SAP NetWeaver MDM scenarios can be easily implemented by the customers to utilize the core functionality of SAP NetWeaver in a phase-wise manner. It includes streamlined IT scenarios as well as product-content management and global data synchronization capabilities.
SAP NetWeaver MDM scenarios are broadly classified into the following two categories:
IT scenarios
Business scenarios
IT scenarios are based on the lines of viewing the system comprising of various IT components and the flow of data between these entities. These scenarios can be applied to specific master data objects based on a model-driven approach.
The following IT scenarios are listed within SAP NetWeaver MDM:
Master Data Consolidation
Master Data Harmonization
Central Master Data Management
Consolidation involves matching, normalizing, cleansing, and storage of master data imported from heterogeneous client systems.
SAP NetWeaver MDM offers out-of-the-box models covering globally relevant attributes for the following:
Material
Product
Retail article
Supplier
Customer
Business partner
Employee
This allows customers to also model additional content on an ad-hoc basis.
Organizations can cleanse and consolidate master data on materials, retail articles, suppliers, customers, and employees in an interactive manner within heterogeneous environments.
The cleansed and consolidated master data can then be consumed to perform company-wide analytics, for example, global spend analysis.
The key capabilities of Master Data Consolidation include:
Identification of identical or similar objects spread across the local systems
Cleansing of master data objects on a need basis
Providing ID mapping for unified, company-wide analytics, and reporting
Masterdata consolidation utilizes the following SAP NetWeaver components:
Process Integration (PI)
Components of MDM such as:
MDM Import Manager (required for map creation and for manual data import)
MDM Import Server (required for automated master data import)
MDM Data Manager (required for updating master data)
MDM Syndication Server (required for automated master data export)
MDM Syndicator (for manual master data export)
Business Intelligence (BI) (only if data needs to be consumed for consolidated analytics such as global spend analysis)
In the following diagram, we illustrate Master Data Consolidation:
MasterData Consolidation is the prerequisite for subsequent phases lying within the incremental approach followed by SAP NetWeaver MDM. Subsequent scenarios that follow Master Data Consolidation are Master Data Harmonization and Central Master Data Management.
Harmonization involves distribution of cleansed and consolidated high-quality master data within heterogeneous system landscapes.
Organizations can make use of the out-of-the-box models offered by SAP NetWeaver MDM to cover globally relevant attributes for the following:
Material
Product
Retail article
Supplier
Customer
Business partner
Employee
Additional content can also be modeled by the customers on an ad-hoc basis.
This scenario includes Master Data Consolidation to ensure high-quality master data within connected business systems in an interactive manner. An added benefit in this scenario is that it allows client-specific control on master data.
Organizations can utilize the consolidated and harmonized master data to perform company-wide analytics, for example, global spend analysis.
The key capabilities of Master Data Harmonization include:
Streamlined processes for data load, consolidation, and distribution
High-quality cleansed and de-duplicated master data within a heterogeneous system landscape
MasterData Harmonization utilizes the following SAP NetWeaver components:
Process Integration (PI)
Components of MDM such as:
MDM Import Manager (required for map creation and for manual data import)
MDM Import Server (required for automated master data import)
MDM Data Manager (required for updating master data)
MDM Syndication Server (required for automated master data export)
MDM Syndicator (for manual master data export)
Business Intelligence (BI) (only if data needs to be consumed for consolidated analytics such as global spend analysis)
In the following diagram, we illustrate Master Data Harmonization:
Allows centralized maintenance and storage of master data with distribution mechanisms that ensure master data is delivered to remote systems that need it. Central Master Data Management puts into place corporate master data governance policies that ensures the overall master data quality of an organization.
The differentiating aspect in this scenario with reference to Master Data Harmonization is that master data is created centrally using a rich client. Information is then delivered to target remote systems in an interactive manner.
The key capabilities of Central Master Data Management include:
Achieving Central Data ownership resulting in dramatic quality improvements
Empowers companies to set their own standards for master data management
Guarantees client-specific control on master data via local completion
SAP NetWeaver MDM offers out-of-the-box models covering globally relevant attributes for the following:
Material
Product
Retail article
Supplier
Customer
Business partner
Employee
This allows customers to also model additional content on an ad-hoc basis.
