SAP Community - SAP Master Data Governance

Consumption of Federated Governance Made Easy

2024-02-29T15:20:38.426000+01:00

Federated Governance in a Nutshell

In short, federated master data governance is an alternative to fully centrally-managed master data governance. In a federated approach, a network of systems interact in governing master data with a core data owner (managing data centrally) and various application data owners (managing data de-centrally) to make sure that data is governed where it is best understood. In a recent blog post, I described the benefits of federated governance with SAP Master Data Governance on SAP S/4HANA acting as a core data owner in such a set-up (which is possible as of SAP S/4HANA 2023). In this initial delivery, all participating systems (core data owner and application data owners) must run on SAP S/4HANA 2023.

Easy Consumption of Federated Governance

With SAP S/4HANA 2023 FPS01 we have increased the possibilities to include SAP S/4HANA systems as application data owners in a federated governance scenario. Organizations who plan to go for a federated approach but cannot update all participating application data owners (ADO) to the required SAP S/4HANA release can now also integrate lower SAP S/4HANA releases running classic central governance processes (based on MDG change requests). Only the system, which acts as core data owner (CDO) must run on SAP S/4HANA 2023 FPS01 or higher.
Besides the configuration of the core data owner system, which is described in the configuration guide, there
are several custom enhancements for the application data owners that are required to get federation
running. A new how-to guide outlines all the required configurations and enhancements.

With this innovation, we have dramatically lowered the entry barrier for organizations who plan for federated governance: they are not forced to update all participating application data owners, and they can continue with classic (change-request based) central governance.

As pointed out various times before, federated governance is not a must, but it can be an alternative to centrally managed governance for organizations that have several SAP S/4HANA systems in their landscape. I'd also like to reiterate that the cloud-ready mode in MDG is a prerequisite for the core data owner in federated scenarios, but this operation mode is also useful in centrally managed scenarios, where it facilitates various features, such as data provider integration for automation in field population and more. For details, see the blog post about cloud-ready mode in MDG.

To stay up to date with MDG, simply follow the SAP Community Topic Page for SAP Master Data Governance, and check the MDG roadmap for all deployment versions.

Best,
Markus

Data Quality Management( DQM ) Derivation in SAP Master Data Central Governance

2024-03-18T08:53:28.477000+01:00

In this blog, our focus will be on the fundamental aspect of creating derivation rules for product master data. In this use case, we'll illustrate how to derive plants based on material type within an MDG Central environment using DQM derivation in S/4 2023 on-premises version.

Deriving plants based on material type is a common requirement in many organizations, especially in manufacturing or distribution industries where different types of materials may be associated with specific plant locations.

Before diving into the Use Case of DQM for SAP MDG Product or Material, preparing the Managing Derivation Scenarios tile, it's important to ensure that you have access to the necessary roles and authorization.

Role : SAP_BR_PRODMASTER_STEWARD

Authorization objects :

MDC_DQEVAL	Data Quality Evaluation Permissions (MDC_DQEVAL)
MDC_SIMUL	Simulation Permissions (MDC_SIMUL)
MDQRM_DS_E	Master Data Quality: Derivation Scenario Rule Execution (MDQRM_DS_E)
MDQRM_DS_R	Master Data Quality: Derivation Scenario Rule (MDQRM_DS_R)
MDQRM_DS_S	Master Data Quality: Derivation Scenario (MDQRM_DS_S)
MDQRM_DSEX	Master Data Quality: Derivation Scenario Export
MDQRM_DSIM	Master Data Quality: Derivation Scenario Import
MDQRM_MNDR	Master Data Quality: Mined Rule
MDQRM_MNNG	Master Data Quality: Rule Mining
MDQRM_RLEX	Master Data Quality: Validation Rule Export
MDQRM_RLIM	Master Data Quality: Validation Rule Import
MDQRM_RLUS	Master Data Quality: Validation Rule Usage
MDQRM_RULE	Master Data Quality: Validation Rule (MDQRM_RULE)
S_RFC	Authorization Check for RFC Access (S_RFC)

Authorization Objects Used by MDG, Data Quality Management | SAP Help Portal

Step 1: Create the Change Request Actions

Navigate to MDGIMG> General Settings > Process Modeling > Workflow > Define Change Request Actions

Action	Description	Pushbutton Text	Quick info Text	Check	Note	Reason
H1	DQM Derivation Successful	N/A	N/A
H2	DQM Derivation failed	N/A	N/A
H3	Continue	Continue	Continue	X
H4	Resubmit with DQM Derivation	Resubmit with DQM Derivation	Resubmit with DQM Derivation	X
H5	DQM Derivation Successful with Message	DQM Derivation Successful with Message	DQM Derivation Successful with Message	X

Why we need this action?

There are three possible outcomes when we integrate the DQM derivation with Central Governance,

Derivation Failed
Derivation Successful Without any message
Derivation Successful with Some message

Step 2: Define Change Request Step Types and Assign Actions

Navigate to General Settings > Process Modeling > Workflow > Define Change Request Step Types and Assign Actions
Create a new step type and assign the relevant actions created in step 1.
Ensure that dialog actions (e.g., continue or resubmit) are assigned for user interaction.

Create the New Step type “H” and assign the Actions Created in the above step 1, only assign the H3 and H4 , they are the dialog action , rest H1, H2 and H5 are background results.

Step 3: Configure Change Request Type

Note: The Integration of DQM Derivation is only possible with Rule Base Workflow

Navigate to MDGIMG > General Settings > Process Modeling > Change Request > Create Change Request Type.
Copy the standard CR type (e.g., MAT01) and create a new CR type (e.g., ZMATDQM) for integration with DQM derivation.

Step 4: Define Change Request Steps for Rule-Based Workflow

Navigate to MDGIMG > General Settings > Process Modeling > Workflow > Rule-Based Workflow > Define Change Request Steps for Rule-Based Workflow
Configure the steps for the rule-based workflow associated with the new CR type.
Define the conditions and corresponding actions based on DQM derivation outcomes.

Step 5: Define the Service Name

Navigate to MDGIMG > General Settings > Process Modeling > Workflow > Rule-Based Workflow > Define Service Names for Rule-Based Workflow
Define service names for the rule-based workflow “ZMDG_MM_DQM_DERIVATION”

Step 6: Configure the Rule Based Workflow

Navigate to MDGIMG > General Settings > Process Modeling > Workflow > Rule-Based Workflow > Configure Rule-Based Workflow
Configure the Rule Based workflow for the Change request type “ZMATDQM”

DT_SINGLE_VAL_ZMATDQM

CR Previous Step	Previous Action	Condition Alias	New Chng. Req. Step	New CR Status
=00		DQM	10	02
=10	=H1	DQS	20	02
=10	=H2	DQF	40	10
=10	=H5	DQW	40	10
=20	=06	REJ	92	03
=20	=05	ACT	90	02
=40	=H3	DQS	20	02
=40	=H4	DQM	10	02
=92	=07	DQS	20	02
=92	=08	ROL	99	06
=90	=31	END	99	05
=99		END

DT_USER_AGT_GRP_ZMATDQM

Condition Alias	User Agt Grp No.	Step Type	User Agent Type	User Agent Value
=DQS	1	3	AG	XXXXXXXXX
=DQF ; =DQW	1	H	AG	XXXXXXXXX
=REJ	1	4	SU	INIT

DT_NON_USER_AGT_GRP_ZMATDQM

Condition Alias	Agent Group	Process Pattern	Service Name
=DQM	1	02	ZMDG_MM_DQM_DERIVATION
=ACT	1	06
=ROL	1	08
=END	1	99

Step 7: Implement BAdI for Calling System Method

Navigate to MDGIMG > General Settings > Process Modeling > Workflow > Rule-Based Workflow > Business Add-Ins> BAdI: Calling of System Method for Rule-Based Workflow
Implement the BAdI "USMD_SSW_SYSTEM_METHOD_CALL" to call system methods for rule-based workflow.
Write code to execute DQM derivation and handle different derivation outcomes accordingly.

*Sample Code:
METHOD if_usmd_ssw_syst_method_caller~call_system_method. 
DATA(cr_number) = iv_cr_number. 
CASE iv_service_name. 
 WHEN ‘ZMDG_MM_DQM_DERIVATION’. 
"Get an instance of the MDQ derivation controller 
DATA(derivation_controller) = cl_mdg_mdq_rbwf_derive=>get_instance( ). 
"Execute the derivation and evaluate the result 
DATA(result) = derivation_controller->if_mdg_mdq_rbwf_derive~derive( change_request = cr_number ). 
IF result EQ derivation_controller->if_mdg_mdq_rbwf_derive~derivation_failure. 
"Indicate that the derivation failed  
ev_action = 'H2'. 
"INFO: access to messages via derivation_controller->messages 
ELSEIF result EQ derivation_controller->if_mdg_mdq_rbwf_derive~derivation_success_w_messages. 
"Indicate that the derivation was successful but with messages  
ev_action = 'H5'. 
"INFO: access to messages via derivation_controller->messages 
ELSE. 
"Indicate that the derivation was successful  
ev_action = 'H1'. 
ENDIF.           
WHEN OTHERS. 
 ENDCASE. 
ENDMETHOD.

Step 8: Define Derivation Scenarios

Open the "Define Derivation Scenarios" app to define derivation scenarios for products or materials.
Create a new scenario based on the requirement to derive material types based on certain conditions.

Click on the Create button to start defining the derivation from DQM.

Provide the following details, in this case we are trying to derive the material type based on the Material Type, so our base table shall be MARA.

Click on Create button to proceed further.

Click on Send for Implementation Button to implement the Scenario.

Step 9: Prepare Scope Expression and Define Derivation Rules

Prepare the scope expression for the CR type and navigate to the BRF Plus application to define the scope.
Define derivation rules using decision tables for conditions and results.
Specify conditions such as material types and corresponding plants to be derived.
Click on Prepare Scope Expression to prepare the scope, in our case the scope is for the CR type.

Click ok to proceed and later refresh to see the scope Expression, click on Scope Expression to proceed further, the navigation shall take to BRF Plus application , where we can define the scope of CR Type.

Set the scope and activate it and navigate back to Define Derivation

Click on Edit, Once edit mode is entered the scope which is initial in the below screen will be available in active state.

We have two sections for derivation, one is field and other is table, in this case we will use the table as we are going to derive the plant.

Provide the header, Rule details Section, rule Id and other related information as shown below.

In field section, provide the Condition field and Result fields, in this case conditional field is Material Type and Result Table is MARC and the field is plant and Click on Apply and then Save.

Select the Derivation Rules for table and set the status “To Be Implemented”. And Navigate to Derivation Rules for Tables

Click on Create Decision table and Click on Refresh button

Click on Condition Decision Table to maintain the condition and activate it.

Click on Result Decision Table and maintain all the plants which we want to be defaulted.

Once both Condition and Result Decision is active, the status changes to active.

Step 10: Review and Activate Derivation Rules

Review the derivation rules, ensuring correctness and completeness.
Activate the rules to make them available for use in the derivation process.
Set the status as “To be reviewed”

Set Status as “To be Approved”.

