Reference data vs Master data

[Former Member]

Hello experts,

I am a little bit confused with the relationship between master data and reference data. Are these the same things? Where is reference data stored in MDM? What are some examples of reference data?

<removed_by_moderator>

Read the "Rules of Engagement"

Thanks!

Nichole

Edited by: Juan Reyes on Apr 3, 2009 11:14 AM

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Ok got the idea about the differences between the two. Where exactly is reference data stored? Is it in the form of check tables? If so, where are these stored? Is it in the data manager?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Niki,

You design the check tables in the Console and you can import the data into the tables through the Import Manager/Server or the Data Manager. You can reference these tables in your main table. Once you reference these tables in the Main table, the values become available for the main record.

- Venkat

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Venkat!! You're a lifesaver!!

[Former Member]

Hi Nicole,

If you are asking in terms of MDM specific then:

Master data :Is the primary non frequently changeable data of any organization.

Like for eg the Customer name ,address, Etc.

Reference Data :On the other hand when using it with MDM refers to a Check table data.It's values are popultaed form reference or check table in ECC.These data field values are reference by all or most records

Like for eg: City table in Cutomer master or Account Group in Vendor master.

Hope It Helped

Thanks & Regards

Simona Pinto

[Former Member]

Hi Nicole,

• Reference data are data describing a physical or virtual object and its properties.

• Physical: products, material, assets, customers, locations

• Virtual: cost centers, planned buildings

• Reference data can change over time via transactions, which intern known as Transactional data.

• Master Data is a static form of reference data that describes products, customers, and other information assets and their properties.

• You need the reference data in MDM to provide all the lookup tables, needed to consolidate and distribute SAP master data objects.

You can go through the following links for clear picture on MDM.

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_mdm550/helpdata/en/46/93b4470ce0581ee10000000a1553f7/frameset.htm

Hope it helped you to some extent.

Regards

SR

[Former Member]

Hi Nichole,

master data are the data whose value don't change frequently e.g:material number,material group,mat type,customer number,vendor number etc..So these are mainly static data and thats why they are maintained in MDM.

However the reference data are the check table data which are present as the look-up values.e.g:country name cannot be a freeform entry like abcgjhghkj...there are particular names and these have to be inserted.

regards,

bis

[former_member205403]

A correction to what Shilpa and Parul has said:

.With Regards to MDM:

Reference Data is one whose data domain is known and has a limited number of values. It is rather Static and there are very very less chances that it will change for example Countries, Unit Of measurements.

Master Data is one which once created will change rarely like Product, material etc.

Regards,

Shiv

[Former Member]

Hi,

Master data is nothing but data that rarely changes.Data on which various business transactions depend on is master data.It helps in smooth execution of business processes.For eg:For a Insurance company Customer data is its master data.The customer ID,name,Contact details etc form a part of master data.Similarly we have PRoduct,Vendor,Material,Employee master Objects.

Reference data is nothing but look uo data .It is used to enforce data integrity.

For eg:Countries table has set of fixed values in R3 to ensure correct values are entered.

Others examples are Material group,Industries,Purchasing Org,Business Partner ROles.Refrence data is stored in look up tables in MDM repository.

You can go through this article

http://www.datamanagementgroup.com/Resources/Articles/Article_LongWindingRoadToSAPMDM.asp

Regards

Nisha

Edited by: Nisha L on Apr 3, 2009 5:49 AM

[Former Member]

Hi Nicole,

Master Data can be stated as the key data that the Business requires and the Reference data that we generate points to one of the Master Data.

A simple Example : Any data that acts as an Asset to a Business can be stated as a Master Data like Customers and the Suppliers with whom the Business is dealing with, The Product that a Company Manufactures, its Employees.

Basically the entities or data that rarely change.

whereas

Reference Data : The data that keeps changing on daily basis.

Example : The daily transaction that the Business does with its Suppliers of Customers, the total cost that the Business has to pay to buy Materials etc.

So, any data that keeps on changing on a daily Basis can be stated as a Reference or a Transactional Data.

The data that we store in MDM is the Master Data whereas we use BI ( Business Integration) as one of the tool to generate reports for Reference or Transactional Data.

Hope this would help!!!!

Regards,

Parul