Master Data Management

There are basically three ways to maintain master data in SAP IBP:

• Via the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel
• Through the SAP Fiori Launchpad (Web User Interface), using the Manage master data App
• Through Data integration functions: the Cloud Integration - Data Services (CI-DS) and the Smart Data Integration (SDI) solutions

In this lesson, we will focus on the first two options.

The functions for managing master data in the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel allow you to make small-scale, ad-hoc changes to the master data in your system.

Note

The functions are not designed to replace the regular data integration functions. We also do not recommend using these functions in systems with large data volumes or several Planning areas because the response time may be slow.

In the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel, you have the following options for managing master data records:

• Single

  You can add, copy, edit, or delete single master data records.

• Mass

  You can download master data records that belong to a particular master data type to a Microsoft Excel worksheet, where you can view or edit the data. If your configuration supports version-dependent master data, the system allows you to specify the version.

If you execute several queries for the mass maintenance of master data, all queries are opened as master data worksheets within a master data workbook.

In edit mode, the system initially displays a dialog box containing information about allowed and disallowed changes. For example, you can cut and paste rows, or change record keys to create a new record. You cannot delete key columns or other mandatory columns, change the version, or create gaps between rows or columns that you want to upload.

Note

You cannot delete any master data records in the back end using the mass management option. If you delete rows in a worksheet, the system disregards them when you save the data. This improves performance, but does not result in the records being deleted in the back end.

Note

This function does not replace the other data integration functions that are normally used in SAP IBP. We recommend that you use it to create and edit smaller numbers of Planning objects.

Settings for key figure visibility and workability that exist for Planning Views do not apply when you use this function. For example, the system does not consider the following:

• Key figure permissions (read, write) that the user might have.
• Settings made for key figures where key figures are only editable in the past, future, or never.

• Where key figures are marked as external in the model configuration, the Planning objects are shown without key figure data. These key figure values are not editable.

For this function, SAP IBP provides a Manage master data App, a streamlined tool that supports planners and integration experts in carrying out master data management activities. This application provides access to all the master data managed in SAP IBP by your organization. As a planner, you can search, filter, and sort the full set of master data available in your system in a customizable and user-friendly way with high-performance, while as an integration expert, you can easily check whether external master data has been correctly integrated to SAP IBP.

With this app, users can execute the following tasks:

• The initial screen of the app displays a worklist of master data type entries. For each entry, a list report view can be accessed, which provides details on the master data maintained for the selected master data type.

• By default, the app displays Planning area-independent master data. However, list report views can be modified to specifically show master data that only exists in Planning versions.

• To support users in customizing their master data views, filtering, sorting, and variant management features are available in the app.

Note

To work with the new app, you have to assign the SAP_IBP_BC_MAN_MASTERDATA_PC business catalog to your business role.

User restrictions for accessing master data in the app can be set at multiple levels. On the one hand, user access can be configured based on a combination of Business Role, Attribute Permissions, and Permission Filters, which are assigned to the business user's ID. On the other hand, Restriction Types can be defined to limit access to specific master data types.