Keeping your ERP core close to its standard version is the most effective way to avoid costly maintenance and disruptive upgrades. When you limit unnecessary changes and rely on cloud-compliant extensions, you reduce complexity and keep your system easier to manage. In fact, following a clean core strategy can cut software customizations by about 80%. That means less time fixing broken code after updates and more time using your system to support real business goals.
A clean core also creates the right environment for automation. With fewer customizations and more standardized processes, you can automate a large portion of your operations.
Research shows that about 70% of core business processes can be automated under a clean core strategy. This isn’t just about saving time. It’s about freeing your team from repetitive tasks so they can focus on higher-value work, improving both efficiency and flexibility in your organization.
In this article, you’ll learn what a clean core approach is, how it connects to master data management, and the steps you can take to make your systems cleaner, more efficient, and easier to manage.
What is a Clean Core Approach?
A clean core approach means you keep your ERP system as close as possible to the standard version provided by the vendor. You remove custom code that is not necessary and avoid making changes to the underlying core objects.
This prevents technical debt, which is the long-term cost of maintaining outdated or non-standard changes that can slow upgrades and create system instability.
Instead of building everything with custom code, you use low-code platforms and automation to deliver new features or process changes.
For example, you can create a supplier onboarding workflow in a separate low-code application connected to your ERP. This way, you meet specific business needs without altering the ERP’s standard processes.
Integrations in a clean core rely on stable and vendor-released application programming interfaces. You connect external applications, analytics systems, or specialized tools without touching the ERP’s base code. This keeps integrations stable after upgrades and reduces the risk of errors.
What is Clean Core for Master Data Management (MDM)?
In Master Data Management, a clean core means your master data is accurate, consistent, and managed by clear governance rules. Every master record, such as a customer, supplier, or product, follows the same format, data definitions, and validation rules. This ensures that the same piece of information means the same thing across your entire organization.
A clean core allows you to use automation in key areas of MDM. Automated validation checks can verify that incoming data is complete and correct.
Enrichment processes can add missing details from trusted sources. Synchronization routines can keep records consistent across different connected systems.
Your data model in a clean core setup is ready for integration. The structure of your master data allows it to move between systems without manual changes.
For example, customer data from your ERP can feed directly into your CRM or analytics platform without reformatting, which improves efficiency and reduces errors.
Key Components of a Clean Core with MDM Focus
1. Processes
Processes in a clean core follow the standard workflows recommended by the ERP vendor. You configure these workflows to fit your operations instead of redesigning them.
This ensures that data moves through the system in a consistent way.
For example, you can use the standard purchase order approval flow and add a low code form for an extra compliance check if your business requires it.
2. Data
Data in a clean core includes master, transactional, and configuration records. These are managed using automation and regular quality checks. Data harmonization ensures that formats, names, and definitions are consistent across all systems.
For example, if one system uses USA and another uses United States, harmonization aligns both to a single approved value.
3. Integration
Integration connects your ERP to other systems using secure application programming interfaces and low-code connectors. This approach avoids direct custom coding between systems, which can be hard to maintain.
For example, inventory data from your ERP can be linked to a warehouse management system using an approved API so the connection remains stable after upgrades.
4. Operations
Operations include the ongoing activities that keep your ERP aligned with cloud standards. This involves automated monitoring, regular data audits, and role-based access to protect sensitive data.
Operational reviews make sure your master data and processes stay in line with governance rules.
5. Extensibility
Extensibility allows you to add capabilities without changing the ERP core. In a clean core environment, you build side-by-side applications using low-code tools or the vendor’s extension platform.
For example, you might create a supplier risk scoring tool that uses ERP data but runs separately so ERP upgrades do not affect its performance.
Clean Core Extensibility in SAP S/4HANA Cloud for MDM
In a clean core setup, you keep all MDM-related extensions separate from the ERP’s core logic. This means you do not directly modify standard ERP tables, programs, or data structures. Instead, you build any extra MDM functionality outside the core so that upgrades and patches can be applied without breaking your custom features.
You work with released application programming interfaces to handle automated data flows and validation rules. These APIs give you approved access points to create, update, and check master data without touching the underlying system code.
For example, you can set up an automated product data validation flow that uses a released API to check required attributes before records are saved.
You can also use SAP Business Technology Platform’s low-code tools to build MDM-specific applications. These can include apps for bulk data uploads, mass enrichment, or governance dashboards.
Because they run outside the ERP core, you can enhance or replace them without affecting your main ERP environment.
If you want to build master data extensions that stay outside your ERP core while still delivering automation, validation, and seamless integration, eSystems can help you design and implement them with low-code tools and API-based connectivity.
Benefits of a Clean Core for ERP and MDM
A clean core setup makes your MDM workflows upgrade-safe. When the core remains untouched, system updates can be applied without reworking your master data processes.
This reduces downtime and ensures that your MDM rules and validations continue to work after each upgrade.
You can improve automation in master data governance. Tasks such as duplicate checks, field validations, and data enrichment can run automatically without manual intervention.
This improves consistency and speeds up data-related processes across your organization.
Maintaining a clean core reduces the cost of managing master data. You spend less on fixing custom code after upgrades, and integrations with external systems are easier to maintain. API-based connections are more stable and require less testing compared to custom-built links.
It also supports faster onboarding of new data domains or sources. If your business expands into a new market or acquires another company, you can integrate their master data using standardized models and automated tools without redesigning your ERP core.
Clean Core Governance and Metrics for MDM
You can use the SAP Clean Core Dashboard to monitor master data quality and compliance. The dashboard gives you visibility into data errors, completeness levels, and governance adherence. This allows you to spot and fix issues before they affect your operations.
