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Master Data

Core Concept

Master Data is an operational database that serves as a centralized hub for managing critical reference data, lists, lookups, budgets, and other business-maintained information within the data platform. Unlike source systems or analytical layers, Master Data is actively managed by business users and provides a bidirectional interface with the Analytical Data Store (ADS).

Purpose

Master Data serves several key functions in the data architecture:

Function Description
Centralized reference data management Single source of truth for business-critical lists, hierarchies, and classifications
User-maintained lookups Business users maintain mappings and categories without IT intervention
Budget and target management Upload and maintain budgets, targets, KPIs, and planning data
Data enrichment Additional context and attributes joined with source system data
Manual data entry Supports scenarios where data doesn't exist in source systems

Characteristics

Operational Nature

Master Data is fundamentally different from other data platform layers:

Characteristic Description
User-facing application Exposed through user-friendly interfaces (web apps, custom forms, file uploads)
Transactional Supports CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) by business users
Version-controlled Includes temporal tracking to understand how reference data changes over time
Governed Data ownership, approval workflows, and change tracking

Integration with Data Platform

Master Data maintains a bidirectional relationship with the Analytical Data Store (ADS):

%%{init: { "flowchart": { "useMaxWidth": true } } }%%
graph LR
    MD[Master Data]
    CONF[Analytical Data Store (ADS)]

    MD -->|Enrichment Flow<br/>Reference data adds context| CONF
    CONF -->|Feedback Flow<br/>New values flagged for classification| MD

    classDef highlight stroke-width:2px
    class MD,CONF highlight

Enrichment flow (Master Data → ADS): Reference data is joined with ADS data to add business context

Feedback flow (ADS → Master Data): New values discovered in source systems can be flagged for classification in Master Data

Common Use Cases

Use Case Examples
Account and Cost Center Mappings Department hierarchies, Business unit groupings, Functional area classifications
Product Categorization Market segments, Product families and sub-families, Strategic importance classifications, ABC analysis categories
Budget and Target Management Annual budgets by department/product/time period, Sales targets, KPI thresholds and benchmarks, Workforce planning data
Customer Segmentation Customer segments (Small, Medium, Large Enterprise), Industry classifications, Strategic customer flags, Lifecycle stages
Manual Corrections and Overrides Currency exchange rates, Manual adjustments to automated classifications, Business rules that override system logic

Technologies/Implementations

Plainsight's Master Data Hub

Master Data Hub: Workbook to SQL is Plainsight's Excel-based plugin for managing SQL databases through a familiar spreadsheet interface.

Key benefits: - Manage database tables directly from Excel - No SQL knowledge required - Built-in validation and data quality checks - Version control and audit trail automatically maintained - Familiar Excel interface for business users - Direct integration with data platform databases

Best for: Medium to large-scale Master Data implementations where business users need self-service capabilities with enterprise-grade data management.

Demo video:

Master Data Hub Demo

SharePoint Lists + Power Apps

For smaller projects, SharePoint Lists combined with Power Apps provide a lightweight Master Data solution.

Key benefits: - No additional license required (included with Microsoft 365) - Quick to set up and deploy - Built-in collaboration and approval workflows - Power Apps provides custom UI on top of SharePoint data - Version history and permissions management included

Best for: Small to medium projects with limited Master Data volume, basic validation requirements, and teams already using Microsoft 365.

Example use cases: - Product category lookups - Customer segmentation flags - Budget input forms - Simple reference lists

SharePoint + Power Apps Pattern

Use SharePoint Lists as the data store and build a Power Apps interface for data entry. Connect your ETL processes to read from SharePoint via connectors or export to CSV for batch processing.

Custom Applications

When out-of-the-box solutions don't fit, custom applications can be developed to meet specific Master Data requirements.

Considerations: - Higher development and maintenance cost - Full control over UI/UX and business logic - Can integrate complex approval workflows - Supports specialized data validation rules - May be necessary for high-security or complex scenarios

Best for: Enterprise-scale implementations with unique business requirements, complex workflows, or specialized security needs that off-the-shelf solutions can't address.