Functional analysis regarding the development of data interfaces as part of the implementation of an MDM of product data at Carrefour Belgium

Abstract

In the scope of implementing a new Master Data Management of Product Data, Carrefour Belgium, a leader in the retail industry, has hired Capgemini consultants for the development of data interfaces between the new software and their existing applications. This Master thesis is focused on the functional analysis of the development of two interfaces between SAP ERP and Riversand PIM. This document starts by defining the system and the purpose of its implementation, which is, in short, a centralization of all product-related data in order to assure its coherence, completeness and high quality. It examines how the IT architecture at Carrefour will change, and the focus is brought to SAP, which needs to send two types of data to Riversand PIM; the information regarding the Carrefour hierarchy and the information regarding articles. The general methodology for developing data interfaces is given in several steps: gathering the business requirements, giving the development specifications to the programmer, and the testing. This report then applies this methodology to the two specific interfaces for the SAP taxonomy and the articles. To finish, the project as a whole is discussed from a project management perspective. Carrefour’s decision to employ the AGILE methodology is explained and argued, followed by the description of the risks that were identified and solved during the first few weeks of the project. A specific attention is thus brought to the management of the subproject of the interfaces’ implementation.