Product Information
Master Data Quality Management with SAP Master Data Governance on SAP S/4HANA 1909
With the latest release of SAP S/4HANA 1909, SAP Master Data Governance received a comprehensive update of the data quality management capabilities that were already introduced with SAP S/4HANA 1809.
Summary
- Data quality evaluation to measure and analyze the quality of existing master data.
- Business Partner (including customer and vendor), Product, and customer-defined objects supported. Support of further domains by Solution Extensions to be announced.
- Rule mining applies machine learning to discover rules in existing master data.
- Validation of data in change request processing with the same rules used for data quality evaluation.
Rule Management
Collaboratively describe, catalog, and implement rules for data quality using a central rule repository
The rule repository of MDG allows you to manage your rules for master data quality in one single place. It provides you with a repository to catalog and define data-quality rules, including comprehensive descriptions of rules, business aspects, and contact information. Various statuses of rules and collaboration features, for example using SAP CoPilot, allow you to handle the complete lifecycle of rules. Furthermore, the implementation of rules in BRFplus is also done from this app. This gives you full transparency on business aspects, usages and the technical implementations of all rules.
Rule Mining
Discover new data quality rules utilizing machine learning, analyzing your existing data
Besides entering already known data quality rules, data and business specialists can use mining runs to apply machine learning on existing master data. This will analyze how various aspects of the master data relate to each other and propose rules. The specialists can then collaboratively decide on the business relevancy of the proposed rules. Once accepted, data quality rules can be automatically created, including the transfer of the detected insights to the implementation of the data quality rule. Rule mining eases and shortens the discovery of rules and makes the qualification and implementation of data quality rules more efficient.
See also what Kefeng Wang writes in his blog Using MDG Rule Mining to Improve Data Quality for more information!
Data Quality Evaluation
Assess data quality by applying data quality rules on existing data
Data quality evaluation applies all rules to the active data in the system. The results of the evaluation are stored for later analysis. You can initiate evaluations ad-hoc, but of course also schedule evaluations, for example at weekly intervals.
Data Quality Analysis
Monitor progress of data quality initiatives and get insights for improvement
During data quality evaluation, the system stores the outcomes when applying the rules to your data. Furthermore, scores are calculated for each rule that indicate the share of good data in your system. You can group multiple rules in data quality dimensions. Data quality dimensions themselves belong to a data quality category. This allow you to define how you want to aggregate the scores on rule-level into higher-level KPIs for data quality reporting. You are provided with overview pages to monitor the current data quality situation and report on its trend. From each report you can drill-down to the lower-levels of your definition of data quality to identify root-causes of bad data.
Data Quality Remediation
Efficiently delegate or perform the remediation of data quality issues
Of course, you want to fix the issues in your data, once the data quality evaluation has detected it. From within the apps for data quality analysis, you can
- Directly fix single products or business partners by opening any of the apps assigned to you, for example Manage Business Partner Master Data.
- Delegate the correction to somebody else by sending the results of your analysis as a link to the app including filters and other settings.
- You can export the evaluation results in open office (XLSX) format.
- You can fix multiple products or business partners with MDG’s powerful mass processing capabilities.
- You can export selected business partners or products in open office (XLSX) format for offline editing and later import in the MDG mass processing app
Check of Data in Change Requests
Apply data quality rules at the point of data entry with central governance
With SAP S/4HANA 1909 you can use the same data quality rules for quality evaluation and for check in change request processing. This makes the definition process of rules efficient, as you only have to create a rule once. It also caters for consistent application and implementation of rules for both data quality evaluation and data entry. Please note that with the initial shipment of SAP S/4HANA 1909 this feature is only available for business partner master data (MDG-C, MDG-S, MDG-BP). We plan the availability for MDG-M with the next feature pack.
Domains
With SAP S/4HANA 1909, master data quality management with SAP MDG is not only available for product master data, but also for business partner data. Further domains are planned to be covered with solution extensions.
Benefits
Master Data Quality Management with SAP Master Data Governance provides you with unique benefits:
- A central repository for data quality rules, striving to cover every master data process in SAP Master Data Governance
- Re-use of rule definition and implementation for the purpose of data quality evaluation and check of data during entry with MDG’s change requests.
