Master data is really the core data of an enterprise, and includes applications and processes. MDM systems manage master data from a central system, whose architecture can be a registry model, a repository or persistent model, or a hybrid approach. ', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'Who should lead an SAP MDM project?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: Upper management', 'B: IT', 'C: End users', 'D: All of the above' ], answer : 3, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
Because MDM is a cross-organizational effort, there has to be some funding model associated with it that engages the different parts of the organization and makes them feel that they have some skin in the game. Make sure one individual doesn\'t hold much more political clout or power in the initiative than any other individual.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'What is a consolidated model?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: A model in which MDM is used to collect master data, storing the details in a central repository.', 'B: A model in which MDM is the "master" system, and the consuming systems are "slaves."', 'C: A model in which SAP NetWeaver MDM provides other global master data attributes that are stored in the consuming system.' ], answer : 0, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
In a consolidated model, MDM is used to collect master data from several systems and to store the details in a central business partner repository. Consolidation allows for detection and a cleansing of duplicate and identical records. Answers B and C refer to a centralized model and a harmonized model, respectively.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'Why is including an SAP MDM program as part of all implementation projects a best practice?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: It helps to influence the data conversion processes.', 'B: It\'s helpful to avoid copying incomplete and inaccurate master data.', 'C: It\'s important to prevent Garbage IN -- Garbage OUT (GIGO) in deployments of business applications.', 'D: All of the above' ], answer : 3, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
Your SAP NetWeaver MDM program needs to be closely involved with each of your company\'s major implementation projects to influence their data conversion processes. The master data standards that you\'ll mandate on all new vendor and customer records also apply to the records that already exist in your business applications. Avoid copying incomplete, inaccurate, and duplicate vendor master data records from an old system to a new system, and be sure to make every effort to prevent GIGO.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'Which of the following questions should be asked when considering an SAP NetWeaver MDM program?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: Is this company who it says it is?', 'B: Are the vendors and customers new to the organization? ', 'C: Will customer and vendor master data be captured in one request form?' ], answer : 2, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
It\'s mportant to look at which of your attributes are global attributes to be shared across all business applications, and which attributes are best-maintained locally, according to this chapter from Effective Master Data Management with SAP NetWeaver MDM.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'How does the customer management process of converting a prospect record to a customer record potentially relate to an SAP NetWeaver MDM implementation?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: After doing so, there is no way to duplicate records or enter incomplete data.', 'B: If the processes are driven from one application, then SAP NetWeaver MDM is required to be tightly integrated with it.', 'C: SAP NetWeaver MDM provides consistent, shared customer data, and helps to ' ], answer : 2, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
SAP NetWeaver MDM helps provide consistent, shared customer data across business processes and applications.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'What options are available for resending from MDM within SAP XI/PI or R/3 in case an update fails?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: No resending possible.', 'B: The same XML can be fixed and resent.', 'C: The same XML can be processed.' ], answer : 2, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
If the failure lies with SAP XI/PI or R/3, the same XML can be reprocessed (no resending is required). If there is a validation or data problem, the records need to be identified and modified in MDM Data Manager Client, and the Syndicator batch will resend them as they were updated since the last syndication.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : '8. What types of data can SAP NetWeaver MDM handle? ', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: Product data', 'B: Employee data', 'C: Customer data', 'D: All of the above' ], answer : 3, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
The complexity of consuming systems provides many of the challenges for an SAP NetWeaver MDM program. Each business application has a different data model and data attributes and is maintained using different processes by different teams. The data quality will vary depending on both its current and historical treatment. This includes the initial data conversion, the operational maintenance of the customer and vendor records, the system interfaces, and the batch import of records during mergers and acquisitions. SAP NetWeaver MDM also provides a single version of the truth for customer, product, employee, supplier, or user-defined data objects.', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'Which of the following tools can be used to integrate SAP MDM and other non-SAP applications and platforms?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: Java', 'B: .NET', 'C: APIs', 'D: All of the above' ], answer : 3, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
SAP MDM 5.5 exposes its core functions using published Java and .NET APIs. Any integration between MDM and other non-SAP software can be handled using an API. Also, MDM functions can be exposed as Web services using an API in conjunction with the SAP Exchange Infrastructure. ', moreInfo : '' }, { text : 'What is one of the biggest mistakes companies can make when starting an MDM project?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A: Leading with the technology.', 'B: Identifying broken processes by finding the people whose jobs are affected by the data.', 'C: Ensuring involvement from three different levels of the organization: the C-suite, the business owners and the line-of-business people.' ], answer : 0, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
MDM can come across like an infrastructure project or middleware -- something that IT would sponsor. But placing sponsorship with IT can miss the point. The line of business needs to sponsor the project because it can identify the business value the data holds and how a single view of that data can affect the bottom line. While technology should be involved, it shouldn\'t drive the MDM initiative. ', moreInfo : '' } ] };