diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/accesslevel.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/accesslevel.js
index 44b638ed41..a607ed13c3 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/accesslevel.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/accesslevel.js
@@ -6,13 +6,18 @@ const {
   POWERUSER_LEVEL_ID,
   ADMIN_LEVEL_ID,
 } = require("../../utilities/accessLevels")
+const {
+  generateAccessLevelID,
+  getAccessLevelParams,
+} = require("../../db/utils")
 
 exports.fetch = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
-  const body = await db.query("database/by_type", {
-    include_docs: true,
-    key: ["accesslevel"],
-  })
+  const body = await db.allDocs(
+    getAccessLevelParams(null, {
+      include_docs: true,
+    })
+  )
   const customAccessLevels = body.rows.map(row => row.doc)
 
   const staticAccessLevels = [
@@ -90,7 +95,7 @@ exports.create = async function(ctx) {
     name: ctx.request.body.name,
     _rev: ctx.request.body._rev,
     permissions: ctx.request.body.permissions || [],
-    _id: newid(),
+    _id: generateAccessLevelID(newid()),
     type: "accesslevel",
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js
index eb5ca5ee95..b8d0d59344 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/application.js
@@ -12,17 +12,18 @@ const setBuilderToken = require("../../utilities/builder/setBuilderToken")
 const fs = require("fs-extra")
 const { promisify } = require("util")
 const chmodr = require("chmodr")
+const { generateAppID, getAppParams } = require("../../db/utils")
 const {
   downloadExtractComponentLibraries,
 } = require("../../utilities/createAppPackage")
 
 exports.fetch = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ClientDb.name(getClientId(ctx)))
-  const body = await db.query("client/by_type", {
-    include_docs: true,
-    key: ["app"],
-  })
-
+  const body = await db.allDocs(
+    getAppParams(null, {
+      include_docs: true,
+    })
+  )
   ctx.body = body.rows.map(row => row.doc)
 }
 
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ exports.create = async function(ctx) {
   if (!clientId) {
     ctx.throw(400, "ClientId not suplied")
   }
-  const appId = newid()
+  const appId = generateAppID(newid())
   // insert an appId -> clientId lookup
   const masterDb = new CouchDB("client_app_lookup")
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js
index 2c415fec8b..81b5a6b87b 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const newid = require("../../db/newid")
 const actions = require("../../automations/actions")
 const logic = require("../../automations/logic")
 const triggers = require("../../automations/triggers")
+const { getAutomationParams, generateAutomationID } = require("../../db/utils")
 
 /*************************
  *                       *
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ exports.create = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
   let automation = ctx.request.body
 
-  automation._id = newid()
+  automation._id = generateAutomationID(newid())
 
   automation.type = "automation"
   automation = cleanAutomationInputs(automation)
@@ -72,10 +73,11 @@ exports.update = async function(ctx) {
 
 exports.fetch = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
-  const response = await db.query(`database/by_type`, {
-    key: ["automation"],
-    include_docs: true,
-  })
+  const response = await db.allDocs(
+    getAutomationParams(null, {
+      include_docs: true,
+    })
+  )
   ctx.body = response.rows.map(row => row.doc)
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/model.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/model.js
index 0f38056753..59d2d66325 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/model.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/model.js
@@ -1,26 +1,31 @@
 const CouchDB = require("../../db")
 const newid = require("../../db/newid")
+const {
+  getRecordParams,
+  getModelParams,
+  generateModelID,
+} = require("../../db/utils")
 
 exports.fetch = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
-  const body = await db.query("database/by_type", {
-    include_docs: true,
-    key: ["model"],
-  })
+  const body = await db.allDocs(
+    getModelParams(null, {
+      include_docs: true,
+    })
+  )
   ctx.body = body.rows.map(row => row.doc)
 }
 
 exports.find = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
-  const model = await db.get(ctx.params.id)
-  ctx.body = model
+  ctx.body = await db.get(ctx.params.id)
 }
 