- With a few configuration steps (link help.sap.com) and no development at all you are ready to go with data quality management that is embedded into SAP Master Data Governance and SAP S/4HANA
- An easy way for rule implementation, based on pre-defined master data models, including for example value helps, plus the strengths of the BRFplus workbench and the robustness of its execution runtime.
- All data quality capabilities are accessible via the SAP Fiori Launchpad, making them available to all stakeholders in your organization embedded in their regular SAP S/4HANA work environment
- The possibility to drill-down from high-level KPIs, down to direct access to active master data in one single place, benefiting from the integration into SAP S/4HANA, for example due to the re-use of application authorizations when analyzing evaluation results
- Insight-to-action from where you analyze data quality findings to actually correct detected errors
Further Information
What’s New in Data Quality Management with SAP Master Data Governance on SAP S/4HANA 1909 (PPT)
Webinar recording featuring the new features of Data Quality Management with SAP Master Data Governance on SAP S/4HANA 1909
Documentation of configuration and usage – Visit http://help.sap.com/s4hana and make sure that you selected the S/4HANA 1909 version. Then navigate to Product Assistance -> Cross Components -> Master Data Governance. See the respective sections on Rule Management and Quality Evaluation beneath the nodes Configuration of MDG, Data Quality Management and Working with MDG, Data Quality Management.
I want to hear from you!
Be invited to comment on this blog
Love the potential of these tools in a true MDG Governance Deployment Model. I am working on value matrix to help with business case and value realization concepts. Ask me about an MDG Charter.
Thanks for the positive feedback!
This is real promising. In today's world we have to use tools like Info steward for Data quality. what is the plan from SAP to get the Finance master data domain included as well. Based on different artifacts looks like these Apps are available only for BP, C, V and Material. How do we leverage these capabilities for FI data.
Hi Ravi,
yes you are right: availability is for the product and business partner domains, plus custom objects (if based on re-use active area, and not flex entities). We currently think about how to address the requirements for FI data the best way, but it is too early for any statements. Right now, checks for FI data can be done with the BRFplus functionality available a part of MDG change request processing. see Definition of Validations and Derivations in BRFplus
Kind regards
Andreas
Hi Andreas,
We have a custom data model (ZX) of flex mode and is it possible to define & use the (MDC) Mass processing Process & template for this custom model. I understand it is possible for reuse model, Kindly share your suggestions. If not, what are the alternatives?
Thanks,
Nalla B.
Hi Andreas,
Thank you for sharing. This is a great addition to SAP MDG.
Is it possible to import rules into the DQM rule library (with an excel file or with any other method)?.
We have several data quality rules built-in Data Services and Information steward - and we would like to use them in MDG DQM. I'm sure it won't be straight forward export from IS and import into DQM as DQM uses the BRF+ rule framework and IS is not.
Thanks in advance.
Hi and thanks for the kudos!
Export and import is possible. Please see the respective sections in our help Rule Management Process Overview . It is based on Excel files.
There are dedicated apps for import and export, respectively for product, business partner and custom domains:
Import Data Quality Rules for Business Partners
Import Master Data Quality Rules
Export Data Quality Rules for Business Partners
Export Data Quality Rules for Products
Export Master Data Quality Rules
Yes, you are right with your concerns regarding the difficulties. Actually I do not see any feasible way of exporting and importing a rule from IS so that it will work right away in MDG DQM. I think it is possible to import the descriptive parts, but the implementation of the rule and its binding to the data is just so different in both products that this is simply incompatible.
Kind regards
Andreas
Thanks for these great blogs and videos, very useful!
Hi Andreas,
Can we used these data quality rules on source data during consolidation process for e,g, in validation step ?
Used to assess data quality (data profiling) before loading data to active area ?
Regards,
Anurag Verma
Hi Anurag,
yes you can. Please see Using Data Quality Rules.
Kind regards
Andreas
Do we need to create data quality rules on consolidation tables ?
The rules are defined on a model that is similar to the active data model of BP or material. (if this is what you are referring to)
Hi Andreas,
My understanding is that we can used DQM rules in Master Data Consolidation process during "Validation" steps.
