All ADMS applications read their data from the NMS model, therefore the ADMS specific data must be brought into the model. Typically this is done through the NMS model build process.

The model build process is configured using the same "NMS Distribution Model" Workbook that implementers are already familiar with. There are tabs in the Model Workbook that cover DMS related data, for example: pf_dist_gens, pf_xfmrs and the sources for each data element can be configured and/or defaulted.

In addition, there is a "Powerflow Engineering Data" workbook. This workbook can be used as a source of data and is intended for data which has to be managed by the NMS support team because there is no easily accessible source of the data. Ideally all data would be sourced from well managed sources within the organization and there would be no need to use the Powerflow Workbook. However, in practice some data can be hard to obtain, or update automatically and, therefore, the Powerflow Workbook gives a convenient way to manually manage this data.

In general, it is not intended that the Powerflow workbook be the source of default data. Wherever possible, defaults should be provided in the Model workbook; the Powerflow workbook is used to manage known instances of data. Typically, logic is added in the model workbook to look for data in the following order on a device by device or even an attribute by attribute basis: