Using SAP ECC as a MDM Hub

[Former Member]

I would like to know the pros and cons of using SAP ECC as a MDM hub instead of using standard MDM tool like SAP MDM. Many folks in my company thinks that it is possible by adding some governance functionality & quality tools to standard SAP ECC.

Please let me know if this is a good idea , if not what are the reasons.

Thanks

[michael_theis]

Hi Bhaskara,

there is no need for you to do this development on your own as SAP has already done it: check the information available about Master Data Governance in ) you can learn about the differences of MDM and MDG and how you can use both in the best way for your company!

Best regards

Michael

[Former Member]

Hi Micael,

Thanks for your response.

Can you please explain the effects of implementing MDM hub functionalities in SAP ECC?

Thanks,

Bhaskara

[Former Member]

Hi Bhaskara,

Yes managing master data can be done inside ECC box itself but managing data in SAP MDM is has lot more advantages.

To simplify this I am listing out pros and cons of using SAP MDM as enabler of master data governance -

-> ERP is not Flexible.It is not designed for active management of critical master data.

->The Data matching capability of SAP MDM are much more advanced.

->SAP MDMs are searches are good with EXACT as well as fuzzy searching.So likelihood of duplicate creation readuces hugely.

->SAP MDM system is dedicated to delivering the best possible manageability of master data across the enterprise.

->Robust Data quality,match capability,consistent master data,data governance and hub techonology.

-> Easy to multiply benefits by including other Netweaver products and BODS.

This link should help you understand the EIM solution:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/index?rid=/webcontent/uuid/203735fc-3cc7-2c10-1689-cd506bd0c148

More on SAP MDM pros:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/c03c25e1-9e22-2c10-adac-d0bdee242...

Thanks,

Ravi

[Former Member]

Hi Ravi,

When you say "..managing master data can be done inside ECC box itself but managing data in SAP MDM is has lot more advantages..." , what are the impacts on SAP ECC if we tried to do those MDM things which you explained? can you please elaborate them?

Thanks

Bhaskara

[Former Member]

Hi,

To answer in general terms, It is like going to a physician for surgery instead of going to a surgeon.

There is no restriction of exploring ECC for master data & governance. But SAP's EIM solution products like SAP NW MDM are result of growing market requirements for speciality tools. Read more about customer success stories of using SAP NW MDM solutions at - http://www.sap.com/platform/netweaver/components/mdm/index.epx

Few highlights -

SAP MDM is designed to be a central hub of master data. MDM will maintain global attributes that can be sent to different target systems including your ECC. Then each of your target systems can maintain their local attributes in additon to the global attributes sent by MDM. MDM will maintain the global unique ID's thus providing a single version of truth for your master data across the organization. SAP NW MDM can be integrated with SAP BOBJ DS and a continuous cleansing/validating/removing duplicates can be achieved. Master data Address cleansing/D&B enrichment can be achieved with real time services present in BOBJ DS & MDM. Enterprise Portal/BPM has standard MDM API's providing data governance capability at its best.

SAP ECC on other hand is a transactional system/operational system. The load on ECC of maintaining global master data will unncessarily affect the performance. Maintaining master data, removing duplicates, running data vaidations/assignments for cleansing data, then adding central data maintenance with data governance is like adding load on your transactional system. The outmost priority of ECC system is its performance and availability.

Similar SDN thread -

Thanks,

Shambhu.

[Former Member]

Shambu,

Thanks for your response. I totally agree with you regarding ECC's main responsibilities are performance & availability, than doing Master data maintenance.

Can you please provide your thoughts on following aspects in SAP ECC when it compares to MDM functionalities?

- structure of data in SAP ECC & its implications when we try to use it as MDM hub

- distribution of data to downstream system as MDM HUB

- Data Enrichment in SAP ECC & making provision for storing extra attibutes to support downstream applications

- Cost of Maintenance of MDM functionalities in ECC

Thanks

Bhaskara