The answer is yes; there is such a thing as
over-enhancing material descriptions. At the time of implementing a datacleansing and enhancement initiative, it may seem realistic and beneficial to
populate as much attribute information as possible. However, the reality is
that more data is not always better, and chances are many of the added
attributes will never be used.
“Data that exceeds the data requirement is
not better data; it is just more expensive data.” – Peter R. Benson
Keep in mind, the material master is not
meant to be an engineering manual; therefore, excessive attribute information
only creates unnecessary clutter and increases the opportunity for
inconsistency. The Material Master is designed as a catalog for maintenance and
purchasing to reference when consuming and replenishing spare parts.
In order to clearly define your data
requirement to ensure that you are capturing the correct information within
your material descriptions, you must first complete a data assessment. Using
the findings from the data assessment, you can now develop a functional dictionary
for naming convention, define the data formatting requirements, and create a
detailed Standard Operating Procedure for cleansing. Based on industry best
practices, the dictionary should typically contain 2,000-2,500 Noun-Modifier
pairs, each with 5-7 standard attributes. Depending on your business
objectives, the industry that you compete in, and the type of enterprise system
you operate on, you may have unique data requirements and, therefore,
descriptions must be tailored accordingly.
To submit your data for a no cost, no
obligation MRO data evaluation and learn more about IMA Ltd. visit www.imaltd.com or contact jocelyn.facciotti@imaltd.com.
By Jocelyn Facciotti
