Salesforce Data Cloud uses predefined Data Model Objects (DMOs) to standardize and harmonize customer data across touchpoints. These objects help businesses build unified customer profiles, create segments, and activate personalized campaigns with real-time insights.
In this article, we'll take a deeper dive into the most important Standard DMOs, explore their technical structure, how they interact, and the role they play in segmentation, personalization, and activation.
What Are Standard DMOs?
Standard DMOs are predefined object structures in Salesforce Data Cloud that help unify fragmented data across different systems. DMOs allow you to store and process critical customer data like email addresses, phone numbers, purchase behavior, and other key identifiers.
They are central to the functionality of Salesforce Data Cloud, enabling consistent customer profiles for segmentation, personalization, and activation.
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Technical Architecture of Standard DMOs
The following layers are involved when working with Standard DMOs in Salesforce Data Cloud:
- Data Streams: Raw data is ingested through Data Streams (CRM, Marketing Cloud, API).
- Data Lake Objects (DLOs): Raw data is stored temporarily in Data Lake Objects for inspection, validation, and cleansing.
- Mapping & Transformation: Mappings transform data into standard DMOs by aligning data fields and applying business rules (e.g., Email → Contact Point Email).
- Data Model Objects (DMOs): Harmonized data is stored in DMOs, which are used for segmentation, insights, and activation.
Common Standard DMOs
| DMO Name | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Represents a customer profile after identity resolution | Unified customer data for segmentation, personalization |
| Contact Point Email | Stores email addresses associated with an individual | Email marketing, personalization |
| Contact Point Phone | Stores phone numbers and related metadata | SMS and call-based marketing |
| Person | Stores personally identifiable information (PII) | Profile enrichment and demographic segmentation |
| Engagement Event | Captures data about interactions like purchases or web visits | Behavioral segmentation and engagement tracking |
| Unified Individual | Stitched identity record with merged data from various sources | Activation in marketing, cross-channel engagement |
How These DMOs Work Together: A Data Flow Example
Data typically flows from multiple touchpoints (e.g., web, CRM, POS) into a Data Lake Object (DLO). The data is then mapped to a standardized Data Model Object (DMO), such as the Individual DMO. This harmonization process connects multiple records (e.g., email, phone, purchase) to a single, unified profile.
The flow looks like this:
- Step 1: Data from CRM (Lead, Opportunity) is ingested into a DLO.
- Step 2: The raw data is mapped to a DMO (e.g., Contact Point Email, Individual).
- Step 3: Identity resolution merges email, phone, and other identifiers into one unified profile.
- Step 4: The unified profile is ready for segmentation and engagement.
Advanced Use Cases of Standard DMOs
In large organizations, DMOs allow for advanced data modeling and real-time analytics. Common use cases include:
- Cross-Channel Marketing: Unify customer data across web, email, and mobile to create cohesive journeys.
- Advanced Segmentation: Use behavior-based DMOs like Engagement Event to target specific actions (e.g., cart abandonment).
- Personalization at Scale: Combine Person and Engagement Event DMOs to create personalized content for customers based on past behaviors.
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