After profiling the customer’s client files, the next step in a Master Data Management initiative is to profile the data at the record level.
We profile the Master Data Management records by breaking them down to their most basic elements. For example, take a look at elements for a sample record at my Alma Mater, Rutgers:
Institution – Rutgers University
Campus – New Brunswick
Unit – Business School
Department – Accounting
With this breakdown, we can begin the discussion with our client as to what are the criteria for Master Data Management match at each hierarchy level:
1. How many hierarchy levels do we need?
2. What are the definitions of each hierarchy level?
We deem Level 1 matches to be the most granular and the higher levels to indicate more overall relationships.
Depending on the business goals, one client may choose the hierarchy levels as:
Level 1 – Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Level 2 – Rutgers University
Another client may need further levels in their Master Data Management match:
Level 1 – Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Business School, Accounting Department
Level 2 – Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Business School
Level 3 – Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Level 4 – Rutgers University
Profiling organization records for the MDM match helps with building corporate hierarchies, developing uniformed reports, and properly organizing the data when building a new database or incorporating data into an existing database
Similarly, we also breakdown Contacts records for the Master Data Match by its elements such as Company Name, Name Elements, Address Elements, Title, and Email. While Contacts do not have hierarchies, the breakdown helps with the other Master Data Management matching goals.
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