Central Master Data Management utilizes the following SAP NetWeaver components:
Process Integration (PI)
Components of MDM such as:
MDM Data Manager (required for updating master data)
MDM Syndication Server (required for automated master data export)
Business Intelligence (BI) (only if data needs to be consumed for consolidated analytics such as global spend analysis)
In the following diagram, we illustrate Central Master Data Management:
In addition to IT scenario variants, SAP NetWeaver MDM also features business scenarios. This allows flexibility in adapting SAP NetWeaver Master Data Management to whatever business process flow the customer wants. The following business scenarios are described:
Rich Product-Content Management
Global Data Synchronization
Customer Data Integration
This scenario targets requirements of a centralized product-content management and multi-channel catalog publishing. It allows for importing and exporting product data, centrally managing content, and publishing disparate product data across the enterprise and between trading partners.
Organizations can create custom print catalogs, web catalogs, or expose an MDM product repository to a business application (for example SAP SRM) through the Open Catalog Interface (OCI). Consequently, the capabilities of MDM are extended with business processes such as product introduction, cataloging, and publishing.
The key capabilities of Rich Product-Content Management are as follows:
High-performing load, aggregation, and search of product data
Multidimensional search
Flexible taxonomy
Intelligent imaging and Web/print publishing
APIs for seamless, multiplatform integration
Scalability (up to millions of products)
Organizations can utilize the following key benefits of implementing Rich Product-Content Management:
Manage or exchange product data locally and globally
Manage internal content
Search electronic catalogs
Print customized catalogs
Syndicate product catalog content through multiple channels such as OCI, Web, and Print
Presents role-based interfaces through a portal
This business scenario includes the following processes:
The following section discusses each of these processes in detail.
Start the upload of product master data (flat files) from the specified remote systems, or product information from suppliers (in Excel or TXT format) to MDM.
This process has the following prerequisites:
Once the data is delivered to a specific inbound port, it is automatically picked up within a configurable time interval and queued up for import processing.
The MDM Import Server maps and matches the imported data to the repository structure as per the import maps defined in the MDM Import Manager.
In this process, you search and merge identical records interactively using the MDM Data Manager. It provides different search patterns such as tree search, keyword search, free search, and so on.
After de-duplication you can check if new data has been attached to the correct category and re-categorize it, if necessary. You can also enrich additional information in the MDM Data Manager and custom validations can be applied to check master data updates. Workflows can also be configured which are triggered to support the change processes.
Support for adding images as additional information for repository items is available in the MDM Image Manager. Images can be imported into the repository and image variants (example thumbnails) can be created (using the MDM Console) for each image in addition to the original copy. These images are linked to the corresponding product items in the repository using the MDM Data Manager.
Using this process, you can choose to syndicate the product data, apart from print publishing such as Web publishing or exposing the MDM product repository, to a business application (such as, SAP SRM) through the Open Catalog Interface (OCI). The SRM-MDM web catalog provided by SAP contains the web interfaces developed by SAP to access the MDM catalog. The implementation would require a deployment into an additional NetWeaver component called SAP Enterprise Portal.
In the case of web publishing, a custom Web Catalog can be developed using the APIs. As a prerequisite, a web application should have been created and deployed on a web server with an open connection to the MDM catalog. An MDM API can be used to perform search, read, and maintain the repository content. On the other hand, if the MDM product repository needs to be exposed to a business application, we can provide the content via the OCI. Using the OCI you can search for products and add the required items to a selection list. The list is then transferred to the shopping cart of the business application and the order is completed.
Using this process, you can compose and set up a printed product catalog using the MDM Publisher. In order to do this you need to first create a family table using the MDM Console to enable the initial partitioning.
As catalog printing is based on category-dependent pages and different product groups in a category have different layouts, further category partitioning can be defined in the MDM Data Manager. We can partition such categories using the field or attribute values to create product families.