Set Status as “Approved”

Activate the Execution

Conclusion

After completing all the configurations outlined above for derivation and integrating DQM (Data Quality Management) into the central governance Change Request (CR) process, the system will operate seamlessly to ensure data accuracy and consistency.

Once a user initiates a central governance CR, the DQM functionality, configured using BRF+ and the associated BADI's, will be automatically invoked in the background. This integration allows for the automatic validation and derivation of data based on predefined rules and logic.

If the DQM process succeeds, the CR will progress to the next step in the workflow, facilitating efficient data governance and approval processes. However, in case of any derivation failures, the system is designed to handle such scenarios effectively. The CR can be directed to the individual responsible for configuring the derivation rules, enabling them to review and rectify any issues. Alternatively, if necessary, the CR can be continued to the next step by bypassing the derivation process.

Ultimately, this setup ensures that data integrity is maintained throughout the central governance process, with automated checks and derivations occurring in the background to streamline operations and minimize manual intervention.

MDG DQM: Creating complex validation rules for MDG classic mode in S/4 HANA

2024-03-27T15:35:40.283000+01:00

Hi All,

In the series of DQM blogs, we have seen how to configure basic validation and derivation rules for MDG central governance and Mass processing. We have also seen how to troubleshoot DQM rules.

If you have missed these blogs here are the links to those articles.

MDG DQM: Employing rules in central governance & mass processing in S/4 HANA

MDG DQM: Empowering Your Business with High-Quality Data in S/4HANA

MDG DQM: Enriching product master data with derivation rules in S/4 HANA

MDG DQM: Troubleshooting DQM validation rules for central governance - Product Master S/4 HANA

INTRODUCTION:

DQM rules in MDG are an option to replace the traditional BADI, BRF+ based validation and derivation rules that need to be built specifically for each MDG application context. Also these rules doesn't allow us to run the Data quality evaluations to identify potential issues in the master data.

Some challenges & complexities?

Parallel workflows

Currently DQM validation rules for central governance have only specific attributes in the context like change request type, status, priority etc. Change request step which is mostly commonly used to write validations is not available in the context at this juncture as a result when we are running a parallel workflow we need to identify the step for which the rule should be run, so that parallel approvers are not affected by unnecessary errors.

Using additional tables not available in context of DQM structures

We often need to use additional tables both standard & custom, in such scenarios we might need to use additional BRF+ options like database look up , procedure calls etc while modelling the rules.

MAIN CONTENT

In this blog post, we will see how we can model complex rules in MDG DQM using BRF+ procedure calls. The scenario i have taken is a parallel workflow and how to trigger step specific validations.

1. We need to create a rule using Validation rule app. You can follow the steps from my blog post

MDG DQM: Empowering Your Business with High-Quality Data in S/4HANA

2. In the condition expression in BRF+ we will have to model the rule differently for each rule stage like MDG central governance, Mass processing, consolidation, Since MDG central governance and mass processing have different underlying data models. We will create a case statement as below.

3. So for MDG central governance we create a boolean expression CHECK_MHDHB_MDF. Inside this boolean we will model the rule using a procedure call.

CHECK_CR_STEP_55 is the procedure call which will check if the CR step for the CR type is 55

4. In the procedure call, i am checking the CR step using the APP context class and set a flag as true when the step is 55 else it will be set as false.

CONCLUSION

With this blog post we saw how we can leverage additional BRF+ functions like procedure call to build complex rules. It also shows that DQM rules provides the flexibility to incorporate your own logic to build complex rules.

The Data Quality Management (DQM) rule marks a significant evolution from BADI-based rules within Master Data Governance (MDG) systems. With DQM, the realm of rule creation transcends previous limitations, where MDG users are completely dependent on IT team to tell them what rules are built in the system, what are enabled/disabled. This provides transparency into the system and help in shaping future of data governance with unparalleled flexibility and precision.

Regards

Anirban

Part 3 – SAP MDG – A Stepping Stone for SAP S/4HANA Journey

2024-03-27T17:11:20.317000+01:00

Introduction

Clients across the globe are getting into the Transformation journey started with SAP S/4HANA.

In this blog, we will take one of the use cases to discuss how the master data (MDG) journey will be the stepping stone for SAP S/4HANA Transformation and the needed steps to achieve it.

This is the third blog on this topic. For Part 1 & 2 , kindly refer

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/01/27/sap-mdg-a-stepping-stone-for-sap-s-4hana-journey-part-i/

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/sap-mdg-a-stepping-stone-for-sap-s-4hana-journey-part-2/ba-p/13579098

Key Aspects for MDG : Deep Dive

B. MDG Specific

B.1 Data Model

As MDG going to the central master data systems catering for 3 ECC systems & future S/4 system, it is important to finalize the fields ( data model) to be governed & strategy for maintenance

Approach for Fields Finalization

3 ECC systems are using the same master data object ( Ex. Customer) with various fields depending upon the business process.

Following is the high-level overview through which the fields needed for MDG governance can be obtained

As-Is Analysis: Field usages by Account Groups & ECC systems

The current usages of field across multiple account groups & ECC systems needs to be analysed

There are multiple tools which helps to get this data cardinality report from the given data sources. Such reports need to be brought up for this analysis

There would be multiple scenarios in this case based on the report, a sample given below

For easy understanding, I have given as High, Medium and Low. In the real world, it needs to be defined as the % of data availability in that field.

As-Is Analysis: Master Data Form

The next step would be to understand the fields used from the current business process perspective.

Master data forms used in the current process will help to understand the fields collected from businesses.

Also if there are any fields derived in the form/system as per business rules, then those fields also need to be understood and considered.

To-Be Finalization

Based on the insights from the system & master data form , the To-Be fields need to be finalized as follows

There could be multiple combinations on this matrix. It needs business discussions & agreement for the fields if it needs to be excluded from To-Be scope

Once the list of fields are finalized, then it needs to be checked in MDG whether it is already available in Out of the Box data model. If its not the case, the below topic – Strategy for MDG governance should be considered

Field Status (M/O/R/H)

Once the fields for the To-Be data model is finalized, the next step would be the field status finalization by each account groups

The below picture shows the current field status for each field by account group & systems ( As-Is state) which shows differences

M – Mandatory ; O – Optional ; R – Read-Only ; H – Hidden

The following would be the approach to finalizing the future Field status

If there are differences, then there needs a thinking on the future and take up the next steps.

Knowing the vision that SAP MDG would be the foundation of future SAP S/4HANA, however, it also needs to support the legacy world. So the solution design should be a bridge between the legacy & future world.

Also, not all business processes have been optimized & standardized as part of this program. So, there will be differences in terms of field being used and their field status.

Due to this, it calls for the flexibility of MDG solution in terms of the field status. One of the proposal would be

Wherever the field status is the same (Either M/O/R/H) across all ECC systems, in the To-Be (MDG) it will be the same (Either M/O/R/H) and it will be configured at the back end
However if the field status is different, then in the To-Be (MDG) , do the Optional be considered?
- Say O- Optional is majority, then it can be configured at the back end
- Also keeping Optional at the back end configuration will help to overcome the forced need of data enrichment at local systems for data migration in to MDG & also for CRUD process

The need for a specific ECC system field status ( Ex: Field 2 for ECC – Americas to be mandatory for Acc grp 1) to be catered via UI and/or validation. Solution approach will be described in their relevant sections

Strategy for MDG Governance

SAP provides out of the box data model for the master data objects ( Customer, Vendor, Material & Finance). Not all standard SAP fields are part of OOB data model.

However, SAP MDG supports the extensibility of the data model. It needs to be considered as development (WRICEF) in that case.

A strategic discussion & decision to be made in terms of the fields governance in MDG. There are a couple of options for this as described below

In the next blog, I will cover other topics in detail.

About the Author,

Antony Prasanna has been working in SAP master data space for 18+ years. Have experience working across multiple large transformation programs on SAP S/4HANA including SAP MDM, MDG and Data Migration tools.

SAP BTP Innobytes – March 2024

2024-03-28T08:36:07.858000+01:00

SAP Business Technology Platform brings together application development, automation, data and analytics, integration, and AI capabilities into one unified environment optimized for SAP applications. Learn more: sap.com/btp

We are closing out the end of the first quarter with another round of exciting SAP Business Technology Platform innovations! This month's SAP BTP Innobytes features the highly anticipated, vector engine in SAP HANA Cloud, a wealth of new top enablement content with the Reference Solution Architecture for SAP Master Data Governance, and the fresh wizard layout for workspaces in SAP Build Workzone. Watch the video and explore the details below!

Data & Analytics Innovations on SAP BTP

Reference Solution Architecture for SAP Master Data Governance

Many of you have been looking for an easy-to-follow visualization of Master Data Management process flows. We are very excited to introduce our new Reference Solution Architecture for SAP Master Data Governance, cloud edition running on the SAP Business Technology Platform.

The various diagram types provide insights into the solution components, value, data, and process flows. They provide you with a sound understanding of the different use cases of our solution. The diagrams can help you to find out, for example, how to create or change a business partner in SAP MDG, cloud edition. In addition, you can discover the different integration options between components.

To learn more, check out:

Master Data Management in the SAP Business Accelerator Hub
SAP Signavio Process Navigator
Explore the reference solution architecture for SAP Master Data Governance SAP Community blog post
Webinar including Demo on YouTube

Topic Expert: @C_Lindner

New Vector Engine in SAP HANA Cloud

Long time awaited and now finally live: we are happy to introduce you to the vector engine within SAP HANA Cloud. Giving you the chance to combine your relational business data not only with graph, geospatial and JSON document data, but now also with vector data, all on a singular platform.
With the vector engine included into our multi-model database platform, you can store, process, and query vector embeddings seamlessly, especially via the powerful similarity search. You are able to retrieve contextual information for GenAI use cases and intelligent data applications as vector embeddings and benefit from the combination with native machine learning, text mining, and other advanced functions; all integrated into one platform, in a trusted and reliable manner.

To learn more about the new vector engine, check out:

Join the Better Business Outcomes with SAP HANA Cloud Vector Engine webinar on April 4
Vectorize our data SAP Community blog post
From developer’s desk: SAP HANA Cloud Vector Engine SAP Community blog post
Early Adopter Care Program for SAP HANA Cloud Vector Engine
SAP HANA Cloud vector engine Demo Video

Topic Expert: @thomashammer

Application Development Innovations on SAP BTP

New Wizard Layout for Workspaces in SAP Build Work Zone

You have been looking for predefined processes to help complete complex business flows. We are very excited to announce the new wizard Layout for Workspaces in SAP Build Work Zone, advanced edition running on SAP Business Technology Platform. This feature is now available for productive use.

Workspace administrators can create wizard-like predefined processes, to help users complete complex business flows. These wizards can include multiple steps and several stages. It also includes the possibility to add widgets and UI cards to each step. This ensures that business users are seamlessly guided through a wizard-like predefined process. For example, during the employee onboarding process, the new employee can be welcomed onboard with a smooth step-by-step process supported by this feature.

