Former Member

March 26, 2012 3 minute read

Remote Key Mapping Usage in auto mapping look up Fields Values in import Manager.

Applies to:

SAP MDM – Master Data Management 7.1

Abstract

This article provides a step-by-step procedure for how to auto map look up field values when value mapping is not possible.

Case Scenario

To explain the scenario, let us take the example of ‘Material Groups’ look up table.

Material Groups look up table has two display fields Code and Name (Description). To import look up data into MDM from the ERP system, we shall use import manager. However, due to system restrictions, for importing the record(s) into the main table we can only send the code for ‘Material Group’ field. As this field is the combination of two display fields i.e. code and name, so the field values would not get auto mapped and manual mapping is not a good solution, like in case of large amount of data.

So the requirement is that the Lookup Field values should get auto mapped.

Approach Used

We’ll update Material Group table with remote keys and then import main table data without doing any manual mapping of look up field values.

Methodology

Step 1 – Console Settings

Make the table ‘ Material Groups’ as key mapping enabled and create the remote system of type inbound or inbound/outbound as shown below:

Step 2 – Import Key mapping in the required look up table (in our case is – Material Groups)

2.1 – Prepare the excel

Export the supplier records to excel using data manager.

Select the source and destination tables:

Create a clone field of field ‘Code’ and rename it to Remote Key as shown below:

Go to the tab ‘Match Records’, select the matching field as ‘Code’. If you are importing all the fields of the table, the default Import action would be ‘Create’. In our case the data of the table ‘Material Groups’ is already imported, we just need to update the records with remote keys, so the default import action would be ‘Update (All Mapped Fields)’.

Perform the import by clicking on Execute Import icon.

2.3 – Test if Remote Keys are imported

Open data manager and check the imported remote keys. Just right click the Material Group table record and press edit key mappings, a new pop up window will open with the remote system details.

Step 3 – Main Table Data Import

3.1 – Prepare the excel

3.2 – Import the Data

Open import manager and connect to the source excel sheet.Perform Field mapping by clicking on the button ‘Automap’.Click on the Material Group field, you would find that its Field value is also mapped automatically.

Perform field matching step and execute the import.

Notes

The [Remote Key] virtual field appears only when Key Mapping is enabled for the destination table and the remote system type is Inbound or Inbound/Outbound.
A remote system can only have unique remote keys, so while importing remote keys make sure that your matching field is also unique.
Value mapping is also possible. If you have other look up tables for which remote keys are not enabled but the source values and destination values are the same, you need to click on the button ‘Automap’ once again in the ‘Value mapping’ grid.