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Overview of Relationships Between Metadata Objects

An Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop user is associated with a given Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop configuration through a role that a customization package references. When the package is activated and published, a user who is associated with the role can download the configuration that is defined in the package. This configuration is a collection of metadata files that Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop stores on the Oracle CRM On Demand server and downloads to Microsoft Outlook during synchronization. Figure 2 illustrates the relationships between users, roles, customization packages, and metadata files.

Figure 2. Relationships between Metadata Objects in Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop

The following relationships exist between users, roles, customization packages, and metadata files:

1. Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop user. The user of an implementation of Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop.
2. Role. An Oracle CRM On Demand role, such as sales representative. It corresponds to the job role that the user performs.
3. Customization package. A collection of metadata files that Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop associates with a particular role. This package is delivered to the user in a ZIP file. For more information, see About the Customization Package.
4. Metadata file. A description of Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop that Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop sends to Microsoft Outlook as XML code or JavaScript files. Metadata files are contained in the customization package. For more information, see About Metadata Files.

How Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop Users Access Oracle CRM On Demand Data

Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop allows the user to access Oracle CRM On Demand data in Microsoft Outlook in the following ways:

• Through roles. In Oracle CRM On Demand, a customization package is associated with a role. This association determines which customization package Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop sends to the user. The metadata defines which objects Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop synchronizes with Microsoft Outlook.
• Through synchronization filters. The customization package includes metadata files that specify which data access control and which filters to apply when Oracle CRM On Demand Desktop synchronizes data with the Oracle CRM On Demand server. For example, the default configuration specifies that the user can synchronize accounts, contacts, leads and opportunities. These records are associated with the sales team to which the user is assigned.

Depending on your business requirements, you can define different customization packages and assign them to different users through the user's roles. To meet individual user requirements, you can define different access control and synchronization filters for each customization package.