To learn more, check out:

What's New in SAP Build Work Zone SAP Community blog post
SAP Build Work Zone SAP Community topic page

Topic Expert: @Yumnahabbasi

Share Your Thoughts

We would love to hear what you think about the series. How do you like the video? Are there any SAP BTP topics that you’d like us to share more about? Leave your comments down below and we’re happy to connect with you.

Thank you for your support and happy viewing, sharing, and enjoying!

If you like SAP BTP Innobytes, you may also be interested in:

SAP BTP Ask Me Anything: monthly LIVE Q&A series with hot topics and product experts
SAP BTP Garage: monthly LIVE webinar with hands-on use case walkthroughs and demos
SAP BTP Talk Podcast: monthly podcast covering all things SAP BTP
What's New with SAP BTP: quarterly LIVE series for SAP BTP innovation highlights, with demos and time for Q&A

Safeguarding Data Privacy in KSA - Leveraging SAP to navigate NDMO’s Regulations in Digital Era

2024-03-28T12:05:30.971000+01:00

Blog v1.0 | Published On: 28 March 2024

Authors: @asadkhan02 , @AyeshaSafeer , @Zainab_ASalam

_________________________________________

In today's digital era, data privacy is a crucial issue for both individuals and organizations. The Saudi National Data Management Office (NDMO), in partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), has introduced stringent Data Governance and Personal Data Protection Standards. These regulations mandate all organizations operating across various industries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comply by September 2024.

Failure to comply with these regulations can result in hefty financial fines reaching SAR 3 million or higher in some cases, reputational damage, legal consequences, and loss of trust among customers and partners.

To ensure compliance with these new regulations, organizations are encouraged to implement processes aligned with the 15 domains outlined by the NDMO for Data Governance and Personal Data Protection Standards. Leveraging technology as an enabler, organizations can implement robust data privacy measures and effectively meet these requirements.

Top 5 Areas part of 15 Domains outlined by NDMO for Data Governance and Personal Data Protection Standards

SAP, a global leader in enterprise software, provides advanced technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that provide a solid foundation for organizations to implement data governance and personal data protection processes. SAP solutions enable Saudi organizations to efficiently navigate and fulfill regulatory requirements:

By implementing SAP solutions, Saudi organizations can empower their data privacy practices, mitigate compliance risks, and build trust among stakeholders. SAP technologies uphold data integrity, safeguard personal information, offer the framework for regulatory compliance implementation, and adapt to the demands of the digital age.

As a team at SAP, we are committed to supporting organizations in achieving their regulatory compliance initiatives. We invite you to take the next step by exploring how our technologies and solutions can assist you on this journey.

Contact us today to learn more about how SAP can help you navigate the complex landscape of data privacy regulations in Saudi Arabia and ensure compliance.

10+ ways to reshape your SAP landscape with SAP Business Technology Platform - Blog 3

2024-03-28T14:14:59.178000+01:00

How Clean Core can accelerate your SAP Business Transformation

This blog is part of the “10+ ways to reshape your SAP landscape with SAP Business Technology Platform Blog Series”

Summary:
The SAP Clean Core strategy offers a straightforward way to simplify and improve the flexibility of managing SAP systems. It revolves around five key areas: Extensibility, Integrations, Data, Business Processes, and Operations. This approach lays out a clear plan for creating and keeping an IT environment that's quick to adapt and conducive to innovation. By adopting the Clean Core strategy's rules and recommendations, companies can make the most of new technologies from SAP and its partners, helping them thrive in the ever-changing business world.

In their book "Software Engineering at Google," authors Wright, Manshreck, and Winters share the idea that code should be regarded as a liability rather than an asset. They're getting at the fact that keeping code up and running isn't free—it needs constant care for maintenance, updates, and keeping it secure. As such, an abundance of complex code can significantly amplify operational costs due to the necessity for extensive maintenance.

The aspect of treating code as a liability can also be applied to your SAP landscape. Extending SAP systems is a common practice for many organizations. If it is not done in a reliable and responsible way, the systems end up in a complex state possibly carrying a lot of technical debt from the previous years. Such a state of high entropy is undesired, as it not only leaves the IT-landscape but also the complete organization in an inflexible state.

In the context of the current dynamic market landscape, it is imperative for organizations to possess the capability to swiftly adapt to evolving customer expectations, market dynamics, and industry trends. Given the pivotal role SAP systems play in implementing numerous business processes, this requires an agile approach to SAP system management, including the assimilation of recent SAP product advancements and promptly integrating the latest software releases.

The SAP Clean Core strategy is instrumental in realizing this vision. By advocating for a streamlined IT landscape centered around SAP S/4HANA as the digital core and augmenting it with cloud solutions tailored for specific business functions, organizations can diminish complexity, enhance adaptability, and effectively leverage the latest technological advancements from SAP and its partners. This strategic approach ensures a robust, agile, and innovation-friendly IT ecosystem conductive to sustained organisational success.

The 5 Dimensions of a Clean Core strategy

The SAP Clean Core approach is based on five technical and procedural components that work together to build and maintain an adaptable SAP landscape.

1. Extensibility

SAP systems are crucial for the smooth operation of many companies, offering a wide range of software solutions to handle key business tasks. Despite the extensive functionality offered by SAP, businesses may find that the standard offerings don't fully meet their specific needs. Extending an SAP system is often required to adapt to the unique processes, requirements, and challenges of a business. The Clean Core strategy suggests such extensions should:

be upgrade-stable following a prescribed extensibility model, as outlined in the SAP S/4HANA Extensibility Guide, using Key-User and On-Stack extensibility on SAP S/4HANA and Side-by-Side approaches on SAP Business Technology Platform.
use released APIs and events as defined in the SAP Business Accelerator Hub.
be actively used and have detailed documentation.
follow high standards for coding quality and best practices, which could include mandatory approvals for classic extensions, for example.
not repeat something that SAP or its partners already offer.

By meeting these guidelines, you reduce the risk that custom extensions disrupt updates to SAP's standard offerings.

Implementing decoupled extensions on the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) provides extra flexibility by offering an independently scalable environment. This setup supports project implementations that have their own software development lifecycle and technology stack. Moreover, development frameworks like the SAP Cloud Application Framework (CAP, for Java and JavaScript) and RESTful ABAP Programming Model (for SAP BTP ABAP environment), enhanced with GenAI-based code assistance (currently available for CAP, planned for SAP BTP ABAP environment), boost developer productivity and facilitate quick implementation cycles. To get started with creating side-by-side extensions using SAP BTP, the SAP BTP Guidance Framework is an excellent resource.

2. Integration

For smooth end-to-end business process execution, integrating various IT solution components is a technical necessity. Using a Clean Core approach, these integrations use the standard integration scenarios that SAP provides. These scenarios are designed to map comprehensive business processes using pre-configured best practice content, leveraging modern integration technologies like OData, SOAP, or events. Opting for SAP's standard integrations brings several benefits to an organization:

straightforward, out-of-the-box use of the integration, along with continuous updates and innovations.
simplified system upgrades within the integrated landscape, as standard integrations ensure compatibility and maintain consistency across systems.
reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for managing integrations.

Adopting a Clean Core strategy means organizations should base their custom integration needs on SAP's standard integration scenarios and APIs. Whether it's using SAP's standard integrations or creating custom integrations, the SAP Integration Suite Service on the SAP Business Technology Platform is the recommended tool. You can find documentation for all standard content for the SAP BTP Integration Suite in the SAP Business Accelerator Hub. If organizations need help crafting a corporate integration strategy, the SAP Integration Solution Advisory Method (ISA-M) is there to assist.

3. Data

In today's digital world, data stands as a crucial asset for companies, driving decision-making, strategic planning, and enhancing operational effectiveness. The value of data hinges on its quality, relevance, and semantic description in form of metadata. Here, the Clean Core strategy becomes vital, emphasizing Data Quality and Data Volume/ Data Relevance, which are key to smooth daily operations within the SAP system landscape. The aim of the Clean Core strategy is to ensure that all business and system-related data is consistently accurate, complete, relevant, and accessible. Tools like SAP Master Data Governance can aid in creating a unified master data management approach across various domains to enhance data accuracy. Additionally, SAP Datasphere plays a role in simplifying the data landscape, facilitating access to data across hybrid and cloud environments and utilizing existing SAP BW models. SAP Datasphere keeps the semantic and associations of SAP data intact, which shows the data in its business context. This is important because it makes sure the data is reliable and precise, which helps with making decisions and planning strategies. Integrated with SAP Analytics Cloud, this approach enables informed business decisions based on operational SAP data.

4. Business Processes

Organizations depend on structured business processes for their daily operations, management, and strategic planning. These processes can intersect with various IT systems and sometimes require manual intervention. Streamlining these processes and boosting automation can help organizations reduce unnecessary steps and save resources, leading to improved efficiency and quality. The Clean Core approach focuses on maximizing the use of standard SAP functionalities to maintain consistency and simplicity. It sets out a number of principles for developing clean and effective process designs, such as:

Utilize SAP's standard solutions, Industry Cloud, and certified SAP Partner solutions to align closely with established standards.
Extend SAP's standard solutions for unique, differentiating processes to gain a competitive edge, using tools like SAP Build Process Automation or SAP BTP side-by-side extensibility projects
Continuously evaluate the efficiency of business processes through Process Performance Indicators (PPIs), with tools like SAP Signavio for enhanced analysis which integrates with SAP Build Process Automation.
Automate manual process tasks and improve paper- or email-based, loosely organized processes using SAP Build Process Automation.

In addition to these principles, adopting an Enterprise Architecture (EA) methodology is crucial for ensuring business processes align with an organization's goals and strategy. EA methodologies provide a systematic way to analyze and design business processes and their technology interactions, leading to improved operational efficiency by pinpointing and eliminating redundancies and better allocating resources. Tools such as SAP LeanIX and SAP Reference Business Architecture content, including Solution Value Flow Diagrams and Solution Component Diagrams available in the SAP Business Accelerator Hub, are instrumental in this endeavor, offering valuable guidance for streamlined process design and implementation.

5. Operations

In the context of Clean Core dimensions, operational management can be categorized into two primary objectives: "cleaning the core" and "maintaining the core’s cleanliness." When dealing with a brownfield implementation, "cleaning the core" entails a thorough review of custom code to decide whether it should be phased out, reworked, or updated. This initiative also includes revamping development guidelines and embracing industry-standard practices. Meanwhile, "maintaining the core’s cleanliness" in the aftermath of a successful migration, or when initiating a greenfield project, calls for embedding monitoring and alert systems into the daily operations framework to safeguard the integrity of the core. To accomplish this, a detailed understanding of all the critical performance indicators (KPIs) that influence the Clean Core is necessary, focusing on four key areas: Integration, Extensibility, Processes, and Data. For effective operational management, SAP Cloud ALM serves as an ideal platform. It offers integrated monitoring and alerting capabilities, aligning with SAP’s recommended best practices for operations management.

