: Sort the list of objects and events based on alphabetical, creation date, or date last modified.
View in Graph: Click View in Graph to view that object or event in the graph view of the OCDM.
When considering if an object-centric data model makes sense for your use cases, consider the following:
Feature | Object-centric data model | Case-centric data model |
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Core concept | Multiple business objects interact in one process, giving you a network of connected object lifecycles. | One case ID represents the process instance, showing you a single, linear flow. |
Data structure |
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Handling complexity |
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Data quality and accuracy | Using object-centric data models has some of the following data quality advantages:
| When using case-centric data models, you may experience some of the following data quality issues:
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