Explaining Consolidation in Master Data Governance

The figure illustrates the approach of "one single application for enterprise master data management".

To perform the master data consolidation of source records, the data load, the Import app is used.

The following functions are offered:

Import App

• Upload data in CSV or Open Office XML format.
• Checks for conflicts in source data tables.
• Option to start consolidation process directly.
• Manage the import app.

Other Import Options

• Use any ETL tool to fill source tables for consolidation, for example, SAP Smart Data Integration.
• Use business partner service to fill source tables and create a consolidation process.

The figure illustrates the position of the step: initial check/validation within the master data consolidation of source records.

Further details:

Initial Check

Check correctness of loaded records:

• Validation of records against back-end customizing to verify whether records can be activated (in combination with central governance validation also against BAdI and BRFplus checks).
• Process-step specific KPIs visualized: status of loaded Single Records.

The figure illustrates the position of the step: standardize data within the master data consolidation of source records.

SAP HANA smart data quality (business partner model only) transforms data to common format to enable matching. This includes out-of-the-box address validation and address standardization.

For non-SAP HANA-based standardization, these options are possible:

• SAP Data Services, called using BAS interface (business partner model only)
• Standardization using BRFplus
• Process-step specific KPIs visualized

The figure illustrates the position of the step: matching data within the master data consolidation of source records.

SAP HANA Fuzzy Search ensures high detection quality in search and matching based on customer-specific rule sets.

SAP HANA smart data quality (business partner model only) provides batch-matching features to identify duplicate data.

For non HANA-based matching, options are possible:

• SAP Data Services, called using BAS interface (business partner model only)
• Simple database matching (material model only)

The figure illustrates the position of the function: match review within the step: matching data within the master data consolidation of source records.

Match review is used to verify the correctness of identified duplicates and provide the appropriate match groups for subsequent calculation of best record:

• Approve or reject match group.
• Delete or split single or multiple records.

The figure illustrates the position of the step: calculating the best record within the master data consolidation of source records.

Create best record according to survivorship rules:

• Survivorship rule types on table level: source system reliability, recency, BRFplus.
• Survivorship rule types on field level: completeness.

Process-step specific KPIs are visualized.

The figure illustrates the position of the step: validating data within the master data consolidation of source records.

Check correctness of new, best, and updated records:

• Validation of records against back-end customizing to verify whether records can be activated - in combination with central governance validation also against BAdI and BRFplus checks
• Process-step specific KPIs visualized: status of new single records, new best records, and status of updates

• The export will be managed by the Export Master Data app.
  • Export settings can be adjusted.
  • File format can be defined.
• Depending on the file format, related messages will be exported as well:
  • Office Open XML → separated tab in spreadsheet
  • Compressed CSV → additional CSV file for messages
• In case of several source systems, the export will be split into several files.

The figure illustrates the position of the step: activating data within the master data consolidation of source records.

Provide consolidated data for analytical or operational use, or initiate governance. Activation type can be flexibly configured:

• Direct activation - typically for analytical use cases or correct records during initial load
• Activation initiating central governance with change request - typically for incorrect records to be corrected using change request
• No Activation - typically for incorrect records to be corrected and loaded again

The figure illustrates the entry screen of master data consolidation of active records: entering the Process Goal and Strategies.

A new process goal: Consolidation of Active Records is available.

Strategies for Consolidation of active records (as part of the process template) are:

• Improve best record:

  • Define which record will be improved.

  • The relationship is replaced by is created for the best record and each duplicate record.

  • Optional (by customer enhancement): Set flag for duplicate records (for example, central block).

• Remove duplicates:
  • Set archiving flag/deletion flag on the Master Data Governance hub side for each duplicate record.
  • Move key mappings from duplicate records to the best record.

The figure illustrates the strategy: improve best record within the master data consolidation of active records.

Automatic creation of a business partner relationship between detected duplicates.

Key mapping will be kept between hub system and client systems.

The figure illustrates the step: remove duplicates within the master data consolidation of active records.

Automatic set of archiving/deletion flag for the duplicate.

Key mapping will be redirected from the duplicate.

The figure illustrates the step: selection within the master data consolidation of active records.

Users can do the following:

• Do a full database scan and search for duplicates.
• Select a subset of active records and search for duplicates.

The figure illustrates the step: match review and match decision within the master data consolidation of active records.

Facts about this step:

• The match decision on match group and record level is stored and used in subsequent Consolidate Active Records processes.
• The match review UI provides the following information:
  • Groups already defined in previous processes with best record decision
  • Rejected records
  • Previous duplicate strategy:
    • Match (Improve Best)
    • Improve (Improve All)

The figure shows the creation of a scheduled consolidation run.

With scheduled consolidation runs for business partners and products, you can improve your data quality by detecting duplicates on a regular basis.

