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Master Data Management

Eliminate master data inconsistencies that plague high-volume trading environments. Maintain product information, customer details, and reference data directly in Excel, ensuring that all your trading partners operate with identical, verified data.

The Master Data Challenge​

Inconsistent master data—misaligned product codes, conflicting customer names, different address formats—cascades through order processing, invoicing, and collections:

  • Each trading partner maintains their own master data in their own system
  • Your product code "12345-XL" might be listed as "P12345XL" in a partner's system
  • Customer addresses are stored differently across organizations, breaking reconciliation
  • Tax codes, currency settings, and legal entity information become misaligned
  • These small inconsistencies multiply across thousands of transactions, causing rejections, manual rework, and payment delays

Centralized Master Data Management​

The Excel Add-in enables you to manage critical master data directly from your desktop, maintaining data consistency across your entire trading network:

Product Master Data​

Unified Product Information

  • Maintain a single source of truth for product details, including product codes, descriptions, categories, and attributes
  • Define how your internal product codes map to industry standards (EAN, SKU, GS1 Global Trade Item Numbers)
  • Store packaging information, weight, dimensions, and handling instructions
  • Link products to pricing, promotions, and commercial terms

Cross-Reference Management

  • Map your product codes to each trading partner's internal product codes
  • Automatically translate between different product numbering schemes during order processing
  • Reduce manual intervention when partners use different product identification systems
  • Maintain audit trails of all code mappings and updates

Customer and Supplier Master Data​

Standardized Party Information

  • Maintain consistent customer and supplier information including legal names, short names, and trading names
  • Store multiple addresses (billing, shipping, invoice receipt, etc.) with clear designation
  • Define tax registration numbers, currency preferences, and payment terms
  • Store contact information and organizational hierarchies

Organizational Alignment

  • Ensure that legal entities, cost centers, and business units are consistently identified across systems
  • Define approval hierarchies and delegated authorities for each customer or supplier
  • Maintain compliance information and audit trails for each party

Reference Data and Lookup Tables​

Industry-Standard Reference Data

  • Maintain UOM (Unit of Measure) conversions—ensure that "box," "case," "pallet," and "unit" are consistently defined
  • Store tax codes, shipping modes, payment terms, and Incoterms
  • Define currency codes, country information, and language preferences
  • Configure business rules specific to each trading partner

Data Quality and Governance​

Validation and Consistency Checks

  • Define validation rules to catch master data errors before they propagate to transactions
  • Flag duplicate entries, incomplete records, and inconsistent formatting
  • Enforce data standards for critical fields (format, required fields, allowed values)
  • Prevent invalid data from being posted to the network

Version Control and Audit Trails

  • Track all changes to master data with complete audit history
  • See who modified data, when changes were made, and what was changed
  • Revert to previous versions if errors are discovered
  • Generate compliance reports showing master data governance and control

Exception Management

  • Automatically identify master data discrepancies between your system and trading partners' systems
  • Surface mismatches in product codes, customer information, or reference data
  • Provide tools to investigate and resolve discrepancies collaboratively
  • Track resolution status and prevent the same issue from recurring

Seamless Data Exchange​

Import Master Data from Your ERP

  • Extract master data directly from your ERP system and import into the Excel Add-in
  • Update is simple mapping exercise—no IT projects required
  • Maintain local copies for quick reference and offline work

Publish Master Data to Trading Partners

  • Share master data with authorized trading partners through the STF Network
  • Publishing is controlled and selective—decide which data each partner can access
  • Partners see standardized versions of your data formatted for their systems
  • Automatic synchronization keeps all parties aligned

Consume Partner Master Data

  • Receive product catalogs, pricing lists, and customer information from trading partners
  • Import partner master data directly into Excel for analysis and validation
  • Cross-reference with your internal data to identify misalignments
  • Use partner master data to validate incoming transactions

Business Impact​

  • Reduced Transaction Rejections – Consistent master data eliminates mismatches that block order processing
  • Fewer Invoice Disputes – Aligned product and customer information prevents invoicing errors
  • Faster Cash Collection – Fewer payment rejections due to customer/product data inconsistencies
  • Improved Operational Efficiency – Less time spent on master data reconciliation and exception handling
  • Compliance and Audit Readiness – Complete audit trails and version control satisfy regulatory requirements
  • Trading Partner Confidence – Reliable, accurate master data builds trust and strengthens relationships