SAP MDM Simplifed Part - I

- Ameya Pimpalgaonkar
- L&T Infotech (Netweaver and MDM consultant)
Today we are starting our new series similer to what we had earlier SAP ABAP Simplified series. This time the series is SAP MDM Simplified. We are trying to present the information to the fullest, however, sometimes loop holes do remains. Your support and comments drives us to present more targeted articles for you. This asrticle is also published at GoArticles. Keep visiting MadeITsimple.com

What is MDM?

The MDM system is much more than a simple database application. Rather, it is an integrated system for master data management that uses a database management system (DBMS), but completely bypasses relational DB functions for almost all searching, Sorting, and retrieving of information.SAP Master Data Management (SAP MDM) enables master data on customers, partners and products to be consolidated and harmonized across the enterprise, making it available to all staff and business partners. A key component of SAP NetWeaver, SAP MDM ensures data integrity across all IT systems.

Why you need MDM?

Your company has a heterogeneous IT landscape with multiple systems containing data objects of say, material, customer, vendors, and employees. While communicating material inforamation to vendors and customers, confusions has ensured where the same material has been sent to the same vendor and customer many times. Now because of this, it has been very difficult for your organization to maintain centralized catalogue of products that are searchable by customers.

Further, poor data synchronization between your company’s system has resulted in slow and inaccurate partner and supplier communications. This time indeed you need Master Data Management to alleviate these problems.

MDM Components:

                                      

As shown in the picture, these are the MDM components. Please take a note of arrow directions as this shows the direction of a typical data flow.

MDM Console:

Allows the system manager to administrate and monitor MDM srver software to create and maintain the structure of the repositories and control access to them. Records are not entered or managed through this.

MDM Datamanager:

It is a combined application where you can search and view data, as well as create new and maintain/edit existing data.

Portal:

It integrates the MDM components and enables web based MDM repository to work on.

Import Manager:

In order to load the data into the MDM system, you need is Import Manager.

Syndicator:

To send the purified, cleaned data back to the original system, MDM syndicator is used.

Rest of the features and components we will study in depth in the next article of this series. So while keep visiting MadeITsimple.com