Benefit Now From Support Package 4 for SAP NetWeaver MDM 7.1

Benefit Now From Support Package 4 for SAP NetWeaver MDM 7.1

Enhancements for Governed Master Data Creation and Maintenance Processes in Conjunction with SAP NetWeaver BPM

When it comes to collaboratively governed master data creation and maintenance processes in heterogeneous landscapes, SAP NetWeaver BPM together with SAP NetWeaver MDM provide the perfect environment for setting up end-to-end data governance workflows that span across several systems.
By combining SAP NetWeaver BPM and SAP NetWeaver MDM in such contexts, companies can flexibly define data creation and maintenance processes where a new master data record (for example, a customer or a supplier record) can be requested, checked, approved and finally created in a coherent process flow that includes required automated and manual tasks and associated roles.

As of SAP NetWeaver MDM 7.1 SP04, SAP NetWeaver BPM can directly consume specific MDM data governance UIs that can be used for human interactions (e.g. data steward enriching master data information) and specific MDM Web Services for fully automated steps (e.g. validation runs) in the overall workflow.
In this context, SAP NetWeaver MDM 7.1 SP 04 provides the following enhancements:

• Data Governance UIs based on WebDynpro technology: Using the MDM Web Dynpro Configurator which is a wizard-based tool that exposes MDM repository metadata you can configure MDM Web Dynpro Components without coding. Using this wizard, you can easily set up Web Dynpro UI components for Search, Result Set, and Item Details that can be directly consumed by BPM.
• MDM Web Services: To further increase MDM openness and process automation there are additional Web Services available whose functional scope goes beyond basic CRUD operations. For example, there are new Web Services to run MDM validations, check-out records, launch MDM workflows and get and update key mapping information.

A Look at the Underlying Architecture

From an architectural perspective, such a scenario consists of different layers.
First, there is the process layer, in which a logical process is composed by defining an end-to-end workflow that involves automated steps and human interactions. The automated steps are based on WebService calls to the respective data foundation which consists of SAP NetWeaver MDM, SAP BusinessObjects Data Services, and any other WebService enabled backend-system. For human interactions, you have the user interface layer, for which you compose specific UIs based on WebDynpro technology that can be directly integrated with and consumed by SAP NetWeaver BPM.

Major data foundation components in this sample process are:

• SAP NetWeaver MDM as the overarching master data instance that can be called in the process, for example, via specific UIs for human process activities (such as data enrichment by a data steward), or via Web Servces for automated process steps (e.g. specific validations)
• SAP BusinessObjects Data Services as underlying data quality engine that can be called via WebService calls, for example, for address or name cleansing prior to the data creation.

Process steps such as data creation approvals can be accessed through the portal-based Universal Worklist (UWL).

Note:

For in-depth information about how to set up such an end-to-end process using SAP NetWeaver BPM and SAP NetWeaver MDM, SDN features a comprehensive eLearning material. Check out the recorded deep-dive session that focuses on the new MDM Web Dynpro UI components and Web Services including their deployment, configuration and integration in the process modeling using SAP NetWeaver BPM. For an overview of the end-to-end process and the business benefits of such a scenario, watch this animated demo.

For an up-to-date picture of the overall functional scope of SAP NetWeaver MDM 7.1, see the overview presentation.