Keeping shared records consistent.
WHAT MASTER DATA IS
The core entities several systems reference: customers, suppliers, products, employees, accounts.
WHY IT CAUSES PROBLEMS
It exists in several systems, and diverges.
WHAT DIVERGENCE PRODUCES
Reports that do not reconcile Customers appearing several times Orders against products that do not exist elsewhere
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
One authoritative source per entity.
WHAT THAT SOURCE OWNS
Creation, amendment and retirement.
WHAT OTHER SYSTEMS DO
Receive, and do not create independently.
WHY THAT DISCIPLINE IS DIFFICULT
It is faster for a user to create a record locally.
WHAT TO PREVENT
Creation outside the authoritative system.
WHAT DATA GOVERNANCE REQUIRES
Defined ownership per entity Standards for format and completeness A process for creation and change Periodic review of quality
WHAT TO MEASURE
Duplicates Incomplete records Records not used Inconsistencies between systems
WHAT DEDUPLICATION REQUIRES
Rules for what constitutes the same entity A merge process preserving history
WHY HISTORY MATTERS
Transactions reference the record being merged away.
WHAT TO RUN
Regular checks, rather than periodic cleanups.
WHY
Quality degrades continuously, and cleanups are repeated indefinitely otherwise.