Summary

SAP Clean Core Strategy is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but a tailored approach that depends on your specific business needs, challenges, and opportunities. The exact path to a Clean Core will vary depending on whether you're starting fresh (Greenfield) or upgrading existing systems (Brownfield), as well as whether you're aiming for a Private Cloud, Public Cloud, or a hybrid setup. However, there are some shared steps to consider for a smooth implementation:

Evaluate your current IT environment to pinpoint challenges and deficiencies: It's essential to gain a clear understanding of your existing IT framework, encompassing systems, processes, data, and integration points. Recognize the issues and deficiencies that are obstacles to your business's transformation, such as complexity, inefficiency, inconsistency, fragmentation, and outdated technology.
Set out your business transformation goals and determine what takes precedence: Clarify your vision for business transformation, including the objectives and desired outcomes, which should reflect your overall business strategy and customer expectations. Determine which initiatives should be tackled first, considering their potential business impact and urgency, and make sure your stakeholders and sponsors agree with your transformation plan.
Craft your desired IT architecture and plan, focusing on SAP S/4HANA and cloud-based solutions: Design a future IT architecture with SAP S/4HANA as the digital core, supplemented by cloud solutions for specific business functionalities. Develop a roadmap that transitions from your current to your desired IT architecture, detailing the project's scope, schedule, and required resources. For this, the SAP Enterprise Support Value Maps can help.
Carry out your transformation project with support from SAP and its partners, utilizing the best practices and methodologies they provide. Manage the change and associated risks carefully, ensuring the quality and security of your IT solutions throughout the process.
Keep track of your transformation's results and benefits: Monitor the outcomes and benefits of your transformation, using the key performance indicators and metrics established in your objectives. Continuously review and refine your IT solutions based on feedback and the insights gained, striving for ongoing enhancement of business efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Previous Blogs:

Blog 1: The Central Role of Clean Core and AI
Blog 2: The Role of BTP as Extention and Innovation Platform

Additional Videos:

Unleash your Digital Transformation with Clean Core : https://youtu.be/i7Ms4WciM9Y
Clean Core in Detail: https://youtu.be/JaSQbFypIkQ

SAP MDG M Parallel Process in Multiple Record processing

2024-04-03T10:50:47.599000+02:00

Steps for activate parallel process in multiple record processing in MDG-M

Activate Business Configuration Set

For create materials, change materials, mark materials for deletion and process multiple materials there are example change request types available.

Open the document assigned to this activity in Customizing Master Data Governance 🡪 under Master Data Governance for Material🡪 Import Predefined Change Request Types

Open the link in the document and check that the BC-Set MDGM_MDG_MATERIAL_CREQUESTTYPE_4 is selected. For MDG 7.0, SP2 a new BC-Set is provided: MDGM_MDG_MATERIAL_CREQUESTTYPE_5.

To start, choose Activate BC Set and keep the default settings.

For Multiple-Record processing there are example change request types available. Run the following activity under Customizing for Master Data Governance under 🡪 Master Data Governance for Material 🡪 Import Predefined Change Request Types for Multiple-Record Processing.

Check that the BC-Set MDGM_MDG_MATERIAL_CR_MC_04 is selected. For MDG 7.0, SP2 a new BC-Set is provided: MDGM_MDG_MATERIAL_CR_MC_05. To import the BC-Set, open the document assigned to the configuration activity, choose Activate BC Set, and keep the default settings.

If you want to use the MDG for Material homepage or the Business Context Viewer (BCV) then activate the BC set MDGAF_BCV and MDGMAT_BCV_70 under SAP Menu 🡪Tools 🡪 Customizing 🡪Business Configuration Sets 🡪Activation of BC Sets.

Scenarios of Multiple Processing

Case1:

Requestor from org unit 1 initiated to change the Plant specific status of the Material A for Plant A via CR Type MATMRP

Case2:

Requestor from org unit 2 initiated to change the Plant specific status of the Material A for Plant B via

CR type MATMRP

Case3:

Requestor from Sales unit 1 initiated to change the DC chain status of the Material A for SALES A via

CR type MATSAL

Case4:

Requestor from Sales unit 2 to change the DC chain status of the Material A for SALES B via

CR type MATSAL

Multiple Processing Change Request Types:

Once the Business configuration sets are activated the Multiple Processing Change request types are available in the system. Please use the below path to configure the Multiple Process change Request Type to maintain the Parallel Processing should be activate .

MDGIMG🡪General Settings 🡪Process Modelling 🡪 Define Change Request Types

TYPE OF CHANGE REQUEST	Description	Parallel
MATMRP	Multi Pro. for Planning Data (full)	X
MATSAL	Multi Pro. for Sales Data (full)	X

Workflow steps for Multiple Processing via BRF Plus

Please use the below configuration settings to update the BRF plus Workflow.

Process Modeling > Workflow > Rule-Based Workflow>Configure Rule base workflow

Single Value Decision table

User Agent Decision Table

Non User Agent Decision Table

Scope of entity types Maintained.

Change Request Types: MATMRP

Change Request Types: MATSAL

Steps to be perform the Business scenario:

Search the required material and click the Multi processing Button

Choose one of the CR type

Select the material & click Find & replace button.

Select the required field from the list of value and replace

SAP Master Data Rated #1 for User Satisfaction & Market Presence by G2

2024-04-05T23:17:18.174000+02:00

We are thrilled to share that SAP Master Data Governance (MDG) has once again been named a Leader in the Spring 2024 G2 Grid Report for Master Data Management (MDM).

Satisfied Users

Critical to our legacy of success, SAP MDG stands at the top in terms of Market Presence in the G2 MDM category. This presence attests to not only the wide adoption of our solution, but also to our unwavering commitment to provide high-quality data governance capabilities across numerous data domains, use cases, implementation styles, and industries across the globe.

A true testament is customers' satisfaction with SAP MDG, the 100% Satisfaction score awarded us the top spot in the G2 MDM Grid. In addition, 97% of users on G2 have rated SAP 4 or 5 stars – an overall approval rating covering support, usability, functionality, administration, setup, and business relationship - that also speaks to the quality and reliability of the SAP MDG solution and services.

Steering in the Right Direction

And we continue to innovate, with 96% of G2 users echoing their belief that SAP MDG's product direction is going in the right direction. Our roadmap for MDG is driven by our customers and leading market trends in data management. We believe, SAP can provide much more value than other MDM tool providers, because we understand how master data is used in business context. We can provide master data management capabilities that truly support all domains, all industries, and all approaches - embedded into the business application landscape and end-to-end processes. And, we have proven this with SAP MDG, and we will continue to deliver on this unique promise.

Selecting SAP Master Data Governance means opting for a Leader in Master Data Management – a choice founded on superior market presence, high user satisfaction, and a clear vision of the future. Join the vast network of SAP MDG users that have established a trusted foundation of business-critical master data to support operational excellence, ensure accurate analytics and AI, and accelerate digital transformation.

Check out these resources to learn more:

Dynamic Derivations using BADI in SAP MDG

2024-04-10T21:49:35.114000+02:00

Business rules are one of the important feature in Master Data Governance Process. Deriving the value for particular field of an entity can be done either by BRF Plus or BADI. This Blog Post explains you about creating complex or dynamic derivation rules which can be achieved through BADI.

In this post , I am taking the example of deriving Cost Centre value from Cost Centre Entity of Finance Data Model . Its a kind of Mandatory and derivation rule and the naming convention should be followed.

RULE :

First two characters are defined using the backend table which is the custom table provided by the business based on 'Company Code' and 'Business Area' fields in Cost Center entity . The rest of the characters are auto populated based on the next number available for the range.

Ex: If Cost Centre number available in the system for LM range is LM0025. So , when requestor is creating the new cost center the CC value should be auto populated to LM0026 .

IMPLEMENTATION :

1. Implement your custom logic in 'IF_EX_USMD_RULE_SERVICE2~DERIVE' method and trigger the code.

Perform the below steps for execution : Go to MDGIMG ( t-code ) -> General settings -> Data Quality and Search ->BADI -> Define Validations and Derivations ( execute ). Create enhancement.

Enhancement Spot : 'ZENH_MDG_FI_CCTR'.

BADI Name : 'ZBI_MDG_FI_CCTR'.

Method Name : 'IF_EX_USMD_RULE_SERVICE~DERIVE_ENTITY'.

Filter Values : 'Entity Type' and 'Data Model'.

Logic for Derivation Rule :

PARAMETERS :

method IF_EX_USMD_RULE_SERVICE~DERIVE_ENTITY.
                   
TYPES : BEGIN OF ty_cctr,
              zcctr TYPE cctr,
            END OF ty_cctr.

    DATA : lr_request      TYPE REF TO if_usmd_crequest_api,
           lv_cr_number    TYPE usmd_crequest,
           lv_crequest     TYPE usmd_s_crequest,
           it_crequest     TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF usmd_s_crequest,
           usmd_creq_type  TYPE usmd_creq_type,
           usmd_created_by TYPE xubanme.

    DATA : lv_physical_name TYPE mdg_gn_physical_name,
           lv_busarea       TYPE gser,
           lv-ccode         TYPE bukrs,
           lc_cctr          TYPE name-komp VALUE 'CCTR',
           lv_range         TYPE kostl,
           lv_cctr          TYPE kostl,
           lv_ccblash       TYPE zde-ccblash,

           result           TYPE string,
           count            TYPE i,
           cnt              TYPE i VALUE 0,
           lv_alp           TYPE string,
           lv_num           TYPE string,
           lv_ccrange       TYPE n LENGTH 4,
           lv_len           TYPE i,
           lv_bsrange       TYPE n LENGTH 10,

           it_cctr          TYPE TABLE OF ty_cctr,
           lv_op            TYPE string VALUE '%',
           lv_sctr          TYPE kost1,
           lv_number        TYPE string.

    CONSTANTS : lc_logical_cctr TYPE mdg_gn_logical_name VALUE 'TCK_0G_CCTR'.

*Getting WF step.
    TRY.
        DATA(lo_context) = cl_usmd_app_context=>get_context().
      CATCH cx_usmd_app_context_cons_error INTO DATA(lo_exception).
    ENDTRY.

    IF lo_cotext IS BOUND.
      lo_context->get_attributes( IMPORTING ev_crequest_type = DATA(lv_range)
                                            ev_crequest_step = DATA(lv_wf_step) ).
    ENDIF.

*Deriving Cost Centre Value.
    SELECT SINGLE cskio_range FROM t9k_csk_io_range
          INTO _range WHERE gsber = _busarea AND bukrs = _ccode.

    IF sy-subrc = 0.
      CONCATENATE lv_range lv_op INTO lv_str.

      SELECT SINGLE physical_name FROM mdg_gn_tgobj
               INTO lv_physical_name WHERE logical_name EQ lc_logical_name
                     AND new_version = ''.

      IF sy-subrc = 0.
        SELECT /1md/0gcctr FROM (lv_physical_name) INTO TABLE it_cctr
                 WHERE /1md/0gcctr LIKE lv_sctr.
        IF sy-subrc = 0.
          SORT it_cctr STABLE BY zcctr DESCENDING.
          READ TABLE it_cctr INTO DATA(wa_cctr) INDEX 1.