My question is "Can we evaluate data quality score (data quality evaluation overview /scorecard) for source data that is loaded in consolidation staging tables not replicated to active tables" ?
Or do we need to create DQM rules on consolidation staging tables to profile the data & generate scorecard before data loading in MDG active tables ?
Regards,
Anurag Verma
Hi Andreas,
Is the same possible in MDQ-MM? I mean I am not able to use data quality before loading data to active area for material.
You can use MDG DQM for both product and business partner domain. You can now also use the rule in the validation steps of consolidation - this allows to use the rules even before data is stored in the active area.
This is indeed a great addition to MDG S/4 HANA capabilities . For customers who are on previous S/4 HANA versions like 1709 - how to tap into MDG DQM functionality ? Do we have to upgrade the or S/4 HANA 1709 to 1909 ?
Sure, an upgrade is required.
Hi Andreas, Trying to Import rules via Import Data Quality Rules for Product app, but selecting Start validation button, Status changes to Validation Error, checked for any missing auth as well but no errors. Mainly No error details found in the Log as well.
Kindly advice, how to check this error? We are in S/4 1909 FP S01.
Import Rule - validation Error
Hi,
if the app does not give you information to find the issue and you checked already SU53 and SLG1: please create a support incident.
Kind regards
Andreas
We faced similar issues during import - issues resolved with help of additional information available in SLG1 and SU53. Examples - Incorrect Rule Owner, insufficient authorization, etc.
However, even though the rule got imported, the usage and BRF+ rule did not get implemented. Is there a blog or step-by-step guide only for the the import app?
Hello Andread,
Hope you are doing well & Safe.
Could you please advise for the below points :
Thanks,
Sameet Kumar
Hi Sameet,
please have a look at the answers provided to similar questions above. Thanks!
Kind regards,
Andreas
Hi Andreas,,
May I know SAP MDG DQM when it will available for MDG-F?
I have checked the SAP roadmap for SAP MDG on SAP S/4HANA and Data Quality for Master Data(S/4 OP), it didn't mentioned SAP MDG DQM for Finance when it will be available. Appreciate you can share with me the details.
Thank you.
Gim Han Fu
Hi Gim Han Fu,
MDG for financial master data is not supported by these data quality features (flex data models in general are not supported). There are no plans to add this functionality.
Kind regards
Andreas
Hi Andreas,
My understanding is that we can used DQM rules in Master Data Consolidation process during "Validation" steps and generate Data Quality Scorecard on MDG active tables only.
My question is "Can we evaluate data quality score (data quality evaluation overview /scorecard) for source data that is loaded in consolidation staging tables not replicated to active tables" ?
Or do we need to create DQM rules on consolidation staging tables to profile the data & generate scorecard before data loading in MDG active tables ?
Regards,
Anurag Verma
Hi Anurag,
currently, it is not supported to produce data quality scores for data that is not active. For example, there is no such app to display such information.
Kind regards,
Andreas
How is to add more than one Base table, if we want to create a cross entity/cross tables rule?
This is certainly a big step forward in managing data quality in S/4 instead of depending on external applications like Information Steward.
What is the recommended approach to rule deployment in a production landscape? Data Stewards may not have wide access for BRF workbench, etc.
Our first priority was to provide users with an environment in which they can safely implement rules, including BRFPlus also in a production landscape. Alternatively, you can use the export and import apps.
Hi all, there is a blog on the topic of system landscape management with regards to data quality rules. Let's handle it there.
Hi Andreas, ,
We configured the MDG Process Analytics in our MDG system for BP having custom fields. It generated the corresponding analytical CDS views, but we are not able to see all our custom fields in the CDS views.
As a workaround, we enhanced the CDS manually to include the missing fields, but that will not be a feasible solution as all the steps are part of $tmp package, and enhancing CDS views in Quality and Production systems is not an option.
Have already gone through the SAP note 2950412
Could you please guide?
Regards,
Manish
hi Manish
Please create an SAP incident for your issue on component CA-MDG-ANR, and open the system for further deeper look.
thanks!
Kefeng Wang.