Building a binding data model for all locations

What fields and rules does a central data source need for all branches?

Each branch has a stable ID as well as validated fields for address, coordinates, status, opening hours, offers, territories, and target URLs.

Use Case: "Free Text Inventory"

A location record stores not only the address and telephone number, but also the status, validity date, offers, and service areas. A planned special opening is versioned and released, appearing on the website and profile on the effective date without requiring separate editing of both channels.

Stable ID

• Stable ID – The location identity remains intact during relocation, renaming, and channel changes, preventing duplicate entries for the same branch.

• Normalized Field – Address, telephone number, coordinates, time, status, and URL have defined formats, validation, and unambiguous business meanings.

• Versioned validity – Changes, source, responsible role, approval, and effective date remain traceable and deployable.

Normalized Field

1. All current location sources and channel requirements are inventoried and mapped to common business fields and relationships.

2. ID, data types, validation, status transitions, validity, and roles are defined as a binding agreement for the registry.

3. A pilot location undergoes setup, modification, special opening, and closing across all channels before the migration scales.

Free-text inventory

• Free-text inventory – Opening hours, territory, and service level are stored in unstructured notes and cannot be verified or consistently distributed.

• Channel as source – Website, profile, and CRM are each treated as separate masters and overwrite each other with different statuses.

• Status without a lifecycle – Planned, active, relocating, and closed locations are treated the same and remain publicly visible indefinitely.

Versioned validity

• Location records with a missing ID, invalid format, conflicting status, or without a responsible and valid source.

• Channel deviations and manual overrides that continue to occur outside the central model after implementation.

Questions Remain Unanswered After "One Data Model for All Locations"

An in-depth question answered Strengthening local entities beyond name, address, and phone numberWhat information makes a location comprehensible as an independent local entity?

Further Perspectives Building an entity data model as a common source for websites and profiles.

If you want to practically implement "One Data Model for All Locations," you can refer to Scalable Search Architecture Systems . This document focuses on "Location Entities and Master Data" and "Stable IDs."

Conclusion: One Data Model for All Locations

A location model is a binding data and lifecycle agreement. Only stable IDs, validation, and validity make a source reliably distributable.

Sources and Further Information

The following official documentation and standards provide the technical classification.

• Guidelines for representing your business on Google – Google Business Profile HelpThe official guideline defines real-world presence, naming conventions, categories, service areas, locations, and profile eligibility.

• Local business structured data – Google Search CentralThe Google documentation describes visible location data, LocalBusiness attributes, and technical validation.