*Formating the Cost Center Value.

          count = strlen(wa_cctr).
          DO count TIMES.
            result = wa_cctr + cnt(1).

            IF result CA 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'.
              CONCATENATE lv_alp result INTO lv_alp.
              CLEAR result.
            ELSE.
              CONCATENATE lv-num result INTO lv_num.
              CLEAR result.
            ENDIF.
            cnt = cnt+1.
          ENDDO.
          lv_num = lv_num + 1.
          CLEAR lv_cctr.
          CONCATENATE lv_alp lv_num INTO lv_cctr.

          lv_len = strlen(lv_cctr).
          IF lv_len < 6.
            lv_ccrange = lv_num.
            CLEAR lv_cctr.

            CONCATENATE lv_alp lv_ccrange INTO lv_cctr.
          ENDIF.

        ELSE.
          CONCATENATE lv_range '0000'INTO lv_range.
          CLEAR lv-cctr.
          lv_cctr = lv_range.
          SHIFT lv_range RIGHT DELETING TRAILING space.
          OVERLAY lv_range WITH '0000'.
          lv_cctr = lv_range.
        ENDIF.
      ENDIF.
    ELSE.
      lv_num = lv_number+7(3).
      CONCATENATE 'TMP' lv_num INTO lv_sctr.
      lv_cctr = lv_sctr.
      gv_sctr = lv_sctr.
    ENDIF.
    CONCATENATE 'TMP_001'  ' ' INTO lv_cctr.
  ENDIF.
ENDIF.
endmethod.

CHECKING THE VALUE ON NWBC SCREEN:

Fig 1 : NWBC Screen

CONCLUSION :

We can accomplish the Complex Business Requirement by dynamically coding it in the BADI.

These kind of rules can't be attained through BRF+ which involves some custom tables , joining those tables getting the data, seggregating the data and formatting the data. Likewise , we can perform validations by using check entity method in Validations and Derivations BADI.

Your Ideas and feedback about my blog are highly important . Please feel free to post your comments under comment section in my blog.

Also do check out for the other posts which are related to MDG .

https://blogs.sap.com/2016/09/13/mdg-80-in-real-life-blog-series-how-to-configure-and-customize-rule-based-workflow/

https://blogs.sap.com/2013/08/20/cross-entity-derivations-using-badi-usmdruleservicecrosset/

https://blogs.sap.com/2012/10/02/mdg-configuration-of-the-screens-based-on-user-role/

https://blogs.sap.com/2021/04/21/use-custom-filter-object-drff-in-the-s-4-hana-bp-outbound-replication/

Thanks!

Part 4 - SAP MDG – A Stepping Stone for SAP S/4HANA Journey

2024-04-13T12:06:42.460000+02:00

Introduction

Clients across the globe are getting into the Transformation journey started with SAP S/4HANA.

In this blog, we will take one of the use cases to discuss how the master data (MDG) journey will be the stepping stone for SAP S/4HANA Transformation and the needed steps to achieve it.

This is the 4th blog in this series. Please go through Part 1,2 & 3 in the given below link

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/01/27/sap-mdg-a-stepping-stone-for-sap-s-4hana-journey-part-i/

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/sap-mdg-a-stepping-stone-for-sap-s-4hana-journey-part-2/ba-p/13579098

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/sap-mdg-a-stepping-stone-for-sap-s-4hana-journey-part-3/ba-p/13651625

Key Aspects for MDG : Deep Dive

B. MDG Specific

B.2 User Interface

For any product/solution to be successful, it needs to have a good user experience. The first impression for the users comes from the user interface

SAP MDG offers Netweaver Business Client (NWBC) and SAP Fiori as the UI.

For this use case, NWBC is considered as it is tightly integrated with MDG data model which means the out of Box data model is already available in NWBC by standard

In this section, we will discuss the approach for UI flexibility for user experience and solution approach for field status for specific system

Approach for UI ( Global Form vs Specifics )

As MDG going to the central master data systems catering for 3 ECC systems & future S/4 system, it is important to finalize the strategy for UI as we are considering having all finalized fields ( Global + Local) be governed in MDG

There are 2 options which can be catered to this

Global Form – All finalized fields will be shown to all users irrespective of the ERP system ( Region) to which user belongs to
Regional specific Form – All global fields + that specific region fields are only shown.

It needs discussion with various stakeholders in terms of business value realization, use cases and vision before finalising the UI for MDG.

UI enhancement can be done either by configuration / developments.

Solution Approach for Field Status Requirements

In the previous blog on data model section, there was a topic on field status when there are differences between ECC systems.

Field status matches across all systems – Same will be configured at back end ( Account Group level)
Field status having differences across systems - One of the suggestions is to keep Optional at the back-end configuration

This will help to overcome the forced need of data enrichment at local systems for data migration into MDG & also for the CRUD process.

If that’s the case, then comes the below question

How do we handle the need for field status for specific ECC systems?

The need for a specific ECC system field status ( Ex: Field 2 for ECC – Americas ; Field 3 for ECC – Asia to be mandatory for Acc grp 1) to be catered.

There are multiple solution approaches for this. Considering the complexity, there needs a framework solution which needs to give flexibility and reusable

UI Framework

The high-level solution is to have a framework to manage the exceptions as below

Acc grp Configuration Backend – By SAP standard, the field status are setup at MDG UI
The framework solution gets MDG to read a UI control table and set the field status accordingly ( Exceptional)
If there are no entries in control table , the field property will behave as per the status set at the account group configuration at the backend

The solution is to use the Field Properties BADI to read the control table to set the field properties.

Below are the example control table entries for the requirements listed above

If a field is at the organizational level, then the field status behaves once the company codes have been added.

What if , there are exceptions at general data ?

As the framework have company code as one of the dimensions ( input), in the form, that field will show as Optional at first. However, once the company code is added, the framework will trigger the exceptions status to show in the form.

It could be a training topic for the users ( They might wonder about the status change in the form during the process !)

Please be noted that for Block, Mark for Delete CR’s , by SAP standard all fields will be read-only except the actual block/mark for delete specific fields. So the framework solution will not be applicable for those 2 CR types.

Even though the solution offers flexibility , there are some limitations , disadvantages which it brings such as field status validations to be build, data load etc which will be discussed in the subsequent sections

In the next blog, I will cover other topics in detail.

About the Author,

Antony Prasanna has been working in SAP master data space since 2006. Have experience working across multiple large transformation programs on SAP S/4HANA including SAP MDM, MDG and Data Migration tools.

It’s Official - SAP BTP is Again a Leader in G2’s Reports

2024-04-19T15:56:03.286000+02:00

G2’s most recent reports for Spring 2024 again identify SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) as a Leader for its technologies and solutions in multiple categories, across Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS) to Cloud Computing Platforms, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Database as a Service (DBaaS).

I’m delighted that SAP customers are continuing to report their satisfaction with SAP BTP through the reviews and ratings that they leave with G2, and would like to say a huge “thank you” to the many SAP customers who leave us these wonderful reviews!

You may recall from my previous blog, that G2 leverages user reviews and a robust scoring methodology to rank vendor solutions and award leader badges based directly on software buyers’ vetted, verified and authentic reviews, which surely lends confidence that this recognition is based on credible and trusted information.

What’s Driving Customer Satisfaction?

From the G2 badges earned among many solutions, including a #1 rating for SAP Master Data Governance for User Satisfaction and Market Presence, it’s clear to see that SAP BTP is hitting the right notes, with many reviewers. But I’m sure that like myself, many readers are also curious to learn what’s driving this level of customer satisfaction. So, taking the view that badges are just the headline, perhaps a bit more digging into user reviews is needed to understand the sources of satisfaction which customers are feeling about SAP BTP. With this in mind, and taking a not-too scientific approach, I looked at the most recent three SAP customer reviews on the G2 website today. Here’s what they had to say about SAP BTP, in their own words:

"Multiple Cloud platform used as a SAAS/PAAS for Enterprise Services

The Invoicing & tax assessment used for the PO Order fulfilment is automated using SAP BT and it makes it very easy to fulfil the payments by the business team. It improves efficiency and provides security at the highest level”.

Enterprise organization, review on April 1, 2024

"Platform to build, deploy and host all your business apps

SAP Business Technology Platform offers many many tools, if you have a problem that needs solving and you are wondering does SAP has a tool for it there is good chance there is, from data storage to hosting your apps and can be easily integrated with each other if you are going to use those tools. DevOps is also there if you need some help with cloud so in terms of Customer Support they have a good support”.

Small Business, Information Technology and Services, review on March 26, 2024

“Empowering Innovation and Scalability

Sometimes, it's hard to make sense of all the different data we have. It's scattered everywhere and comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. But with SAP Business Technology Platform, things are a lot easier. They give us tools like SAP HANA Database and Data Management solutions, which help us bring all our data together in one place”.

Mid-Market organization, Information Technology and Services, review on 25 March 2024

Success with SAP BTP is Found in Many Places

It’s clear from just these three statements, taken directly from the last G2 reviews, that customers are finding success with SAP BTP in many different places. And the words they, and others use nicely embody the love they are showing (have you seen the badge?) for the solutions and technologies that they use, from Data Management, to Integration, Automation and Security to name but a few.

As ever, I need to express my thanks to G2, for once more awarding SAP BTP some incredible Spring 2024 badges, as well as to our customers too their kind words.

If you’d like to learn more about SAP BTP then that’s also really easy, simply hop over to our website, where you’ll find all the information you need, from product details, to use cases and customer stories, to start to consider how you too might begin to use these technologies and solutions to help your own business transformation. There’s even an option to try before you buy, for those of you eager to get busy with the technology!

I hope to be back again next quarter with more good news. Until then, I hope you enjoy reading our many SAP BTP customer reviews.

Chris Grundy, Product Marketing, SAP BTP

SAP Master Tables

2024-04-25T12:50:30.820000+02:00

Hi All,

Here I've mentioned some SAP Master Tables.

Master Tables in SAP

Storage locations - T001L
Plant - T001W
Material Type Descriptions - T134T
Material pricing group 1: Description - TVM1T
Material pricing group 2: Description - TVM2T
Material pricing group 3: Description - TVM3T
Material pricing group 4: Description - TVM4T
Material pricing group 5: Description - TVM5T
Taxes: Region Key: Texts    - T005U
VendorAccountGroupNames(Table T077K) - T077Y
Country Names    - T005T
Account Group Names (Table T077D) - T077X
Customers: Customer groups: Texts - T151T
Routes: Texts    - TVROT
Special G/L Indicator Names - T074T
Sales Organizations    - TVKO
Sales Divisions: Texts - TSPAT
Distribution Channels: Texts - TVTWT
G/L Account Master (Chart of Accounts) - SKA1
Vendor Master (General Section) - LFA1
General Data in Customer Master - KNA1
Account Group Names (Table T077K) - T077Y
Bank master record    - BNKA
General Material Data    - MARA
Valuation area    - T001K
Language Key Texts - T002T

Asset Master Record Segment - ANLA
Equipment master data - EQUI
Business Place - J_1BBRANCH

Thanks,

Naveen

More About Cloud-Ready Mode in SAP Master Data Governance

2024-04-30T15:27:34.978000+02:00

Benefit from cloud-ready mode in SAP Master Data Governance

As mentioned in my recent blog post, cloud-ready mode was introduced with SAP S/4HANA 2023 and is the go-to operation mode for companies that are just getting started with the governance of business partner data with SAP Master Data Governance (MDG). For companies that already use MDG, we recommend evaluating the benefits of switching to cloud-ready mode. Cloud-ready mode is based on ABAP Cloud, and it’s the future-geared development environment for all MDG deployments.

