Data and processes
Master data
In short and in plain language
Master data are the lasting records of a business. They include products, customers, prices and suppliers.
They rarely change. But many tasks use them.
When you link programs, you set which program owns which data. If not, one source keeps writing over the other.
Definition
Master data are the long-lived records of a business: products, customers, prices, suppliers. They rarely change but are used by many processes. An integration project defines which system owns which record — otherwise two sources keep overwriting each other.