MDM (Master Data Management)
Quick answer
The discipline of maintaining a single source of truth for key data: products, customers, suppliers, prices.
Key takeaways
- The same customer appears differently in CRM, ERP and WMS
- Mismatched product codes across systems
- Contradictory prices and units of measure
- Reporting made impossible by duplicate data
What MDM is
MDM (Master Data Management) is the set of processes and tools by which an organisation keeps master data consistent and correct across all systems: products, customers, suppliers, locations, prices. The goal is a single source of truth.
What problems it solves
- The same customer appears differently in CRM, ERP and WMS
- Mismatched product codes across systems
- Contradictory prices and units of measure
- Reporting made impossible by duplicate data
MDM vs PIM
PIM manages product data for selling (attributes, content); MDM is broader and covers all master entities (customers, suppliers, products) and their governance.
How CRMconnect helps
CRMconnect, as an operational layer between systems, helps align master data (products, partners, prices) through consistent mapping and syncing, reducing the duplicates and discrepancies that block automation.
Real-world example
A company couldn't report sales correctly because the same product had 3 codes in different systems. After aligning master data through CRMconnect, codes were unified, and reporting became correct and automatic.
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Frequently asked
Difference between MDM and PIM?+
PIM manages product data for selling (attributes, content, images); MDM is broader - it governs all master data (customers, suppliers, products, prices) for cross-system consistency.
Why does master data matter for automation?+
Automation (EDI, integrations, portals) works only if systems 'talk' about the same entities. Inconsistent master data causes mapping errors and blocks automated flows.
Where CRMconnect fits
Related terms
PIM (Product Information Management)
The source system for all product data - attributes, images, descriptions - distributed to every channel.
TechnologyiPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service)
A cloud platform that connects applications and data via connectors, flows and transformations managed centrally.
OperationsSKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
Internal unique code of an item in your stock - finer granularity than GTIN.
TechnologyGTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
Global product identification code - base for EAN-13, UPC, marketplaces.