Implementing SAP Master Data Integration and Orchestrating Distribution

Master Data Integration (MDI) provides the centralized master data hub that keeps applications across an SAP landscape—such as Ariba, Fieldglass, and S/4HANA—in sync. This lesson introduces how MDI replicates master data, supports initial loads and delta updates, and ensures that all applications consume consistent business partner, organizational, and product data aligned to SAP One Domain Model.

Consultants and architects must understand MDI because modern SAP procurement solutions rely on it for stable, reliable master data distribution and integration consistency across cloud and hybrid environments.

SAP Master Data Integration service is a central master data hub. Applications integrate with SAP Master Data Integration to synchronize their local master data databases with the master data database of the central hub. In a typical setup, there is exactly one tenant of SAP Master Data Integration for each landscape. Application tenants of the same landscape integrate against the same tenant. The tenant helps to ensure that all applications within this landscape arrive at a consistent view on master data.

SAP Master Data Integration focuses exclusively on the integration aspect regarding master data. This is achieved via replicating master data records. SAP Master Data Integration enables applications to do initial loads of master data and afterwards stay in sync with the master data database of SAP Master Data Integration. Administrators can control which data is to be synchronized with which applications, monitor the replication, and comply with data protection and privacy regulations.

For more details on the features of SAP Master Data Integration, see Features.

For staying in sync with the master data database of Master Data Integration, the service offers a REST API. For business partners and business partner relationships, it additionally offers SOAP APIs. For more information, see Connecting SOAP Applications.

Applications use the REST Events API to perform initial loads and then delta loads to stay in sync. Delta loads enable the applications to receive events about all changes to the master data database of Master Data Integration that happened since the last call to the events API.

Staying up to date with the changes to the master data database of Master Data Integration in the delta load eventually delivers the same information for every application (provided identical filter settings).

Master data processes such as consolidation, data quality control, and central governance are not in the scope of SAP Master Data Integration. These processes can be implemented by leveraging SAP Master Data Governance, cloud edition, which integrates with SAP Master Data Integration service.

The Cloud Integration capability of SAP Integration Suite can be used to integrate non-SAP and SAP on-premise applications with SAP Master Data Integration. It comes with special support for SAP Master Data Integration. For more details, see SAP Cloud Integration.

SAP Master Data Integration service does not support arbitrary but only specific master data objects. The supported master data objects are adhering to the SAP One Domain Model. For more details on the supported integration models of SAP One Domain Model, see Integration Models.

To create a tenant of SAP Master Data Integration, an SAP Business Technology Platform global account is required. The service is cross-consumable from any SAP Business Technology Platform data center. For more details on consuming SAP Master Data Integration, see Data Center Availability and Pricing.

For more information on the available integration from SAP applications into SAP Master Data Integration, see Integration.

SAP Master Data Integration service maintains a database of master data records for the landscape. Applications exchange messages with SAP Master Data Integration to keep their local copies of the master data in sync. The initial load functionality of the service supports two different use cases:

1. Initial upload: Applications that modify and create master data records can load their local master data records into Master Data Integration as part of the initial upload. This is done to populate the central database in Master Data Integration. Applications using this functionality are producing clients.

2. Initial download: Applications receive their initial copy of master data records from Master Data Integration. Applications using this functionality are consuming clients.

Consuming clients can get a copy of the master data centrally from the Master Data Integration service without affecting existing integration scenarios. This decoupling eliminates the need to integrate with multiple different applications of a landscape.

After performing an initial load, applications transition to a continuous synchronization with Master Data Integration.

Distribution models contain distribution relevant settings in a central place. They are needed independently if the integrating applications are cloud or on-premise applications. To avoid heterogeneous logic and diverse user interfaces of the specific applications in point-to-point integrations, Business Data Orchestration provides a central control of data distribution in the context of SAP Master Data Integration service.

Business Data Orchestration delivers a user interface for the central maintenance of distribution models. These are later replicated to the clients when the models are activated.

