Master Data Management (MDM)
Master Data Management (MDM) is the discipline and software category for maintaining a single authoritative record for the data entities — products, customers, suppliers, materials — that move between enterprise systems. MDM platforms (Stibo Systems, Informatica MDM, Oracle MDM, SAP Master Data Governance, Reltio) provide governance workflows, golden-record matching, and downstream syndication so PLM, MES, and ERP each see the same canonical product or part identifier.
Why it matters
MDM is the load-bearing layer for any digital-thread story that spans more than one system of record. Without an MDM substrate every PLM change has to negotiate identifier translation with ERP and MES on a pairwise basis, which is how organizations end up with the part-number reconciliation backlogs that quietly destroy supply-chain velocity. The enterprises that get scalable PLM-MES-ERP integration working tend to have invested in MDM first.
External References
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “Master Data Management (MDM).” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/master-data-management-mdm