With the help of the MDM Publisher, you can assign default settings to create a common layout structure for the publication. We can then arrange a specific layout for the given product family such as eliminate redundancies, apply printed version display name, and structure tables.
In order to start the publishing activities, a collection of families or non-family based records can be defined as a publication. The publication hierarchy, thus created, is not limited to the repository's taxonomy unlike the family hierarchy. You can freely add, delete, move, and split nodes to create your own structure for the catalog. Spread editor will enable you to concentrate specifically on page layout and design such as creating layout templates for publication.
The next step involves using the DTP plug-in to send the publication data from MDM to a Desktop Publishing (DTP) application such as Adobe InDesign. Using the DTP application, some specialized format changes can be done and saved with the publication in MDM. This can be re-used with the next publishing run.
Finally, an index for the complete publication is generated using the MDM Indexer.
The Global Data Synchronization (GDS) business scenario supports product data consistency and distribution between trading partners. It is considered a strategic, imperative, and critical foundation for all manufacturers and retailers to effectively manage trade item data exchange.
Using SAP's GDS solution, you can effectively manage trade-item exchange between Consumer Packaged Goods manufacturers and retailers via The Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) using global data pools such as 1Sync. These global data pools are certified by GDSN which provides the standards and the industrial format for data exchange.
SAP MDM GDS operates as an integral part of SAP Master Data Management (MDM), a key capability of SAP NetWeaver. It provides for global synchronization of trade item data between suppliers, data pools, and the GS1 Global Registry. GDS conforms to the EAN.UCC standard and currently supports the foremost data pool: 1Sync with UCCnet and Transora messaging.
With GDSN, trading partners always get the latest information. Updates from one company's database are automatically, and immediately, provided to all the other companies who do business with them.
Note
1Sync has emerged as the new U.S-based data synchronization organization for both retailers and manufacturers, replacing the retailer's organization UCCnet and the manufacturers' group Transora. The GDSN is built around the GS1 Global Registry®, GDSN-certified data pools, the GS1 Data Quality Framework, and GS1 Global Product Classification, which when combined provide a powerful environment for secure and continuous synchronization of accurate data.
By adopting a common set of global standards, defined by the GDSN, manufacturers and retailers can optimize their business processes through complete, comprehensive communication through data pools that are in turn linked to a single global registry.
In the following diagram, we illustrate how the GDSN connects retailers and manufacturers using their selected data pools to the GS1 Global Registry™:
The key capabilities of Global Data Synchronization (GDS) are as follows:
Using GDS, organizations derive the following benefits:
Reduce the error-processing costs resulting from inconsistent product data
Exchange standardized information through established channels such as data pools (for example, 1Sync) for further publication to trading partners
Faster time to market for new products thereby increasing efficiency and productivity
Implement a quick but complete solution for complying with trading-partner requirements
Seamless and permanent integration with mySAP ERP
Achieve a lower total cost of ownership, as GDS is based on top of your existing landscape
The Customer-Data Integration (CDI) scenario supports the consolidation and management of customer data from all available sources. It ensures a consistent and up-to-date view of available customer data to all the departments of an organization looking up the customer information.
CDI combines the technology, processes, and services needed to set up and maintain an accurate, timely, complete, and comprehensive representation of a customer across multiple channels, business-lines, and enterprises—typically from multiple sources of associated data in multiple application systems and databases. It applies data integration techniques in this specific area.
This helps in streamlining cross-sell and up-sell activities and facilitates customer processes across business units and locations while enabling consolidated analysis for strategic business decisions.
With respect to the process perspective, the CDI scenario operates on the basis of the Master Data Harmonization scenario.
The following list shows the key capabilities of the CDI scenario:
Flexible data hub that allows autonomy of customer data from business applications
Business Partner data model that supports both B2B & B2C interactions
Pre-packed integration to SAP CRM and ERP
Pre-integrated with SAP NetWeaver, including CDI-specific web services
Customer data management capabilities such as matching, standardization, and survivorship
Interfaces to third-party data quality tools and content providers
Unbeatable performance based on the in-memory MDM core engine
Using CDI, organizations derive the following benefits: