XDM Schemas Explained for Analytics Engineers

What is XDM?

Experience Data Model (XDM) is Adobe's standard schema for describing customer experience data. Every event ingested into AEP must conform to an XDM schema.

Building Blocks

XDM schemas are composed of **field groups** — reusable bundles of fields. Adobe provides standard field groups (Web Details, Commerce, etc.) and you can create custom ones for business-specific data.

Identity Design

Getting identity right is critical for profile unification. Map your primary identifiers (email hash, CRM ID, ECID) in the identity map field group and configure merge policies in RTCDP.

Pro Tips

• Start with standard field groups before creating custom ones
• Use descriptive, consistent naming conventions
• Document every custom field with a clear description for downstream consumers