What are now the main ingredients of the distribution model and how are they used in the connected applications? First of all, a model has a name and contains a language-dependent description to be able to easily identify its purpose. Next, the object type and its version have to be specified. Master Data Integration operates based on the master date defined in SAP One Domain Model as a common language. This is important information to identify the contained data scope of the master data. Furthermore, it offers connectivity for one data provider with multiple consumers or the other way around, for multiple providers with one consumer.

In Master Data Integration using scenarios, one partner will always be Master Data Integration depending on the direction. Currently, for distribution only ABAP-based systems like S/4HANA or SAP Cloud Master Data Governance can act as provider in a distribution model because of the ABAP library. Master Data Integration is then the consumer.

More important are the filters, which allow to control the data flow, that is, what data are replicated to what client. The requirements can easily be outlined by two examples. A production unit represented by a corresponding application normally doesn't need customers if the sales application is not available. On the other hand, a locally operating sales organization in the U.S. normally would not need customer sales data from European based sales organizations. These organizational data don't need to be replicated and this will reduce data traffic and volume.

To fulfill these requirements two types of filters are available, instance and data scope filters:

• Object Selection Filters: Object selection filters are used to control which records (instances) is to be replicated to a specific consumer ("downstream client").
• Data Scope Filters: Data scope filters control the parts of the records that are to be replicated to a specific consumer ("downstream client").

As already indicated in the above two examples, the final filtering occurs by setting up logical conditions based on the payload of the replicated object. The explicit formulation of the specific condition requires knowledge of the business process. Therefore, it can only be set up at the individual SAP customer. This clarifies that the user of the distribution model maintenance in Business Data Orchestration would rather be a user with business background than a technical administrator.

Business Data Orchestration is a service that runs on the SAP Business Technology Platform. This service is used as a central place to configure the distribution of master data.

A subscription on the SAP Business Technology Platform cockpit is required to consume the service. See Subscription Process for Business Data Orchestration.

The Initial Setup of Business Data Orchestration will take you through the necessary setup and configuration of Business Data Orchestration service and is complemented by corresponding documentation of the integrating applications. See App Descriptions for Business Data Orchestration.

In the distribution process of master data, there is a provider that has the master data and a consumer that receives the master data. To ensure that the consumer only receives necessary data, there is a filter for object selection and one filter for data scope.

Distribution Process of Master Data

There are two different modes, the pull mode and the push mode.

1. Push mode: The provider sends regularly new and changed master data to the consumer. The consumer then responds that the data was received and saved.

2. Pull mode: The consumer runs a scheduler to request regularly new and changed master data from the provider. In response, the master data is sent from the provider to the consumer.

Push and Pull Mode - Related Information:

Integrating with SAP Ariba

Refer to the Master Data Integration Chapter on the SAP Ariba help page.

The setup instructions for the below master data are covered in the client-specific central integration chapter.

• Business Partner—Supplier
• Company Code
• Cost Center
• Exchange Rate
• Plant
• Product
• Product Group
• Project Controlling Object
• Purchasing Organization

Integrating with SAP Ariba Invoicing

Refer to the Master Data Integration Chapter on the SAP Ariba Invoicing help page.

The setup instructions for the below master data are covered in the client-specific central integration chapter.

• Business Partner
• Cost Center
• Exchange Rate
• Project Controlling Object

Integrating with SAP Fieldglass

Refer to the Master Data Integration Chapter on the SAP Fieldglass help page.

The setup instructions for the below master data are covered in the client-specific central integration chapter.

• Business Partner - Supplier
• Company Code
• Cost Center
• Exchange Rate
• Job Classification
• Organizational Unit
• Plant
• Project Controlling Object
• Purchase Org
• Sales Controlling Object
• Workforce Capability
• Workforce Person

• A central master data hub with one MDI tenant per landscape that ensures consistent data across applications and supports replication only for SAP One Domain Model objects.
• Synchronization begins with an initial upload or download, followed by delta sync via the REST Events API; push or pull distribution is supported, using SAP Integration Suite when direct integrations are unavailable.
• Distribution is handled by Business Data Orchestration using models and filters that control which records and fields are shared with each consumer.