A master data checklist for trading partner onboarding

Before testing a partner connection, agree which records identify the business and the locations involved. Confirm how each system represents those records and who can approve a change.

Separate the company from its locations

A company may operate several sites. Record which site sends, receives, buys, or sells in the specific workflow. Do not rely on the company name alone to identify the correct location.

Ask the partner to confirm the identifiers required by the agreed interface. Keep internal account codes distinct from shared identifiers. Document how they map rather than assuming that the same value is used everywhere.

Agree the source for each value

For every required field, name the system or team that owns it. Record who supplies the initial value and who approves later changes. Where two systems hold different values, resolve the conflict before live use.

Use this readiness checklist

  • The legal business and relevant operating locations are identified.
  • Required partner and location identifiers are confirmed.
  • Internal-to-external code mappings have an owner.
  • Required product references are available for the test scope.
  • Mandatory fields and accepted formats are documented.
  • Missing values and conflicts have been resolved or formally deferred.
  • Test records are distinct from live records where the environment requires it.
  • The team knows how a partner reports a change.
  • The receiving system has been tested with the agreed data.
  • The readiness decision and remaining actions are recorded.

Test meaning as well as format

A value can meet a format rule and still refer to the wrong location. Check that a test transaction reaches the intended business record in the target system.

Plan for changes after launch

Partners may add locations, change contacts, or revise system codes. Define how the update is submitted, reviewed, and distributed.

Use a focused first scope

Start with the locations, products, and documents needed for the first release. A smaller agreed scope is easier to validate than a large set of records with unclear ownership.

This is an operational readiness checklist, not a complete licensing, supplier qualification, or regulatory checklist.

Manage the data with SynQD

SynQD is the master data module in vSMAART. See also trading partner onboarding.

Explore SynQD