Administrators can modify the database structure using table administration tools.

Custom tables and fields

Administrators can add custom tables, define fields, and manage field labels. Administrators can also delete custom tables that aren't needed or delete all the records in a table without deleting the table itself.

Dictionary entries

The system dictionary is a table, called Dictionary Entry [sys_dictionary], that contains details for each table and defines every column within each table in an instance. Administrators can modify tables and fields in the system dictionary, which subsequently define the lists and forms that users access throughout the instance.

Dictionary attributes

Dictionary attributes define global behavior for fields. An administrator applies attributes directly to the dictionary entry to control various aspects of how the table or field behaves across the entire system.

Dictionary overrides

Dictionary overrides enable administrators to override field settings on extended tables. Dictionary overrides enable administrators to customize the behavior of a field for a specific table that inherits from another table. Overrides are used to change the inherited dictionary attributes on child tables without affecting the parent table or other child tables.

Table flattening

With table flattening, the Task [task] table and Base Configuration Item [cmdb] table have a hierarchy of related tables where one or more child tables extend from a parent table.

The extension model does not affect how the tables appear or function in the instance. All table functionality, including database views, remains unchanged by the extension model.

Table indexes

An index puts unordered tables into order, and efficiently speeds up queries to columns in your tables, by creating pointers to where information is stored in your database. Administrators can add indexes to access table data more easily.

Many-to-many table relationships

Many-to-many (M2M) table relationships enable administrators to associate records between two tables in a bidirectional and flexible manner. This relationship type is used to create links between records where each record from one table can relate to multiple records in another table, and vice versa.