---
id: dwd_qtwdi2p5
type: term
slug: master-data
title: "Master data"
summary: "The single trusted version of a core business entity such as a customer, product or account."
status: draft
classification: public
authors:
  - name: Shan Umasankar
    url: https://dealwithdata.com
    role: author
assisted_by: [Claude]
scales: [personal, business, enterprise]
synonyms: ["golden record"]
related: [dwd_wg5zzqg2]
created: 2026-10-07
updated: 2026-10-07
version: 1
---
Master data management produces one golden record for each core entity by matching and merging copies from many systems. It answers *which* customer, while [[reference-data]] answers *which code*.

**Example:** five systems hold variations of the same customer; master data resolves them to Customer #123.