 exports.save = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
   const modelToSave = {
     type: "model",
-    _id: newid(),
+    _id: generateModelID(newid()),
     views: {},
     ...ctx.request.body,
   }
@@ -28,9 +33,11 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
   // rename record fields when table column is renamed
   const { _rename } = modelToSave
   if (_rename) {
-    const records = await db.query(`database/all_${modelToSave._id}`, {
-      include_docs: true,
-    })
+    const records = await db.allDocs(
+      getRecordParams(modelToSave._id, null, {
+        include_docs: true,
+      })
+    )
     const docs = records.rows.map(({ doc }) => {
       doc[_rename.updated] = doc[_rename.old]
       delete doc[_rename.old]
@@ -54,7 +61,7 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
   modelToSave._rev = result.rev
 
   const { schema } = ctx.request.body
-  for (let key in schema) {
+  for (let key of Object.keys(schema)) {
     // model has a linked record
     if (schema[key].type === "link") {
       // create the link field in the other model
@@ -71,19 +78,6 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
     }
   }
 
-  const designDoc = await db.get("_design/database")
-  designDoc.views = {
-    ...designDoc.views,
-    [`all_${modelToSave._id}`]: {
-      map: `function(doc) {
-        if (doc.modelId === "${modelToSave._id}") {
-          emit(doc._id); 
-        }
-      }`,
-    },
-  }
-  await db.put(designDoc)
-
   ctx.status = 200
   ctx.message = `Model ${ctx.request.body.name} saved successfully.`
   ctx.body = modelToSave
@@ -96,16 +90,18 @@ exports.destroy = async function(ctx) {
 
   await db.remove(modelToDelete)
 
-  const modelViewId = `all_${ctx.params.modelId}`
-
   // Delete all records for that model
-  const records = await db.query(`database/${modelViewId}`)
+  const records = await db.allDocs(
+    getRecordParams(ctx.params.modelId, null, {
+      include_docs: true,
+    })
+  )
   await db.bulkDocs(
     records.rows.map(record => ({ _id: record.id, _deleted: true }))
   )
 
   // Delete linked record fields in dependent models
-  for (let key in modelToDelete.schema) {
+  for (let key of Object.keys(modelToDelete.schema)) {
     const { type, modelId } = modelToDelete.schema[key]
     if (type === "link") {
       const linkedModel = await db.get(modelId)
@@ -114,11 +110,6 @@ exports.destroy = async function(ctx) {
     }
   }
 
-  // delete the "all" view
-  const designDoc = await db.get("_design/database")
-  delete designDoc.views[modelViewId]
-  await db.put(designDoc)
-
   ctx.status = 200
   ctx.message = `Model ${ctx.params.modelId} deleted.`
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/record.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/record.js
index 2626667ef3..1344142d8e 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/record.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/record.js
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 const CouchDB = require("../../db")
 const validateJs = require("validate.js")
 const newid = require("../../db/newid")
+const { getRecordParams, generateRecordID } = require("../../db/utils")
+
+const MODEL_VIEW_BEGINS_WITH = "all_model:"
 
 function emitEvent(eventType, ctx, record) {
   let event = {
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
   record.modelId = ctx.params.modelId
 
   if (!record._rev && !record._id) {
-    record._id = newid()
+    record._id = generateRecordID(record.modelId, newid())
   }
 
   const model = await db.get(record.modelId)
@@ -133,7 +136,16 @@ exports.save = async function(ctx) {
 exports.fetchView = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
   const { stats, group, field } = ctx.query
-  const response = await db.query(`database/${ctx.params.viewName}`, {
+  const viewName = ctx.params.viewName
+
+  // if this is a model view being looked for just transfer to that
+  if (viewName.indexOf(MODEL_VIEW_BEGINS_WITH) === 0) {
+    ctx.params.modelId = viewName.substring(4)
+    await exports.fetchModelRecords(ctx)
+    return
+  }
+
+  const response = await db.query(`database/${viewName}`, {
     include_docs: !stats,
     group,
   })
@@ -154,9 +166,11 @@ exports.fetchView = async function(ctx) {
 
 exports.fetchModelRecords = async function(ctx) {
   const db = new CouchDB(ctx.user.instanceId)
-  const response = await db.query(`database/all_${ctx.params.modelId}`, {
-    include_docs: true,
-  })
+  const response = await db.allDocs(
+    getRecordParams(ctx.params.modelId, null, {
+      include_docs: true,
+    })
+  )
   ctx.body = response.rows.map(row => row.doc)
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.js b/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.js
index d1d393347c..4b213643d2 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const CouchDB = require("../db")
 const emitter = require("../events/index")
 const InMemoryQueue = require("./queue/inMemoryQueue")
+const { getAutomationParams } = require("../db/utils")
 
 let automationQueue = new InMemoryQueue()
 
