Master data is a company asset. The better the data, the better business operation (and the lower the costs)
Companies need to be able to base critical business decisions on facts, rather than on assumptions. In this context, they must gain a central view on master data information that is spread across the heterogeneous system landscape. Once this information is at hand, it can be used to run reliable company-wide analytics based on consolidated master data.
And this is where SAP NetWeaver MDM comes in: The master-data consolidation IT scenario delivers a means to aggregate master data from various SAP and non-SAP sources, with de-duplication and normalization. Duplicate and/or identical records can be detected, and centrally merged into one consolidated record, while the relevant key mapping information (collection of the different object IDs used in the individual client systems) is kept and can be transfered to SAP NetWeaver BI. SAP NetWeaver BI in turn processes this consolidated inflow of data, which is a prerequisite for reliable cross-group analyses.
For example, this can be effectively utilized to address the challenge of spend analysis and optimizing sourcing and procurement. With SAP NetWeaver MDM, relationships/dependencies between vendors and products can be revealed across the overall system landscape, putting the company in a much better negotiating position, for example, in strategic purchasing processes.
The master data consoliation IT scenario comes in two variants:
1. Consolidation of Business Intelligence Master Data:
In this variant, SAP NetWeaver MDM updates BI master data to provide a solid base for cross-company reporting, such as global spend analyses.
2. Consolidation of Master Data From Client Systems
*) Can be used in addition to MDM Import Manager/Import Manager Batch MDM and Syndicator/Syndicator Batch
In this variant, SAP NetWeaver MDM allows you to identify identical master data objects within heterogeneous landscapes, merge identical objects centrally, and provide the relevant key mapping information for further use in business operations or analytics.
In summary, master-data consolidation is about consolidating (matching, normalizing, and cleansing) and storing master data imported from client systems (including SAP NetWeaver BI) to uncover existing relationships and enable reliable cross-group analyses (for example, global spend).
SAP NetWeaver MDM provides the following benefits:
- Helps companies to leverage existing IT investments by complementing and integrating with their existing IT landscape
- Provides a starting point for subsequent master-data harmonization or central master-data management
- Helps companies in major decision-making processes since decisions can be based on consolidated data
Hope this helps you to see master data management from a scenario and process perspective.
Best regards,
Markus Ganser
