The impact of bad master data is often underestimated and therefore not given the appropriate attention. There are very expansive solutions to improve the quality (e.g. SAP MDM/MDG), very competitively priced alternatives (e.g. Maextro), but you can also decide to use the free BRF+ tool instead.

It just depends on your specific system landscape which option is the most effective.

When you decide to use the Business Rule Framework and follow the advice given in this blog, then you could achieve quick results.

If you start from ground zero, then it makes sense to select one master data object and define a small set of rules. Collect these rules in rulesets and put them into the correct order within a single function that will return messages (e.g. in the BAPIRET2 structure). Make sure that the function receives as much data as possible, also if no rules are defined for a specific set of data, to avoid future changes to the signature. You can then use the code template for the BRF+ function in a simple ABAP program that will write the returned messages from the BRF+ function into the application log, before displaying the application log.

Imagine you use the material master data as the pilot. You then create an ABAP program that uses a range of material numbers, plants and sales areas as selection criteria. Add a loop within the ABAP program to analyse material-by-material. Then make sure that the BRF+ function contains a signature that can receive a structure with material general data and tables containing the associated plant and sales area data. You can decide to start with some simple rules checking the material general data, as the rules linked to plants and sales areas can be added into the BRF+ function at a later time. Ideally give every potential error a dedicated message number, allowing you to provide end-user documentation on how to resolve specific warnings or errors. Create several variants for this ABAP program and set-up job scheduling to execute the report with a variant. Then every morning someone from the master data team can look at the application log (transaction code SLG1) and review if any warnings or errors have been reported.

This example is very lo-fi and very easy to implement. You can extend the rules whenever they are identified by the stakeholders responsible for material master data quality. Deployment of new rules do not require the involvement of the development team unless you add new dimensions to the material master that impacts the BRF+ function signature (e.g. adding rules to check batch master data).

You can apply this strategy for every master data object (e.g. assets, business partners, company codes) and extend the set of rules throughout the next months and years.

Accept the limitations when choosing Business Rule Framework and do not try to replicate more advanced functionality. Soon you will realise that more comprehensive control of your master data (e.g. copying material plant data) will be more cost-effective when buying a software product from an SAP Partner, like Maextro.