Abstract: A data model for managing custom fields for tasks in projects. The custom fields can be defined and shared across an organization, and are always unique. Each type of custom field is an object that is subclass of a generic object. Other objects define attributes of the custom fields and assign values to the attributes. The data model allows the custom fields to be preserved and managed across multiple projects and users.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of operating a load-balancing engine for a social networking system receiving real-time updates from mobile devices. The method can include receiving a location-based record update associated with a user account; writing the location-based record update separately to at least two different databases; forwarding the location-based record update to an analytic engine of a web service computer system; receiving a first derivative dataset computed based on the location-based record from the analytic engine; and writing the first derivative dataset separately to the at least two different databases.