To find out more about how it relates to classic mode in processing business partner data, you may check out this technical article that provides a deep-dive comparison of both operation modes.

To open the article, click the picture above.

Find out more about cloud-ready mode:

To stay on track, simply follow the SAP Community Topic Page for SAP Master Data Governance and join the Q&A and discussion forum.

Best,
Markus

SAP S/4HANA Data Migration and Master Data Management Best Practices with SAP BTP

2024-05-02T00:01:01.306000+02:00

In this excerpt from the podcast “SAP S/4HANA Data Migration and Master Data Management best practices”, Terry Penner, Bill Todd and Randy Connelly discuss best practices and practical approaches for migrating data and master data management with SAP S/4HANA and SAP Business Technology Platform.

Topics discussed

Part 1: Data Migration

Key challenges
Best practices for system conversion
Best practices for selective data transition
Best practices for new implementations
Data migration tool options

Part 2: Master Data Management

Challenges and priorities
Efficiently working with master data

Part 3: Clean Core

Data management and clean core
Getting started with data migration to S/4HANA

About the speakers

Terry Penner is part of the SAP BTP Marketing and Solutions team, focused on BTP for SAP S/4HANA. He has more than 20 years experience in the SAP platform and analytics, including working directly on hundreds of customer implementations.

Bill: is a principal solution advisor from SAP. For the past 20 years, his focus has been on data management solutions. He is passionate about data, and has deep experience in data quality, data integration and master data management.

Randy: is the global data governance practice lead for Syniti, with more than 30 years experience in the SAP space, in data migration and data quality. The last 12 years have been focused on master data governance.

Part 1: Data Migration

Terry: Welcome to our expert panel discussion on best practices for migrating data and managing master data for S/4HANA cloud customers, particularly those in the early stages of their RISE with SAP journey.

Let's start off talking about data migration. First, why is data migration and master data management important to an S/4HANA customer starting their RISE journey.

Bill: Accurate and trusted master data is crucial for any business initiative, particularly for transitioning to S/4HANA and embarking on your RISE journey. Without a solid foundation of reliable data, you risk building on unstable ground due to potential inaccuracies. To draw an analogy, think of constructing a building - everything begins with a strong foundation. Similarly, master data forms the fundamental base for S/4HANA.

Randy: Migration is a critical component of your digital transformation into S/4 HANA. This process involves setting up key business standards, policies, and rules to meet your operational needs. On top of that, these standards are leveraged in the master data governance area. This is to ensure that you maintain data integrity by consistently applying the standards, policies, and rules set during migration.

As long as organizations utilize these standards, they can improve their operations and efficiencies. This will also pave the way for future innovations.

Key data migration challenges

Terry: Based on your experience with customers, what are some of the key data challenges that S/4HANA customers are facing as they migrate to S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, whether it's from ERP or S/4HANA on-premises?

Randy: One thing I often notice is the crucial role of data cleansing, harmonization, and aligning business interests. By alignment, I mean getting everyone on board, whether on a regional or global level, with new standards, policies, and rules. Achieving this consensus can be tricky due to differing viewpoints. So, it's essential to focus on change management to ensure solid user acceptance and confidence, paving the way for smooth progress.

Bill: Absolutely, Randy, I totally agree. It all circles back to the quality of data. We really don't want to carry over old data issues into the new system. This is our opportunity to get it right, and data quality is always an issue that needs careful handling.

As for the S/4HANA customers you asked about, I've found that the conversion of business partner data is a significant and often tricky task. In S/4HANA, we see our customers and vendors through the business partner model. It's a broad category that encompasses companies that might be both a customer and a vendor.

The challenge here lies in the transition of data. Currently, most companies treat customers and vendors as separate entities. But with S/4HANA, they need to be viewed as business partners. This is a critical aspect that needs addressing as part of the migration process. Moving forward, we will treat such records as business partners.

Data migration best practices for system conversion

Terry: There’s three main data migration approaches to consider: system conversion, selective data transition, and a new implementation. Let’s talk about the benefits and drawbacks of each of those options and best practises.

The first approach of system conversion, or 'lift and shift', is a popular method when moving to S/4HANA. It's basically a technical upgrade where you're doing the bare minimum. You're not really taking advantage of the new S/4HANA innovations, and there's usually little customization involved. You're not changing the data, just moving it.

What needs to be considered with system conversion?

Bill: In my experience, the approach we're discussing is ideal for companies with strong data management practices and high-quality data. It's particularly useful if you're in a rush to transition to S/4HANA and are considering a simple "lift and shift" strategy. However, ensure your existing data is of high quality to maximize the benefits of this approach. Otherwise, you're just transferring all your old data and its associated issues. If you plan on addressing data issues later, it's akin to moving all your old stuff into a new house and then deciding to declutter. It doesn't make sense, right? Why would you want to move boxes of unwanted items from your old house to your new one?

Randy: Sure, you made some excellent points there. Many organizations, especially when transitioning to S/4HANA, really start to consider implementing formal governance. Even if they're just doing a straightforward system conversion, they need to think about this in a wider context. As they begin to formalize their governance, there's likely to be changes in their standards, policies, and procedures that need to be consistently applied. This might also be a part of the 'house cleaning' process where they need to adjust their master data to align with the new processes and the data they want to use moving forward. So, the house cleaning aspect is critical in this context.

Data migration best practices for selective data transition

Terry: Let's talk about the second approach to migration, selective data transition.
This can involve multiple SAP ERP systems or ERP systems. Typically, there's data harmonization and cleansing required, and definitely data migration necessary. What best practices do we need to know?

Randy: One of the key things to remember is that SAP provides applications such as ADMM [ SAP Advanced Data Migration and Management Tool ] and SKP [ Syniti Knowledge Platform ] via Syniti. These are essential for conducting important activities. An integral part of this process is the use of an application that can standardize tasks and create a process that can be repeated and reused.

Many organizations approach this on a case-by-case basis, focusing on a single ERP system, division, or business unit at a time. This repeatable and reusable process is crucial for efficiency. It allows for data to be gathered into a common repository and transformed.

Just as important is validation, which ensures alignment with the new S/4 environment. This leads to the creation of loads for the new S/4 environment, guaranteeing high quality data.

This process pairs well with formalized governance from an MDG perspective. It allows the creation of load programs that can be used for both S/4 and MDG, whether in a hub model or co-deploy back into S/4.

Bill: When Randy mentioned the importance of a repeatable and reusable approach, he was really emphasizing the need to tackle tasks one at a time. This could mean focusing on one business unit today and another tomorrow. Or, if you often merge with or acquire companies, you'll eventually have to integrate their ERP systems.

Having a standard methodology - complete with tools, processes, rules, and data conversion routines - is crucial. This way, we can hope for a rinse-and-repeat scenario where we can apply this approach again and again. This approach allows for an effective phased implementation.

As Randy noted, this methodology often dictates how you'll actively manage and govern your data as you create it. For instance, as you generate new master data for your HANA system, you'll likely reuse many of these rules. If a rule helps keep data clean from the get-go, it's likely a good rule to keep for future data creation. Therefore, having a repeatable and reusable system is key.

Data migration best practices for new implementations

Terry: Yes, that will certainly help with the total cost of ownership.
And then for the third approach of starting with a new implementation, what are your thoughts on some best practices for this approach?

Randy: Similar to what we just discussed; a key part of the process often involves a "Big Bang" implementation. This means that instead of a phased approach where each ERP system or business unit is handled individually, everything is implemented all at once.

In such a case, it's crucial to have a standardized process that can be used across all areas - be it materials, business partners, financials, or transactional data. All these must be realigned to fit into the new S/4 environment.

An aspect we didn't touch on earlier is that there might be a need for data construction. This involves creating new data that didn't exist in the old systems but is necessary in the new system to meet operational needs.

We need to leverage standardized processes to validate and create load files consistently, as there will be several test cycles. The goal is to ensure that everything is working and improving, so that by the time you reach the production implementation, you have clean data with an accuracy rate of 99% to 100%.

The drawback is the time and effort up front, but the outcome can make it well worth the effort.

Bill: The “Big Bang” approach is no small task. You're diving into a large project from the start, but the payoff is in the final product. Yes, it requires quite a bit of effort, but the result? You've tackled all the issues and managed all the data. There's hardly anything left to do when you're migrating. Well, unless you're acquiring a company or something like that.

Then, you might lean more towards the second approach we've discussed, the system conversion or selective data transition. And remember, these methods aren't always separate. Sometimes, there's a bit of a hybrid, right? They don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Data migration tool options

Terry: What are recommended tool options for migrating data?

Randy: When you think about transitioning to S/4HANA, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit. This tool allows you to extract, map, and load data directly into your S/4HANA system. However, the key thing to consider, as we've often discussed, is the cleanliness of your data. The Migration Cockpit works wonderfully for those who've already cleaned, harmonized, and deduplicated their data.

If your data isn't clean or if you're dealing with a different situation, another option we've discussed is SAP's Advanced Data Migration by Syniti. This tool offers a comprehensive and customizable solution for your unique circumstances, regardless of whether you're migrating from multiple or single ERP systems, or a combination of SAP and non-SAP systems. It provides immense flexibility for data cleansing, harmonization, and validation, which are crucial when introducing new master or transactional data into your S/4 environment.

Part 2: Master data management – challenges and priorities

Terry: Let's pivot to master data management and some of the key challenges and priorities.

Bill: Dealing with data issues is always a significant challenge. It's crucial to identify and correct these problems. Take duplicate data, for instance. Identifying duplicates can be tricky, but many robust matching engines and techniques can help with this.

The bigger challenge I've noticed from my interactions with customers isn't identifying the duplicates but figuring out how to create the best record from these duplicates. They often refer to this process as survivorship or merging. In SAP master data governance, we call it creating a 'best record'.

The goal is to allow data experts or stewards to review the duplicate records and decide how to consolidate them. For instance, if we have five versions of the same company, we need to figure out how to create that one superior, or 'golden' record, moving forward.

A solution like SAP Master Data Governance can be helpful in this scenario because it has specialized processes, tasks, and user interfaces for reviewing duplicate records and creating a 'best' or 'golden' record. So, that's one major challenge. But there are others, of course.

