Setup

Purpose

This page describes how to establish the baseline for MDM. The sequence is intentional: first define companies and defaults, then build relations, and only after that use rules and reviews in a reliable way.

Prerequisites

• MDM is installed in the environment and the responsible users work with an appropriate MDM profile.
• It is clear from a business perspective which companies should act as source and target companies in MDM.
• Ownership for relation maintenance, release, and follow-up work is aligned between business teams and administration.

Recommended sequence

1. Select the managed companies and define the default source context.
2. Review central MDM settings such as routing template defaults, background processing, and the active MDM version.
3. Create the first MDM relations for the relevant tables and assign source and target companies.
4. Decide per relation whether Selected Record Distribution with DSR should be used and prepare the related distribution behavior.
5. Add dependencies, exclusions, DSR filters, and substitutions where business-specific control is required.
6. Review the relation, move it in a controlled way to Released, and run the first consistency checks.

Setup components

Define companies and the default context

The MDM Setup Wizard starts with the selection of companies that should be configured for MDM. In this step, decide which companies are managed in the module and from which default source company new relations are typically created.

At this point you are in the guided MDM setup. You see the companies that can be considered for MDM. Your key decision is which companies work as the leading source and which ones receive the data. The visible result is a defined company scope for later relations and checks.

Review the central MDM setup

The central setup stores counters and defaults for the ongoing operation. For the initial rollout, the most relevant fields are the default source company, the default routing rule, the active MDM version, and the options for background updates.

You are now in the central MDM setup. You see default values, counters, and general control options. Your decision in this step is which defaults should later apply to new relations. The visible result is one consistent baseline for the following setup steps.

Create the first relation and handle its status correctly

An MDM relation is created for each business-relevant table. In the guided setup, this starts with table selection, followed by a check whether a relation already exists and whether an already released relation must be reset to an editable state before it can be changed.

You see the selected table and the current processing state of the relation. Your decision is whether you create a new relation or continue working on an existing one in a controlled way. The visible result is a clear basis for later data transfer.

Prepare routing and distribution behavior

Relations work with a routing rule and a distribution logic for records. Review early which routing rule should be used as the default and whether the selected distribution fits the intended source and target context from a business perspective.

You are still in the relation setup and see the key control fields for later data transfer. Your decision is how data should be passed on in general. The visible result is a defined processing pattern for records.

Plan Selected Record Distribution and DSR

If records should not simply be distributed to all target companies, plan Selected Record Distribution already when you build the relation. DSR filters and the distribution matrix rely on a released relation with active record distribution and should therefore be treated as part of the business setup decision.

Your decision in this step is whether all records should be treated the same way or whether individual records may later be excluded deliberately. The visible result is that the relation is prepared for finer control through DSR.

Add rules before releasing the relation

Before a relation is released for productive use, the related rules should be complete. This includes dependencies between fields, exclusions for deliberately ignored content, DSR filters for controlled record decisions, and substitutions for derived target values.

At this point you see the business rule components of the relation. Your decision is whether the rule set is already complete enough for productive use or whether something still has to be added. The visible result is a dependable basis for later transfer and review.