Master Data Management (MDM) has been a hot topic in business systems architecture for a number of years. It reflects the increasingly complex nature of global business with key master data existing in multiple systems. Many Data Management methodologies and data integration, federation and data quality technologies now exist to address the challenges raised by this complexity. But what does MDM mean to a smaller mid-size Organisation and how relevant is it to ERP implementations in this scale of organisation? View an extract of the report and download the full report for free at: http://www.lumeniaconsulting.com/resources/reports-white-papers/master-data-management-mid-sized-erp-implementations

1. MASTER DATA MANAGEMENT FOR MID-SIZE
ERP IMPLEMENTATIONS
August 2013

2. Master Data Management for Mid-Size ERP Implementations
Page 2 of 3
Master Data Management (MDM) has been a hot topic in business systems architecture
for a number of years. It reflects the increasingly complex nature of global business with
key master data existing in multiple systems. Many Data Management methodologies
and data integration, federation and data quality technologies now exist to address the
challenges raised by this complexity. But what does MDM mean to a smaller mid-size
Organisation and how relevant is it to ERP implementations in this scale of organisation?
Introduction
Well maintained Master Data is a foundation stone of integrated business systems like ERP and
Business Intelligence. The very real and complex MDM challenges that large multi-site organisations
face are widely documented and can be addressed using a variety of sophisticated data
management tools and methodologies. What, however, of the smaller mid-sized organisation that is
embarking on a modern ERP implementation for the first time. While ERP has been around for a long
time it is still new for organisations that haven’t implemented it before. At the smaller end of the
mid-size organisation tier there are many such organisations. Complex MDM may not be relevant to
an organisation of this scale but good quality Master Data certainly is.
A typical scenario for a small to mid-size company embarking on ERP is that they have an accounts
package, maybe including some sales and procurement process support and, if they are lucky, basic
inventory management. The basic system
may be augmented with various workarounds, customisations and manual
processes to cater for specific nuances of
the business. Various point solutions
may exist around the business to cater
for CRM, Warehouse Management,
Transport Management, Quality, HR and
various other business processes.
Typically integration between the
systems and even between modules
within the core system may be minimal
or non-existent. This patchwork quilt of
systems and processes often begets a
disjointed view of master data and a
disjointed approach to its creation and
maintenance.
Product data is a common victim – products may be created in the system by the purchasing
department because they are the first ones that need to transact the products. Typically they will
address the fields that are relevant to the purchase of the product. The creation of attribute values
relevant to inventory management, manufacturing, distribution or sales might be recorded later by
different departments, possibly in different systems or spreadsheets. Similar scenarios may occur for
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3. Master Data Management for Mid-Size ERP Implementations
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other master data entities. All of this fragmentation of entity creation and separation of data
ownership leads to a lack of appreciation of the requirement to manage master data as an asset
within the organisation and tends to lead to incomplete and poor quality master data. While
organisations may get away with this in an environment characterised by non-integrated systems,
manual processes and work-arounds, the success of their ERP implementation will be hugely
dependent on the quality of the master data.
So what initiatives can a small to mid-size organisation build into their ERP implementation project
to ensure the creation and persistence of good quality master data?
To view this full report please visit our website and register for free at:
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About Lumenia
Lumenia is a leading independent ERP consulting organisation and is not aligned with any ERP or
other vendor of business software.
We provide objective advice and experienced project resources to organisations that are planning to
upgrade or change their ERP systems. Specifically, we provide services in the following areas:
• ERP strategy development
• ERP product and vendor selection
• ERP project management
• ERP change management
• ERP data migration management
• ERP systems validation
We have offices in Ireland and the UK and work globally with many of the world’s leading
companies. For more information, please contact Lumenia at:
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T: + 353 (0) 91 746940
UK
71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9BP
T: + 44 (0) 207 4708766
W: www.lumeniaconsulting.com E: info@lumeniaconsulting.com
Copyright BSM Ireland 2013. Lumenia Consulting is a registered Business Name of BSM Ireland Ltd.
All rights reserved. No unauthorised reproduction without the
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