DocsCommon
What are the shared foundation types?
The common foundation is the shared set of base types and lists that every other part of Community OS builds on.
What is it?
The common foundation is not an app. It is the shared layer that every other domain builds on. It provides the base types that other records reuse, such as people, organizations, events, and addresses. It also provides the codelists that keep data consistent, such as languages, regions, and accessibility preferences.
Examples of the shared types:
- Base types for people, organizations, and events that other records extend.
- Address, date, and amount types used across all domains.
- Consent and accessibility preference records.
- Codelists for things like language, region, currency, and pronouns.
Because these types are shared, data stays consistent. A person record in the CRM and a volunteer profile both use the same people base, so they describe people the same way.
When do you use it?
You rarely open the common foundation directly. You use it every time you work in another domain, because those domains rely on its types. You use it when you want to:
- Keep one consistent record of a person across the whole system.
- Make sure every address, date, and amount is recorded the same way.
- Use the same language, region, and accessibility lists everywhere.
- Record consent and accessibility preferences once and reuse them.
Example
Aroha creates a person record in the CRM for Hana. The record uses the shared people base type. Later, Hana creates a volunteer profile. It uses the same people base, so Aroha can see one consistent picture of Hana across the CRM and the volunteer hub. Both records use the same region and language lists, so the data stays consistent.