Intelligent SAP Master Data Maintenance ✪ the AI key to success

How does AI help with SAP master data maintenance?

Harmonized and maintained master data is essential for the success of companies. Nevertheless, many companies still have difficulties with SAP master data maintenance.

Complex IT landscapes from different systems and databases make it difficult to collect, maintain and manage master data. It is therefore often the case that master data for a transaction is entered several times, errors occur during entry or the data is no longer up-to-date.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can - in addition to comprehensive solutions such as SAP MDG - make an important contribution to master data management.

AI solutions such as Nooxit's, for example, can alert users to potential errors as soon as master data is entered - without the need to set rules in advance. In this way, errors can be avoided and costs saved.

What is Master Data? What is Transaction Data?

In contrast to transaction data, master data is static data that is rarely changed and remains in existence for a long period of time.

They contain basic information about relevant objects - for example, about customers, suppliers or employees. Master data can be used from various transactions and modules. Master data includes, for example, chart of accounts, material master or even vendor or customer master.

Why does a company need to maintain its SAP master data?

Whether customer or product data, data on suppliers or personnel data - companies are dependent on permanently high data quality.

High-quality master data is the basis for satisfied business partners and customers, for efficient processes and for reliable, accurate analyses.

ERP systems such as SAP S/4HANA or database systems such as SAP HANA also require permanently high quality master data in order to be able to exploit their full potential.

However, the one-off clean-up of SAP master data is not enough. A continuous and reliable master data management is indispensable.

The importance of high master data quality for the success and competitiveness of companies has even increased in recent years.

This is mainly due to the fact that the number of cross-system and automated processes has increased. In addition, the system landscapes in many companies are highly complex and make the management and maintenance of master data more difficult.

In order to avoid issues - such as the double entry of master data - the processes must be closely interlinked.

If this does not happen and the master data records are not harmonized and maintained, this can lead to enormous problems: from incorrect or duplicate invoices to non-compliance with compliance regulations.

Heterogeneous, non-consolidated master data causes costs, generates additional expenditure and can also damage the reputation of companies.

What Solution Does SAP Offer for SAP Master Data Maintenance and Master Data Management?

The SAP solution for master data management is called SAP MDG (Master Data Governance).

With SAP MDG, SAP offers a platform with which master data can be centrally managed and consolidated. This tool simplifies master data management and ensures high data quality - regardless of whether the systems are SAP or non-SAP systems.

In summary, it offers the following advantages:

SAP MDG provides the single point of truth for master data management.
SAP MDG can be used on premises, in the cloud or in hybrid landscapes.
SAP MDG supports all master data areas.
SAP MDG delivers ready-made business rules and data models, user interfaces and workflows.
SAP MDG enables a hybrid landscape of SAP and non-SAP systems.

What Are The Advantages of Using AI for SAP Master Data Maintenance?

Companies usually define certain rules to support users when entering data and to keep master data quality under control. These rules are derived and defined by experienced SAP users.

However, because rules cannot be defined for all cases or the overview of the large number of rule variants is lost, errors can occur - especially if a solution such as SAP MDG is not yet in use. Anyone who relies on SAP MDG receives pre-defined business rules in a package.

In many companies, therefore, there are often cases in which the wrong entry of master data is not immediately recognized by the user.

In the best case, these errors are subsequently discovered and corrected. If they are not recognized, however, they lead to subsequent errors. An invoice that does not arrive or is sent twice causes costs and effort - and is a nuisance for customers or suppliers. In any case, extensive follow-up and maintenance work is also necessary.

By using AI, such difficulties can be avoided right from the start.

The machine learning and deep learning algorithms do not work with predefined rules. They learn with the help of historical data, recognize patterns and can finally generalize. In this way, AI can predict when exactly the entry of incorrect master data is likely.

Trained in this way, such systems can support users in their daily work. If a user enters a potentially incorrect entry, they receive a real-time warning and can avoid the error right from the start. The result is correct master data - from the very first moment.

Would you also like to simplify your SAP master data maintenance with AI in SAP?

Do you find the Nooxit approach interesting? Now is the time to find out more about the possibilities to achieve an improvement in SAP master data maintenance with AI.

Nooxit's master data assistant is a lean and intelligent tool with which you can maintain your master data without much effort. It can be used alone or as a supplement to SAP MDG.