To create a scheduled consolidation run, perform the following steps:

1. Open transaction SE38 to run the corresponding report.
2. Enter a Process Description.
3. Use the F4 input help to select a Process Template.
4. In the Business Partner / Product Data Parameter area, enter your selection criteria.
5. Choose Execute to run the report.

The figure illustrates the process UI to track the process within the general functions.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Show the progress of a consolidation process.
• See results for each process steps in a chart or table view.
• Drill-down into results.

The figure shows the general function to show data of all tables.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Show content of all affected tables in each process step.
• Navigate between tables using tabs.

The figure shows a screenshot of the general function: show changes.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Show all changes of a record.
• Drill-down into field level information.
• Available for all related tables.

The figure illustrates the general function: rollback.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Clear result data after a process step.
• Roll back to any step in the process.
• Re-run the process steps (possibility to change settings for following steps).

The figure illustrates the screen within the general functions to configure steps during runtime.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Configure steps during runtime.
• Adjust settings from the process template.

The figure illustrates the general functions: remove records / split process.

If a process is stopped for review, you can:

• Remove records from the process with several options. For example, records with errors are put into separate process for later processing.
• Removal can be triggered from table view or using drill-down from chart view.
• Also available as separate process step to automatically remove records in the background (Filter and Remove step type: FAR).

The figure illustrates the general function: edit capabilities.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Replace field values for selected records.
• Clear field values for selected records.

The figure illustrates the general function: show messages.

The capabilities are as follows:

• Show messages for each step.
• Navigate into affected records.

The figure illustrates the general function: audit trail.

The capabilities are as follows:

• All activities on process-level are tracked, for example, change of configuration, continuing the process, roll-back of the process.
• Audit trail can be displayed in the process UI.
• Drill down into details (for example, match review).

The figure illustrates the general function: SAP Fiori UI personalization.

The capabilities are as follows:

• There is personalization for showing and hiding fields.
• Define the maximum number of hits in table view. This can impact performance.
• Table views can be saved as variants.

The figure illustrates the general function: filter and remove (FAR adapter).

The capabilities are as follows:

It automatically removes records or moves records into a new duplicate process:

• After matching: moves open match groups.
• After best record calculation: moves specific groups of records.
• After validation: moves records with warnings or errors.

Remaining records can be processed directly.

The figure illustrates the general function: using service to trigger consolidation process (integration scenario).

Key facts:

• Data from client systems will trigger a consolidation process.
• Match Review only, if required (open match groups).
• Activated data will be replicated back into client systems.

Data from client systems will trigger a consolidation process.

Match Review only, if required (open match groups).

Activated data will be replicated back into client systems.

The figure illustrates the general function: using service to trigger consolidation process (integration scenario) - configuration.

Configure Business Partner Service:

• Define consolidation template (for Creation and Change case).
• Leave Storage field on Not defined.

Further information:

Review UI for Best Record Calculation

• Shows how a best record has been built (based on which rules)
• Gives the possibility to edit calculated data
• Deletes entries (for example, duplicate addresses)

Define upper threshold for fuzzy matching and matching using BAS adapter

• Match groups with matches above upper threshold will be approved automatically.
• Match groups with matches below upper threshold are open and have to be approved/rejected manually. Records within open match groups will be processed separately (as single records).

Integration of BRFplus

• Standardization
• Best Record Calculation
• Validation (Central Governance rules can be applied)
• Update step to change/enrich data (on table level)

Retention time

Possibility to keep the process data (for a specific time frame) after the last process step for verifications

Support of multiple assignments for Business Partner

• Possibility to assign multiple customers (or suppliers) to a business partner
• The first customer/supplier created will be the standard one for that business partner which cannot be changed

Key- and value mapping

Standardization adapter to transform incoming source data using DRF mapping tables

Enable 4-eyes principle / separation of duties

Defines who is allowed to continue with the next process step (based on customizing)

Enable re-validation function after making changes in validation step

After changing the data within the validation step, data can be validated again using an additional validation step:

• Multiple re-validation steps are possible.
• With rollback functionality, it is possible to roll back to a specific validation step.

The figure illustrates additional apps for consolidation: Import Data for Consolidation.

• This app can be used to import data into the source data. File formats are Office Open XML, Microsoft Excel, or CSV file.
• Use data packages to divide your records up for organizational purposes. The data is validated and a consolidation process can be started immediately or later.
• The imported data can be managed using:
  • Manage Imports for Consolidation
  • Manage Source Data

The figure illustrates the additional app for consolidation: Track Mass Changes

The capabilities are as follows:

• Auditing of active area change documents triggered by a consolidation process
• Selecting changes using object ID (business partner number, material number), process ID, or change date