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Master data form the basis for handling business processes. They describe business objects such as eg customers, articles or suppliers which are represented in information systems using data records. Today, many companies employ several business applications, each with its own datasets, to support their business processes. As a rule, this involves heterogeneous information systems whose master data are often neither current nor consistent between systems. In the case of service processes, harmonized master data represent a prerequisite for comprehensive customer relationship management, cross-and up-selling opportunities and efficient handling of customer service requests. Benefit potentials of master data management are thus to be found in the improvement of customer service (eg through an integrated view on customer interactions and product configurations) as well as in cost savings (eg through consistent and error-free processes) and increased productivity (eg through time savings in the creation of master data due to the electronic distribution). Various software vendors such as SAP, Siebel and Oracle as well as providers of global data pools like SINFOS are developing innovative solutions for the cross-system and integrated distribution of product and customer master data.

This article describes the specific challenges of managing master data in service processes and outlines possible benefit potentials. It then presents conceptual approaches for the distribution of master data taking into account distributed and heterogeneous applications. Finally, the article illustrates how customer and product master data management …