---
schema_version: "1"
id: 6d2db2f9b627358059dbe4e433e783d1ba93e58a60423b608a9168e9b0454442
title: Create a Data Processing Engine Definition
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/ind/264-0-0/dpe_create.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: de335fb719209e2aeb6db02585bd943740815db0a4933893294c7089726e1f7c
description: Manage complex data transformations and integrations in your org by using Data Processing Engine definitions.
products:
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Create a Data Processing Engine Definition

Manage complex data transformations and integrations in your org by using Data Processing Engine definitions.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_editions.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Review the supported editions and availability for Data Processing Engine (DPE).">View supported editions</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d2425e61">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e61 ">To create a definition:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e61 "><span>
                <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_setup.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Assign users system permissions, object access, and permission sets that they require to manage, run, and monitor Data Processing Engine (DPE) definitions. User permissions for Data Processing Engine vary based on the runtime platform your company uses to run definitions.">View permissions information.</a>
              </span></td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

Before you begin, make sure that you have the required [user permissions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_setup.htm&type=5&language=en_US) for your chosen runtime.

Runtime Platform Considerations

Choose a runtime based on your data volume and logic needs. CRM Analytics (CRMA) is optimized for complex calculations, while Data 360 is optimized for high data volume and unification.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
          <col style="width:33.33333333333333%">
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Feature</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">CRM Analytics (CRMA) Runtime</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;"><span>Data 360</span> Runtime</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Best Used For</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Performing complex logic and operations such as forecasting, complex formulas,
              and hierarchies.</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Ingesting massive datasets, unifying data across sources, and managing data
              between Platform and <span>Data 360</span>.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Data Sources</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>Salesforce Objects</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">CRM Analytics Datasets</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>Salesforce Objects</p>
              <p>Data lake, data model, and calculated insight objects</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">CSV Files (for high-volume upload)</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Writeback Targets</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>Salesforce Objects</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">CRM Analytics Datasets</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>Salesforce Objects</p>
              <p>Data Lake Objects (DLOs)</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Data Model Objects (DMOs)</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Key Limitations</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">This runtime is governed by <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_limits.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">Data Pipelines limits</a>.</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>The Forecast node isn’t available in this runtime. </p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Running definitions in this runtime can result in Data Services credits being
                consumed from your <span>Data 360</span> subscription. For more information on how usage is
                billed, see <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_data_usage_types.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">Data Services Billable Usage Types for Data 360</a>.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Data Processing Engine, and then select **Data Processing Engine**.
2. Click **New**.
3. Provide these details.
    
    <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:50%">
              <col style="width:50%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d2425e270">Field</th>
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d2425e273">Description</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e270 ">Name </td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e273 ">Enter the name of the Data Processing Engine definition. </td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e270 ">API Name</td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e273 ">The API name is automatically populated based on the name that you enter.
                  You can’t change the name and API name after you save your definition for the
                  first time.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" id="dpe_create__process_type" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e270 ">Process Type</td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e273 ">
                  <p>Select a process type based on the licenses available in your Salesforce
                    org. Data Processing Engine can process data differently based on the rules set
                    by the license. Process types ensure that definitions follow the validations and
                    limits of the associated license. Process types can also provide exclusive
                    capabilities.</p>
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">To run the definition without any rules associated with a
                    license, select the process type as Standard.</p>
                </td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e270 ">Description</td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e273 ">Enter a description of your definition.</td>

              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e270 ">Use this data processing engine as a template?</td>

                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d2425e273 ">To create a read-only definition, select this option. Your colleagues and
                  partners can make a copy of the template definitions and change them based on
                  their business requirements.</td>

              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>
    
    ![Create data processing engine modal.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-ind-data_processing_engine-264-0-0-production-enus/80e06924-e6c0-4b82-81cf-e99ccd77d857/data_processing_engine/images/data_processing_engine_builder_new.png)
4. After you enter the definition details, click **Next**.
5. Select the runtime platform and then click **Next**.
    
    For Data Cloud runtime, select the data space where the data sources reside. If a data space isn't selected, the default data space is automatically selected.
6. If you selected the Data Cloud runtime, select the object type you want to use as data source and as the writeback target:
    - Data Lake Object
    - Data Model Object
    - Calculated Insights
7. Click **Done**.

#### See Also

- [Data Processing Engine Nodes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_nodes.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "In Data Processing Engine, nodes are the basic building blocks that let you construct complex data processing flows. Nodes represent specific operations or transformations that can be performed on data. Each type of node lets you transform your data in a different way.")
- [Use Input Variables to Define Dynamic Processing Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_define_input_variables.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Define flexible data processing rules by using input variables to define default values, filter records, and create formulas. To dynamically control the data filters and formulas at run time, create variables without values and use them to configure Filter and Formula nodes. During a definition run, specify variable values based on your specific requirements. For example, to filter opportunities above a certain value for different fiscal years, set a default value for the input variable and then update it when you run the definition.")
- [Build Data Processing Engine Definitions in a JSON File](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=ind.dpe_definition_json.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Build a Data Processing Engine definition in a JSON file and then upload it to the builder. You can also download the definition, make changes, and then upload the updated definition.")