CRM data dictionary template

What you get

• A dictionary sheet with the columns that matter: API name, label, type, definition, owner, source of truth, required at stage, and downstream consumers
• Worked example rows for common fields that cause disputes (amount, ARR, close date, lead source)
• A change request log so field changes are reviewed before they break a report or integration
• A checklist for building the first version without stalling

Who it's for

• •CRM admins inheriting a system with hundreds of undocumented fields
• •RevOps teams settling disputes over which number is correct
• •Data and BI teams who build reports on top of CRM data

What's inside

1. 1

   Data dictionary

   9 columns, 4 worked example rows

2. 2

   Dictionary standards

   5 fields to complete

3. 3

   Field change request log

   7 columns, 1 worked example rows

4. 4

   Building the first version

   8-point checklist

5. 5

   The fields that cause arguments

   Guidance notes

The preview shows part of section 1. The full template has all 5 sections (4 not previewed here), with blank rows ready to fill in. Download the full template

How to use it

1. 1

   Start with the fields reports depend on

   Do not try to document every field on day one. Export the fields used in your forecast, pipeline, and board reports, plus any field an integration writes to. That is usually a small fraction of the total and covers most of the risk.

2. 2

   Write definitions a new hire could apply

   'Deal value' is a label, not a definition. 'First-year contract value in USD, excluding one-time services, set by the AE and locked at Closed Won' is a definition. If two people could apply it differently, rewrite it.

3. 3

   Name one source of truth per field

   If a field can be written by a rep, an enrichment tool, and a billing sync, decide which one wins and configure the others to stop overwriting it. Most field disputes are really source-of-truth disputes.

4. 4

   List downstream consumers before any change

   Every report, dashboard, integration, and automation that reads the field goes in the consumers column. Before a field is renamed, retyped, or deleted, the change request log checks that list. This is what stops a picklist cleanup from breaking the comp calculation.

5. 5

   Publish it where people already look

   Put field definitions in the CRM's own help text or description field as well as the sheet. A dictionary that lives only in a shared drive goes stale within a quarter.

Frequently asked questions