@@ -89,12 +90,8 @@ async function queueRelevantRecordAutomations(event, eventType) {
     throw `No instanceId specified for ${eventType} - check event emitters.`
   }
   const db = new CouchDB(event.instanceId)
-  const automationsToTrigger = await db.query(
-    "database/by_automation_trigger",
-    {
-      key: [eventType],
-      include_docs: true,
-    }
+  const automationsToTrigger = await db.allDocs(
+    getAutomationParams(null, { include_docs: true })
   )
 
   const automations = automationsToTrigger.rows.map(wf => wf.doc)
diff --git a/packages/server/src/db/utils.js b/packages/server/src/db/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8ea40b9757
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/db/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+const DocumentTypes = {
+  MODEL: "model",
+  RECORD: "record",
+  USER: "user",
+  AUTOMATION: "automation",
+  LINK: "link",
+  APP: "app",
+  ACCESS_LEVEL: "accesslevel",
+}
+
+exports.DocumentTypes = DocumentTypes
+
+const UNICODE_MAX = "\ufff0"
+
+function singleInputParams(docType, input, otherProps = {}) {
+  if (input == null) {
+    input = ""
+  }
+  return {
+    ...otherProps,
+    startkey: `${docType}:${input}`,
+    endkey: `${docType}:${input}${UNICODE_MAX}`,
+  }
+}
+
+exports.getModelParams = (modelId, otherProps = {}) => {
+  return singleInputParams(DocumentTypes.MODEL, modelId, otherProps)
+}
+
+exports.generateModelID = modelId => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.MODEL}:${modelId}`
+}
+
+exports.getRecordParams = (modelId, recordId, otherProps = {}) => {
+  if (modelId == null && recordId != null) {
+    throw "Cannot build key for record ID without a model ID"
+  }
+  const endOfKey = recordId == null ? `${modelId}:` : `${modelId}:${recordId}`
+  return {
+    ...otherProps,
+    startkey: `${DocumentTypes.RECORD}:${endOfKey}`,
+    endkey: `${DocumentTypes.RECORD}:${endOfKey}${UNICODE_MAX}`,
+  }
+}
+
+exports.generateRecordID = (modelId, recordId) => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.RECORD}:${modelId}:${recordId}`
+}
+
+exports.getUserParams = (username, otherProps = {}) => {
+  return singleInputParams(DocumentTypes.USER, username, otherProps)
+}
+
+exports.generateUserID = username => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.USER}:${username}`
+}
+
+exports.getAutomationParams = (automationId, otherProps = {}) => {
+  return singleInputParams(DocumentTypes.AUTOMATION, automationId, otherProps)
+}
+
+exports.generateAutomationID = automationId => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.AUTOMATION}:${automationId}`
+}
+
+// for now link records still have their own view as we can walk multiple directions
+exports.generateLinkID = (modelId1, modelId2, recordId1, recordId2) => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.AUTOMATION}:${modelId1}:${modelId2}:${recordId1}:${recordId2}`
+}
+
+exports.generateAppID = appId => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.APP}:${appId}`
+}
+
+exports.getAppParams = (appId, otherProps = {}) => {
+  return singleInputParams(DocumentTypes.APP, appId, otherProps)
+}
+
+exports.generateAccessLevelID = accessLevelId => {
+  return `${DocumentTypes.ACCESS_LEVEL}:${accessLevelId}`
+}
+
+exports.getAccessLevelParams = (accessLevelId, otherProps) => {
+  return singleInputParams(
+    DocumentTypes.ACCESS_LEVEL,
+    accessLevelId,
+    otherProps
+  )
+}