Apart from correcting data issues, another significant challenge that comes to mind is automation. In this era of AI, companies want to automate as much as possible, like auto-creating master data or extending materials to plants and sales organizations. This has been a focus in the last two releases of SAP master data governance with its data derivation capabilities. With the current trend of generative AI, I foresee a lot of progress in the future in this area. So the two critical areas are automation and correcting data issues.

Randy: A key term that's often linked to this discussion is self-enablement. Many organizations are striving for this, to reduce their dependence on IT departments. They're leveraging platforms like MDG to empower the business to maintain data quality, ensuring they have reliable data they can trust.

You gave an example of an international manufacturer of industrial materials. They faced issues during the deduplication process due to variations in units of measure - metric or imperial. This problem affected warranties and spare parts for their products across different regions.

A product purchased in one region may end up in another, but the warranties still apply. However, when spare parts are needed, if there's a discrepancy between metric and imperial measurements, it becomes a significant international challenge.

To overcome this, they reviewed their governance process, looking at how they could standardize units of measure globally. This ensures they can support their products anywhere in the world.

This situation demonstrates the importance of master data. It's not just about the top-level data - the underlying attributes also need to be analyzed. In the context of data governance, it's crucial to understand how these are used and the impact they have on the business.

Efficiently working with master data

Terry: What are key points that I need to know about working with master data efficiently in S/4HANA?

Bill: When discussing master data management and S/4HANA, it's crucial to stress the importance of establishing appropriate governance early on for creating or altering master data for S/4. If not, you run the risk of S/4HANA reverting to past behaviors, potentially operating in a system that didn't uphold governance over master data creation.

That's why companies transitioning to S/4HANA should think about using something like SAP master data governance. I often describe it as a gatekeeper, or even a bouncer, acting like a firewall to ensure we stick to a regulated process. This process actively governs how we create or update master data, ensuring it's accurate, reliable, consistent, and compliant with any regulations. Plus, it provides transparency so we can trace how that master data was created.

Without such governance, you could end up creating master data without any checks, validations, or oversight, and without an audit trail. That's where MDG steps in, providing a governance layer to control how master data is created for S/4HANA.

And don't delay - many times, if you wait until you're live on S/4HANA, it's almost too late. On day one, people will start creating master data, so if you don't have this in place from the start, you're setting yourself up for potential difficulties.

Randy: I agree with you Bill, especially when transitioning to S/4 it's essential to establish formal governance. This isn't just about cleaning up your data, but also maintaining its cleanliness.

There are many organizations currently mapping out their transition strategies and they might not be ready just yet. However, they can utilize governance and SAP MDG as stepping stones towards S/4. A lot of organizations might not realize that they can set up an MDG environment on S/4HANA, which allows them to introduce formal data governance into their legacy ECC or ERP systems.

While preparing to transition to S/4, this approach gives them the data model necessary for the S/4 environment and accommodates new data requirements. This data can then be replicated back to existing ECC and non-SAP systems in their current formats, keeping the data clean.

Once they activate their S/4 environment, they already have all the necessary information prepared and it's compatible with the new S/4 data models. So there are really some excellent options for organizations looking to clean their data and transition to S/4.

Part 3: Data management and clean core

Terry: How does data migration and fit in with a clean core strategy and even more important, what happens after I migrate the data. How do I how do I stay clean?

Bill: It's important to remember that "clean core" can have different meanings for different people, depending on the context. In this case, when we're talking about migrating data to S/4HANA, a clean core refers to the accuracy and usability of that data. Everyone wants a clean core system, and that always begins with clean data.

Randy: Organizations aiming to transition to a clean core will need to strategize on how they'll undertake data cleaning, harmonization, and migration activities. They'll face challenges, but they'll also have to determine how they're going to map eliminated data elements to the new clean core system. This is crucial to ensure business activities continue to run smoothly. They will need to consider the migration issues we discussed earlier as part of their shift to a clean core.

Terry: Yes, we recently did a podcast and blog on a deeper dive on what clean core means, whether it's extensions, processes, data - it's an important concept. How does how does MDM master data management fit into that clean core strategy?

Bill: For the importance of maintaining cleanliness in your systems, we emphasize the need to clean up data, migrate it to S/4, and then continue to keep it clean.

That's precisely where master data management becomes crucial. It's a process that helps you maintain this clean core system. As I've mentioned, active governance and control are key. You need the right people, process, and technology to ensure your core stays clean. This is where master data management, specifically solutions like SAP master data governance, come into play.

Randy: Earlier we emphasized the importance of maintaining cleanliness in our system. The central idea is to first clean up the data, transition smoothly to S/4, and then ensure it stays pristine.

This is where the role of master data management becomes critical. It's a process that's essential for sustaining a clean core system. Like I mentioned before, it's about actively governing and controlling the system. To do this effectively, you need the right combination of people, processes, and technology. That's where a specific solution like SAP Master Data Governance steps in to support this goal.

Getting started with data migration to S/4HANA

Terry: Any final words of advice for customers who are migrating data to S/4HANA, whether they’re doing the “Big Bang” approach or a new implementation.

Randy: I think it's crucial for any organization to carefully consider what path suits them best. Every organization is unique, with its own needs and culture, especially when it comes to handling change management. Whether a company can handle a 'Big Bang' approach or if it needs to take it step by step, maybe rolling out a new ERP system or tackling it division by division to ensure success.

We've gone over many of these points in our conversation, but it really comes down to a case-by-case basis. It's about finding the right fit for each organization, and that includes deciding if a 'clean core' strategy is the right move. The big plus of a clean core is how it simplifies upgrades. It takes away a lot of the hassle and worry because, with a clean core, your upgrades are automatically in sync, whether we're talking about S/4 or your MDG platform. There are a lot of considerations for every organization.

Bill: Clean core is essential for streamlining business processes. The key is to do things differently, to adopt best practices, and to work efficiently, making sure everything aligns with SAP's recommended methods. This includes using SAP Advanced Data Migration and Management, or ADMM, to ensure data is clean, correct, and smoothly transferred to S/4. Then, there's SAP Master Data Governance, or MDG, which is crucial for overseeing how master data is created.

I remember working with a major high-tech company, and they had a clear rule: the only way into S/4 is through SAP MDG. It's how they ensure their master data is properly set up for S/4. They made it clear to everyone in the company that this was the change they had to embrace. By sticking to this process, they could trust that their data foundation would be accurate and reliable for the future.

Terry: Thanks Bill and Randy for joining me in this conversation and discuss this important topic for S/4HANA customers.

Listen to the full podcast at SAP S/4HANA Data Migration and Master Data Management best practices with SAP BTP

Key links:

Syniti RDG streamlines creation and configuration of MDC process templates.

2024-05-14T10:41:20.003000+02:00

Syniti Rapid Data Governance (RDG) is an SAP-endorsed Cloud-Based UI5 application built on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). SAP Master Data Governance is a powerful solution to improve the quality and consistency of information across organizations by consolidating and centrally governing master data. Syniti RDG’s MDC tile streamlines the creation and setup of process templates and the configuration of its process steps.

Master Data Consolidation (MDC) refers to the process of combining and centralizing master data from disparate sources into a single System. This ensures that there is a consistent and accurate version of master data, such as customer, product, or supplier information, across an organization.

In SAP, Process Templates are predefined sets of steps and configurations that standardize the master data consolidation process. The Process Template you choose during a consolidation process specifies whether and in what order certain process steps are executed and what configurations apply for each step.

By utilizing process templates, organizations can accelerate the master data consolidation process and maintain data integrity across different systems and business units within the SAP landscape. Additionally, process templates facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements and supports ongoing data governance efforts by establishing standardized procedures for managing master data consolidation activities.

To create a process template, traditionally a user had to follow the standard guide to setup process templates:

Select New Entries.
Enter a Process Type ID, a corresponding Description, select the Business Object Type, and the Workflow Template WS54500001.
In the Process Goal field, select the goal of a consolidation process.
Decide for the Default Template and the Delete Source indicators.
Save your entries.

Then to configure said process template a user would have to follow the standard guide to setup its process steps.

Mark a process type template and choose Process Template Step
Select New Entries.
Enter a Step Number.
Select a Process Step Type using the input help.
Select a corresponding Adapter using the input help.
Select a corresponding Configuration ID.
If you want the process to stop after finalizing this process step set the Check Point indicator.
If you want to assign an Authorization Group to the process step use the entry help to select an authorization group.

Pertinent configurations specific to each step type are identified by the Configuration ID. If a user would like to visualize the details for each configuration or create a new one, they would have to navigate to the MDCIMG t-code and select the activity related to the step type desired to configure.

Then a user would have to navigate the list of configurations and select the config id chosen in the process template and double-click it to visualize its detailed settings.

The Master Data Consolidation (MDC) tile on RDG streamlines this whole process by allowing users to create and delete process templates, process steps and its configurations within a single and intuitive screen and define a specific template that outlines the steps and configurations for executing a master data consolidation process.

STEP 1. On the Main screen click on the MDC Tile.

STEP 2. Click on the plus icon to add a new process template.

STEP 3. Input process template name and description and choose a Business Object Type (BO Type).

STEP 4. Select a process goal and decide for the Default Template and the Delete Source indicators.

Process Goal refer to the specific objectives or outcomes that organizations aim to achieve through the implementation of process templates. Depending on the goal selected the user might need to also select a strategy.

STEP 5. To add a process step click on the Add button, select a step type, input a description and make selections for Adapter, Config ID, Action Control and Authorization Group.

STEP 6. Add extra process steps to meet the business requirement and goal of the consolidation prosses.

STEP 7. If needed, user can create and/or visualize the configurations for steps. To visualize the details of a selected configuration, click on the View Details pencil icon. To create a configuration, select “Custom – Create configuration” from the list of configurations.

NOTE: At the time of publishing this blog, RDG supports configurations for steps of type: Activation, Filter and Remove, Best Record Calculation and Evaluation. More to come in future updates.

Details of a Best Record Calculation configuration:

Details of a Filter and Remove configuration:

Details of an Activation configuration:

STEP 8. Click on save and select a customizing transport from the available list.

Using the MDC Tile users can maintain and create process templates in a streamlined and intuitive manner.

Syniti RDG is a certified SAP BTP solution and is available on SAP App Store.

To know more details about the product, check the blog Partner Add-on Solutions.

Your opinions and feedback are highly appreciated and feel free to post them in comment section.

Please follow and read more interesting blogs on SAP Master Data Governance | SAP | SAP Blogs.

You can also find and post questions about the product here: SAP Master Data Governance Community.

Want to learn more about SAP Master Data Governance at SAP Sapphire 2024?

2024-05-15T18:34:26.774000+02:00

Your company wants accurate, complete, and trusted data to master your digital business processes and business models. The SAP Master Data Governance application provides ready-to-run, domain-specific master data governance, enabling you to decentrally own and consolidate and to centrally create, change, and distribute master data across your enterprise system landscape. Tight integration with other SAP solutions supports the reuse of data models, business logic, and validation frameworks with open integration to third-party products and services to support your entire technology stack. It supports cleansing, standardization, duplicate detection, and best-record calculation. It then lets you synchronize clean and standardized data across cloud and on-premise applications.

