A System Architect encyclopedia is based on a standard data dictionary. Some of the objects in that dictionary can be used for all of your modeling activities, thus ensuring that the definitions used throughout your modeling activities are consistent.

Shared objects in the dictionary include data elements, data domains and trigger templates. A data element named “Customer Name” used in a data flow diagram is identical to the same-named data element used as the basis for an attribute in an entity on an ERD. An entity in the encyclopedia can be dragged from the explorer to any ERD in any project data model. This reusability provides extensive traceability of data usage.

In System Architect, an attribute is an instance of a data element in an entity. Multiple instances of the data element can be specified within the same entity, in multiple entities within an individual project model, or in multiple entities in different project models.