MDM, CRM, and R/3

[Former Member]

Hi,

I'm new to SAP.

My company has R/3 for several years now and is currently on version 4.7. We're implementing EP 6.0 sp2, BW 3.1, and CRM 4.0.

1. In trying to understand the place of MDM and BW, can it be said that MDM is for data marts and BW for data warehouse?

2. In implementing CRM 4.0, would we need MDM to link CRM 4.0 to R/3 4.7? We want to synchronize the customer account information between the two systems. However, some accounts (those that don't have any orders) may only reside in CRM 4.0 and not in R/3 4.7. Currently, it looks like CRM and R/3 would do this synchronization independent of MDM. What advantages does implement MDM have if we don't have any other type of systems but SAP?

Regards,

Mel Calucin

[Former Member]

hi this is jaya

i have completed my SAP R/3 SD course

and presetly doing SAP CRM course

and i wat to know the suggestions from u gurus

now a days everycompany is asking for experience

so how to cope up with it can't u apply as a fresher

i have a fair knowledge in SAP CRM

and i am confident of getting a job if they accept me as a fresher

any sites for freshers

or for further help any sites are there for SAP imp. projects in INDIA

how to tackle this problem

let me know this please

and any sites for further development of SAP knowledge

in CRM or SD

my id is: jayasd.sap@gmail.com

Edited by: jaya kandula on Feb 3, 2008 2:08 PM

Edited by: jaya kandula on Feb 3, 2008 2:12 PM

[Mark63]

Generally, SAP MDM is about consolidating and harmonizing master data within a heterogeneous systems landsacpe. This means that it is about:

1.Detecting identical master data, providing this knowledge of identical objects, and allowing this ID mapping information to be evaluated (cross-group reporting). In so far you are right that SAP MDM is a master data mart and SAP BW, by nature, the data warehouse.

2. Harmonizing master data information by merging identical objects into one.

So your question whether it is worthwhile implementing SAP MDM in your landscape or not depends on what you exactly want to achieve. What do you mean by "synchronization"?

Kind regards,

Markus

[Former Member]

Hi Markus,

Say we have the following two scenarios:

1. In SAP CRM 4.0 we have customer information for Company XYZ e.g. addresses, D&B, etc.. This information does not exist at all in R/3 nor do we want it to since Company XYZ has not purchased anything from us so the record in CRM 4.0 remains as a "prospect" account. When Company XYZ issues a purchase order, we want the customer information for it to be transferred to R/3 to start processing orders.

2. In SAP CRM 4.0 and R/3, we have customer information for company XYZ. One of our customer service reps gets informed by someone at company XYZ that it has moved to a new address. The customer service rep modifies the address for company XYZ to the new one. This address change should also propagate to the R/3 system.

Is MDM SAP's solution for the above scenarios?

If the answer to the above question is yes, then is it or will it be the sole solution from SAP to harmonize the data between CRM 4.0 and R/3?

Is MDM only a solution when working to harmonize the data between a non-SAP system and an SAP system.

Regards,

Mel Calucin

Bentley Systems.

[sunil_gupta1]

Hi Mel,

For 1) Sounds like you want to "promote" the prospect to a customer when they place an order, and that point propagate R/3 with such information from CRM

Would MDM be an answer ? Yes, depending on your long term goals, it would get easier as well given the data cleansing and distribution aspects based on defined events, but see broader answer at the end of the email since if your scope is limited, you may want to consider CRM middleware/ALE in the interim

2) Yes, MDM is an ideal fit for that.

3) MDM is the long term strategic solution for cleansing and harmonzing master data across SAP and non-SAP applications. Before MDM was introduced last year, there were alternate approaches that our customers were using in the past such as ALE/CRM Middleware etc.

So, you may want to examine that as well, based on a detailed scope analysis. If your landscape extends beyond CRM and R/3 and over time, you will be dealing with other systems than definitely MDM would be the way to go.

As the SAP NetWeaver is gradually becoming the technical foundation of all SAP applications moving forward, you will see a simplification of the recommended approaches in favor of a common open, architecture.

4) With respect to synchronizing master data non-SAP and SAP systems, the MDM solution working with SAP Exchange Infrastructure will indeed be the recommended solution.

If you want more discussion, definitely get in direct touch with someone at SAP to schedule a followup since whiteboarding this out in person really helps

thanks

Sunil