Automation can be applied to your data validation and cleansing activities. Validation rules run in the background to check new records as they are created, and cleansing tasks can remove duplicates or correct invalid entries without manual review.
Tracking key performance indicators is essential for measuring your MDM efficiency and integration success. Common KPIs include data accuracy rates, the number of duplicate records resolved, and the time taken to onboard new data sources. Monitoring these metrics helps you identify trends and make informed adjustments to your MDM processes.
With eSystems, you can put in place dashboards, workflows, and automated validation processes that monitor your master data quality in real time and keep your clean core strategy on track.
Migration Paths to Achieve a Clean Core with Strong MDM
1. New Implementation
With a new implementation, you start from a fresh ERP environment and design your MDM processes to be clean and automated from the beginning.
You configure master data governance rules, validation checks, and integration points before loading any operational data.
This approach lets you design the data model around current business needs without carrying forward legacy structures or unused fields.
2. System Conversion
In a system conversion, you move your existing ERP to a clean core model while removing old MDM customizations.
You review every extension and enhancement, keep only those that can run with released APIs, and replace unsupported ones with cloud-compliant alternatives.
During the conversion, you also clean and standardize your master data so that it aligns with the new governance framework.
3. Landscape Transformation
Landscape transformation involves consolidating multiple MDM systems or ERP instances into one clean core environment.
You use API-driven integration to bring data from different sources into a single standardized model.
This requires careful mapping and harmonization so that data from each system matches the shared definitions and formats.
Best Practices for Maintaining a Clean Core in MDM
Adopt a zero-modification policy for ERP core objects that handle master data. You configure and extend functionality using approved methods rather than changing standard code. This keeps your MDM rules stable through system updates.
Use low-code workflows to automate MDM activities instead of writing hardcoded routines. This makes it easier to adjust rules or processes when business needs change.
Standardize your data models so that master data can be exchanged smoothly with partner systems. Consistent field structures and naming conventions reduce integration errors and improve reporting accuracy.
Master Data Cleansing
Carry out regular master data cleansing to remove duplicates, correct incorrect entries, and replace outdated values. This ensures your system holds accurate and usable records.
Master Data Cleansing Process
Follow a structured process for cleansing.
Start by auditing all data sources to identify issues.
Profile the data to understand error patterns.
Apply cleansing rules to fix inconsistencies.
Validate the corrected data against governance standards.
Synchronize the updated records across connected systems so that all applications use the same trusted data.
Master Data Cleansing Tools
Use tools that can automate cleansing tasks.
Validation tools can check completeness and accuracy as records are entered.
Data profiling tools can identify trends and anomalies.
Integration middleware can handle real-time cleansing and harmonization during data transfers between systems.
Maintain continuous monitoring and carry out governance audits to ensure your MDM processes remain aligned with clean core principles.
You can partner with eSystems to set up automated master data cleansing, harmonization, and synchronization so your clean core principles are supported by high-quality data across all connected systems.
Challenges in Adopting a Clean Core for MDM
Some teams resist replacing custom MDM processes with standard automation tools. They may be used to long-standing workarounds or manual checks, which makes adoption slower.
A clean core model also requires strong integration skills to connect multiple data sources. Your team needs to understand API usage, data mapping, and real-time synchronization methods.
You must also manage organizational change in master data ownership. Roles and responsibilities for creating, maintaining, and approving data may need to be redefined to align with governance rules.
Conclusion
A clean core strategy with a strong MDM framework helps you keep the core clean while still adapting your ERP to evolving business needs.
By avoiding unnecessary modifications and using low code, automation, and API-driven integration, you’ll maintain upgrade-safe MDM workflows that run efficiently across all connected systems.
Standardized data models, ongoing master data cleansing, and data harmonization ensure your information is accurate, consistent, and ready for seamless integration, supporting long-term ERP and MDM success.
About eSystems
eSystems is a Nordic partner that helps your organization deliver digital solutions faster with low code and modern automation. We guide you through digital transformation using Mendix or OutSystems for application delivery and Workato for integration and automation.
We provide master data management services that clean, consolidate, enrich, and standardize your data. Our five-step approach covers identifying sources, curating data, applying workflow, driving harmonization with two-way synchronization, and enabling reporting.
Our solution includes a Harmonization Orchestrator, a Management Console, MD API services, an MD catalogue, and an MD repository.
We help you keep core systems stable by adding new capabilities through API based integration and low-code applications rather than hard changes in vendor code.
With Workato as an iPaaS, we implement automation, custom connectors, and Modern MDM flows across systems such as CRM, ERP, PIM, and commerce, including validation and error detection.
If you want to keep the core clean and improve data quality with low code, automation, and harmonized master data across all systems, Get Started with eSystems today.
FAQ
1. What does clean core mean in ERP?
A clean core in ERP means keeping the system close to the standard version provided by the vendor. It avoids unnecessary custom changes so the system stays stable and easier to update.
2. How does clean core help with master data management?
Clean core supports master data management by keeping data consistent, accurate, and easy to integrate across systems. It makes it simpler to maintain high-quality data.
3. What are the main parts of a clean core approach?
The main parts include standard processes, high-quality data, secure integrations, regular operations and monitoring, and adding new features without changing the core system.
4. How can I keep my ERP core clean?
You can keep the core clean by avoiding custom code changes, using approved methods for extensions, following standard processes, and making sure your data is well-governed.
5. What is master data cleansing?
Master data cleansing is the process of fixing mistakes in data, removing duplicates, and making sure all information follows the same format and rules.
COMMENTS