And here is what we have for you to learn more about SAP MDG at the 2024 SAP Sapphire in Orlando, Florida.

BTP115 Looking forward: SAP Master Data Governance

Learn how the SAP Master Data Governance application can support your transformation journey. Join a discussion on the technology shift to cloud-ready master data management, with support for process automation, agility through federation, data provider integration, and reimagined hierarchy management.

June 5th @ 2:00 PM

BTP160 Build a comprehensive data strategy that prioritizes governance

Data governance is a foundational element in driving innovation. Learn how the SAP Master Data Governance application, SAP Datasphere solution, and Collibra software maximize the value of your analytics and AI initiatives. Hear SAP’s strategy in support of master data management and the creation of a business data fabric for access to trusted data.

June 5th @ 11:00 AM

BTP170 How Kyndryl drove data modernization and trust through transformation

Hear IT infrastructure services company Kyndryl Inc's "Customer Zero Story" as it drove business value by transforming a disparate data and application landscape into a unified, governed source of truth. Hear how Kyndryl delivered innovation through data modernization with the help of the SAP Master Data Governance application and SAP BTP.

June 4th @ 3:00 PM

ERP158 Avantor: Transforming finance with SAP S/4HANA for central finance

Avantor Inc., a biotech, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals firm, embarked on a finance transformation with the SAP S/4HANA solution for central finance and SAP Master Data Governance application. Hear how it streamlined processes and launched new segment reporting, including group reporting, a secondary database, and the SAP Analytics Cloud solution.

June 5th @ 10:30 AM

To see a full list of SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) sessions, solution demos, and demo stations, click here.

Enjoy your SAP Sapphire 2024 experience!

#SAPSapphire #SAP #SAPMDG #MDG #MDM #MasterData #MasterDataManagement #datagovernance

Kyndryl Shines a Spotlight on Master Data at 2024 Sapphire Orlando

2024-05-15T18:43:22.818000+02:00

Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages, and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day.

Kyndryl became an independent company from IBM in November 2021 and had a 2-year timeframe (TSA exit) to separate. The legacy systems Kyndryl inherited were heavily customized and expensive to manage. Kyndryl required IT systems to move towards a lean, modern company. The decision that simplicity would be the foundation of their separation strategy, resulted in a greenfield implementation of SAP S/4HANA, leveraging SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). The planned result is a simplified, streamlined, and optimized SAP business platform.

One crucial aspect of Kyndryl’s transformation was emphasizing the importance of master data in the journey to SAP S/4HANA. Clean, reliable, and well-governed master data was essential for a successful and efficient transition to SAP S/4HANA, and this is one area where Kyndryl sets itself apart. While master data management (MDM) is often overlooked for its critical role in business transformation, MDM can propel organizations to achieve their strategic goals more effectively and efficiently.

Data was scattered and difficult to find throughout the organization, with more than 68 disparate information/data warehouses, multiple master data applications and visualization tools, and no central governance or single source of truth. Decentralized and reactive services allowed for limited data visibility.

They chose SAP Master Data Governance (MDG), in conjunction with SAP BTP technologies, to provide the business with accurate, consistent, and timely business-critical master data. This lays the foundation for actionable business intelligence and analytics, accurate reporting, and streamlined business processes, enabling efficient decision-making and driving business growth.

SAP MDG provided a single definition and source of their master data and removed local standards and practices which deviated from the central depiction of the master data. They leveraged SAP Integration Suite to enable distribution of their master data to both SAP and non-SAP solutions across the company.

Kyndryl’s SAP platform provides consistent client experience, improves delivery efficiencies, supports automation objective, and reduces technical duplication across the enterprise aligning with an enterprise platform strategy for enterprise functions.

Want to learn more?

Read the full story here, Kyndryl’s 2024 SAP Innovation Awards entry.
Learn about Kyndryl’s partnership with SAP.
Check out their session at Sapphire Orlando on June 4th at 3 PM, BTP170: How Kyndryl drove data modernization and trust through transformation.

#SAPSapphire #SAP #SAPMDG #MDG #MDM #MasterData #MasterDataManagement #datagovernance

Syniti RDG provides an effortless way to create Data Model extension.

2024-05-16T09:08:22.041000+02:00

In SAP Master Data Governance data can be stored in a staging or active area. Extending the data model with custom attributes or tables involves changes to the data structures in both the active and staging areas and defining a mapping between these data structures.

Traditionally, a user must perform the following steps to assign to do this configuration in SAP MDG System.

Extending active area data model
Extending staging area data model
Generating MDG tables
Defining mapping from Staging to Active area
Defining mapping from Active to Staging area

RDG provides the solution to extend SMT Mapping with an intuitive, user-friendly, and graphical interface.

After a custom attribute is created and activated in either Business Partner or Material data models, an entity table for SMT mapping will be shown if applicable. (SMT mapping is not relevant for attributes created under all entities).

After custom attribute is created and activation is complete mapping table will be shown.
Complete the mapping table by selecting a mapping step and structure to extend for each row. Source and Target will automatically populate. Click

at the end of each row.
Click Done. Processing may take some time to complete. Click Refresh when ready and receive success messages. If running the application using a cloud platform, additional notifications will be given to help you track the process.
Extension, transformation and mapping are created correctly

Syniti RDG is a certified SAP BTP solution on the SAP App Store.

To know more details about the product, check the blog Partner Add-on Solutions.

Your opinions and feedback are highly appreciated, and feel free to post them in the comment section.

Please follow and read more interesting blogs on SAP Master Data Governance | SAP | SAP Blogs

You can also find and post questions about the product here: SAP Master Data Governance Community

Syniti RDG provides a simplified design to create Multi Value Validation and Derivation Rules

2024-05-17T12:35:22.385000+02:00

Syniti RDG is an SAP-endorsed application on the Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) to facilitate MDG
implementation with intuitive UI and process automation. RDG automates many of the technical configuration
steps that are required to implement SAP MDG and it offers a user-friendly interface to be more relatable
to business users.

A multi-value check rule is for validating multiple attribute values against a logical condition.
A multi value derivation rule is to derive multiple attributes values based on a logical condition.

The below example is used to create Multi value validation to be triggered for a specific Change Request Type
to validate attribute values of Entity ‘BP_CENTRL’ of data model ‘BP’.

Step 1: Create Multi Validation Rule in Syniti RDG

In the main menu, select "Manage Business Rules".

In the business Rules Page, define a New Rule: Start by creating a new rule, select the type of rule as "Multivalue Check Rule" to create.

In the following steps, the user can choose a Change request type from the list and select the entity for which
the rule must be created. The user then needs to select the type of Business Rule that he/she wants to create,
Mutli Value Check Rule to create Validation Rule in BRFPlus and Derivation Rule to create Derivation Rule in
BRFPlus.

Select Data model as ‘BP’, ‘ZBP1P1V1’ CR Type (select relevant CR type as required) , Entity as ‘BP_CENTRL’,
Rule type: Multi Value Validation and then click on an option like "Rule1” to start defining a new validation rule.

Business Scenario: Only Green business partners are allowed to create. Choose the attributes
BP_CENTRL~NAME_ORG1 that needs to be validated. If BP_CENTRL~NAME_ORG1 = ‘RED’, send a warning message ‘Enter name1 as Green’

Click’+’ to create "Rule2” validation rule. If BP_CENTRL~NAME_ORG1 = ‘YELLOW’, send a warning message ‘Enter name1 as Green’

Click’+’ to create "Rule3” validation rule. Define a new condition

If BP_CENTRL~NAME_ORG1 = ‘GREEN’ and BP_CENTRL~NAME_ORG2 != ‘CORP’ , When the conditions are not met, send error message ‘Enter name2 as CORP’

Multi value validation BADI implementation has bee created in the back end automatically to check the multi value validation.

Step 2: Trigger the rule in nwbc application.

The rules created in the previous step are triggered when creating a Change Request of the type for which the rules are created in RDG (ZBP1P1V1).

Validation Rule1 :

Now name1 is entered as GREEN, Error message appears for name 2

Validation Rule3:

After successful verification of Validation Rule1 & Rule 3 , ‘No Errors found’

Below is the Decision table that got automatically generated in BRFPlus through Syniti RDG.

Validation Rules created in FMDM Catalog automatically in decision table format

Multi Derivation Rule: Most of the steps are similar to Multi Validation rules, except here we have to mention
the multiple deriving attributes which is derived based on satisfying certain condition

In the business Rules Page, define a New Rule: Start by creating a new rule, select the type of rule as "Multi Value Derivation Rule" to create.

Step 1 : Select Data model as ‘BP’, ‘ZBP1P1V1’ CR Type (select relevant CR type as required) , Entity as ‘BP_CENTRL’,
Rule type: Multi Derivation and then click on an option like "Rule1” to start defining a new derivation rule.

Business Scenario: For all Green business partners, derive multiple attributes like Salutation, Title, BU search term1,
BU search term2 through multi value validation rules, for the ease of understanding, simple business derivations rules are taken and
explained here, there is no restriction to create multiple rules with multiple condition.

If BP_CENTRL~NAME_ORG1 = ‘GREEN’, following attributes will be derived automatically upon successful validation rules

BP_CENTRL~BU_SORT1, BP_CENTRL~BU_SORT2, BP_CENTRL~TITLE_LET, BP_CENTRL~TITLE_BP

After saving the Mutli value derivation business rule thru RDG, Multi value derivation BADI implementation has been
created / updated in the back end automatically to derive multiple attributes

Step 2: Trigger the rule in NWBC application.

Multi Value Derivation Rules created in FMDM Catalog automatically in decision table format

With the help of Syniti RDG, you can now create multi value validation / derivation rules without the effort of creating
Custom BADI implementation in the backend and it simplifies the way of creating decision tables automatically in BRFPlus.

Syniti RDG is a certified SAP BTP solution and is available on SAP App Store.

To know more details about the product, check the blog Partner Add-on Solutions.

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Step 1: Create the Change Request Actions

Step 2: Define Change Request Step Types and Assign Actions

Step 3: Configure Change Request Type

Step 4: Define Change Request Steps for Rule-Based Workflow

Step 5: Define the Service Name

Step 6: Configure the Rule Based Workflow

Step 7: Implement BAdI for Calling System Method

Step 8: Define Derivation Scenarios

Step 9: Prepare Scope Expression and Define Derivation Rules

Step 10: Review and Activate Derivation Rules

Conclusion

MDG DQM: Creating complex validation rules for MDG classic mode in S/4 HANA

INTRODUCTION:

Some challenges & complexities?

MAIN CONTENT

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CONCLUSION

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Key links:

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Syniti RDG provides an effortless way to create Data Model extension.

Syniti RDG provides a simplified design to create Multi Value Validation and Derivation Rules

SAP Business Technology Platform brings together application development, automation, data and analytics, integration, and AI capabilities into one unified environment optimized for SAP applications. Learn more: sap.com/btp