Master data refers to the core, non-transactional data that is fundamental to running and analyzing sustainability operations in a stable and consistent manner. It represents the key business entities and dimensions around which sustainability operations are organized, including business locations, legal entities, time periods, products, employees as well as sustainability specific entities such as greenhouse gas scopes, energy carriers or waste types.
SAP Sustainability Control Tower already provides a comprehensive set of business dimensions and related master data out-of-the-box across all data provider interfaces (DPIs), however you can extend it to meet the needs of your organization. Master data consists of the following key elements:
- Unique identifiers
- Descriptions
- Attributes
- Hierarchies
These elements are re-used in all main apps for example to derive calculated metrics from master data values or to display results along organizational hierarchies.
Different Types of Master Data
SAP Sustainability Control Tower customer configuration enables you to maintain different types of master data, including organizational structures and hierarchies, SAP-provided dimension values as well as custom dimensions. It allows you to configure your global parameters (global currency and customer sources) and define a snapshot strategy which reflects the time-dependent state of defined organizational structures and hierarchies on a specific date. Master data is the first data that is brought into the system because it is the prerequisite to use the standard features of the solution.
To illustrate the concept, consider the DPI Emissions. Emissions data is structured and categorized using a combination of standard SAP-provided data elements (measures and dimensions) and customer-defined data elements.
Within SAP Sustainability Control Tower, DPI data is contextualized through dimensions, including DPI-specific dimensions, common dimensions and custom dimensions. These dimensions define the data structure and granularity while measures represent the quantitative values or transactional data being reported.
DPI-specific dimensions enable detailed classification of emissions data. Examples of standard dimensions include GHG Scope (Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3), Scope 2 Calculation Method (location-based or market-based) and Gas Type. Gas Type can utilize standard SAP-delivered master data values such as CO₂ and CH₄, as well as customer-defined values for specific refrigerants or other gases.
Common dimensions are standard SAP dimensions that provide business context and can be applied across multiple data domains, not only emissions data. Examples include Period, Period Type, Business Location, Legal Entity, Organizational Unit, and Source ID.
Custom dimensions are customer-defined attributes that enrich Data Provider Interfaces (DPIs) with additional business-specific context. An example of a custom dimension could be the Data Origin specifying the data was determined or derived. The corresponding master data values can specify, for example, whether data was measured (e.g., captured by a sensor), calculated (e.g., derived through a formula) or estimated (e.g., based on an approximation).
Measures define the different types of numerical values stored in the fact table. These may include SAP-provided measures, such as CO₂e emissions values, as well as customer-defined measures tailored to specific reporting requirements.
Metrics use a combination of measures and dimension values as well as calculations to create a specific business view on the underlying facts data.
You have now gained an understanding of how master data is managed within SAP Sustainability Control Tower.
Organizational Master Data
SAP Sustainability Control Tower supports three standard organizational dimensions:
- Business location
- Business locations are typically used to model the physical location structure of the organization including entities like plants, warehouses or sales offices. Business locations can be of type region (BusReg), sub-Region (BusSubReg), Country (BusCountry) or business location (BusLoc) representing different levels of an organizational hierarchy. This enables data to be collected and aggregated on different organizational levels.Business locations of type BusLoc need to be assigned to a country which is a mandatory attribute. You can model location hierarchies using parent-child relations between locations of different types/levels.
- Legal entity
- Legal entities represent the legal company structure of the organization. Legal Entities can be of type Company or Legal Entity representing different levels of the corporate legal entity structure. You can model legal entity hierarchies using parent-child relations between companies and legal entities. Nodes of type company need to be assigned to a country which is a mandatory attribute.
- Org unit
- OrgUnits represent the management structure, which could include entities like segments, business units or divisions. OrgUnits do not have pre-defined types or levels like the other two dimensions. You can model orgunit hierarchies using parent-child relationships. There are no mandatory attributes associated with orgunits.
Note
In SAP Sustainability Control Tower, all organizational master data is time-dependent. This means each master data record has a valid from and valid to date assignment. When an update to organizational master data occurs, the system automatically generates a new snapshot of the organizational master data which means that all apps showing organizational master data and/or hierarchies will show the master data valid on the snapshot date.
The Manage Master Data Application
The master data maintenance, upload and validation process is performed using the Manage Master Data app. This application enables the import of your organization's master data from CSV files, setting it apart from SAP-provided master data, which is accessible in a view-only mode. This app acts as a centralized platform for the management and synchronization of master data across various dimensions. It features the configuration of global parameters and efficient homepage functionality, which streamlines the searching and management of data dimensions. It also provides detailed insights into import status, ESG areas, and DPIs—along with error logging and snapshot management.
Overview of Master Data Configuration Process
To configure master data in SAP Sustainability Control Tower using the Manage Master Data application, follow these steps:
- Configure global parameters: Set the global currency and add Customer ID Sources to identify data origin.
- Set-up of Standard Organizational structures: Business Location, Legal Entity and Reporting Line are the reporting structures used in a variety of reporting contexts in SAP Sustainability Control Tower and are user-defined master data.
- Set-up of hierarchies for organizational structures: The organizational structures are structured as hierarchies composed of nodes and links. Hierarchies help in sorting and grouping the later uploaded actual data.
- Managing snapshots: Keep track of changes in organizational structure for accurate data, including expansions, new locations, or closures.
- Maintenance of data: Use the Manage Master Data application to continuously view and maintain all master data elements.
Master Data Upload Process for Organizational Structures
The video outlines the process to upload organizational structures in the Manage Master Data app.
Importing from SAP Datasphere
In addition, SAP Sustainability Control Tower provides the option to import organizational master data (both nodes and links) from SAP Datasphere. This is particularly useful if such master data can be automatically sourced from a central master data system or system of record.
Master Data Import Process for Organizational Structures from SAP Datasphere:
- In the Manage Master Data app, select the relevant standard reporting structure: Business Location, Legal Entity or Reporting Line.
- Select Import from SAP System – Import from Datasphere.
- Validation and Publishing runs automatically.
The pre-requisite for this import scenario is that the latest version of the Datasphere Business Content for SAP Sustainability Control Tower has been deployed. In addition, a data flow and mapping needs to be implemented in SAP Datasphere.
For more information, refer to the SAP documentation: Master Data Integration