> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.adorabl.info/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Master data

> Govern shared master data across your organization.

**Master Data** is adorabl's org-wide hub for keeping shared reference records consistent. Use it to rename field labels across the ERP platform, review likely duplicates, and merge or split records that were entered more than once.

Day-to-day work — creating suppliers, customers, or items — still happens on each area's own screens. Master Data is for **governance**: cleaning up data that feeds bills, invoices, inventory, dimensions, and reports.

## Prerequisites

Before you change master data, confirm:

* The correct **organization** is selected in the sidebar switcher.
* You have access to **Data & Admin** screens (typically an admin or data steward role).
* You understand which records are safe to merge — merging is difficult to undo.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Master data changes can affect open bills, invoices, journal entries, and dimension validation. Coordinate with Finance before merging suppliers, customers, or GL-related entities.

## Open Master Data

**1. Go to the Master Data screen**

1. In the sidebar, open **Data & Admin**.
2. Click **Master Data**.

You can also press **⌘K** (Mac) or **Ctrl+K** (Windows) and search for **Master Data**.

**2. Review the page layout**

The screen has three regions:

| Region | Purpose |
| - | - |
| **Global field rename** | Change a field label once — it updates on every screen, report, and dashboard that uses that field |
| **Anomaly and duplicate detection** | Highlights likely duplicate records and data-quality risks |
| **Record search and actions** | Find records, select them, then merge, split, or rename |

Governance policies — naming conventions, merge approval rules, duplicate sensitivity — are tracked on the **Data & Admin setup** checklist. See [Organization settings](https://www.adorabl.info/admin-and-settings/organization-settings.md#data--admin-setup).

## Master data vs domain screens

adorabl stores master records in one place and uses them across modules. Where you edit depends on what you are doing:

| If you need to… | Use |
| - | - |
| Add a supplier, enter W-9 details, or pay bills | [Suppliers](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-payable/suppliers.md) (Accounts Payable) |
| Add a customer, set credit limits, or invoice | [Customers](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-receivable/customers.md) (Accounts Receivable) |
| Add SKUs, categories, or stock locations | [Items](https://www.adorabl.info/products/items.md) and [Warehouses](https://www.adorabl.info/products/warehouses.md) (Products) |
| Rename a field label everywhere in adorabl | **Master Data → Global field rename** |
| Merge two duplicate supplier names | **Master Data → Record search** |
| Back a GL dimension with a shared entity list | [Dimensions](https://www.adorabl.info/books/setup/dimensions.md) (Books setup) |

> [!TIP]
>
> Create records on the domain screen first. Return to Master Data when you need cross-module cleanup or consistent naming.

## Global field rename

Use **Global field rename** when your team uses different terminology than adorabl's defaults — for example, updating a field label across the ERP platform.

**1. Edit a field label**

1. Find the field in the **Global field rename** panel (for example, **Customer name**, **GL account**, **Cost center**).
2. Click the label and type the new name.
3. Review the usage line below the field — it shows how many screens, reports, and dashboards reference that label.

**2. Apply the change**

Click **Apply globally** on that row.

adorabl updates the label everywhere it appears. Existing **data values** (the actual supplier or customer names) do not change — only the field caption.

### Example: Trail Ridge Outfitters

Trail Ridge changes **Account owner** to **Relationship owner** and applies it globally. Customer lists and reports show the new label; underlying records are unchanged.

## Review duplicates and anomalies

The **Anomaly and duplicate detection** panel surfaces records that may need attention:

| Alert type | What it means | Typical action |
| - | - | - |
| **Likely duplicates** | Two or more records with similar names (for example, "Northwind Supplies" and "Northwind Supply Co.") | Select them in record search and **Merge** |
| **Risk alert** | A data-quality conflict — for example, a supplier sharing a bank account with an employee record | Investigate before paying or merging; resolve on the source record screens |

Review this panel regularly during onboarding or after bulk imports.

> **Coming soon: configurable duplicate thresholds**
>
> The **Duplicate detection thresholds** item on Data & Admin setup is not yet configurable for all organizations. Until it is marked complete on the checklist, adorabl uses default sensitivity for duplicate suggestions.

## Search, merge, split, and rename records

The bottom section of Master Data is a type-ahead search across master records (suppliers are shown by default in search results).

**1. Find records**

1. Click the search box (**Type-ahead search suppliers…**).
2. Type part of a name. adorabl narrows the list as you type.
3. Click a result to select it. Selected records highlight; the counter shows how many you have selected.

**2. Merge duplicates**

1. Select **two or more** records that represent the same real-world supplier or customer.
2. Click **Merge**.
3. Confirm the surviving record and which fields to keep.

After a merge, historical bills and payments point at the single surviving record.

**3. Split a conflated record**

1. Select **exactly one** record that incorrectly combines two entities.
2. Click **Split into multiple**.
3. Define the new records and reassign related transactions as prompted.

**4. Rename a record**

1. Select **exactly one** record.
2. Click **Rename**.
3. Enter the corrected legal or trade name and save.

Use rename for spelling fixes or standard naming — use **Merge** when two records should become one.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Merge requires at least two selected records. Split and Rename require exactly one. Buttons stay disabled until your selection matches the action.

### Example: cleaning up after import

Trail Ridge's ops team imports a supplier list and creates both **Acme Logistics** and **Acme Logistics LLC**. Master Data flags them as likely duplicates. The data steward selects both, merges them into **Acme Logistics LLC**, and AP bill history rolls up to the surviving record.

## Import hub (migration and bulk load)

For organization cutover or large bulk loads, open **Import** from **Data & Admin** (`/import`). The hub shows a dependency map and list view of every import step — chart of accounts, customers, suppliers, items, opening trial balance, opening inventory, open AR/AP, historical journal entries, and more.

| View | What it shows |
| - | - |
| **Map** | Steps arranged by dependency — master data before subledgers, opening trial balance before open AR/AP |
| **List** | Same steps in checklist form with ready, blocked, partial, and complete status |

Each step shows whether records exist in your organization and offers **Upload CSV**, **Re-import CSV**, or **Pull from source** when a connector is available. **Opening inventory** is on-hand quantity and cost by item and location. Its description is **On-hand quantity and cost by item and location.** Import items and the opening trial balance first. **Opening inventory check** shows **Rows**, **Resulting inventory value**, **Opening TB control**, **Variance**, and **Exceptions** before you commit. Committing updates live on-hand and does not post the general ledger.

When imports finish, adorabl hands off to **Migration Verification** so you can confirm balances before go-live. QuickBooks can load the same opening picture when [QuickBooks](https://www.adorabl.info/admin-and-settings/quickbooks.md) is enabled for your sign-in.

Day-to-day CSV imports on individual list screens (Customers, Suppliers, Items, Chart of accounts) still work for incremental loads. Use the Import hub when you need the full migration sequence.

## Master entities and dimensions

Several org-wide entity lists can back [Dimensions](https://www.adorabl.info/books/setup/dimensions.md) when you choose **Master data** as the value source:

| Entity | Typical source |
| - | - |
| Departments | HR master data |
| Cost centers | Finance master data |
| Projects | Active and closed projects |
| Regions | Geographic master |
| Warehouses | Operations |
| Sales channels | Commerce channels (web, marketplace, EDI) |
| Customers | Accounts receivable |
| Suppliers | Accounts payable |
| Employees | HR headcount |
| Brands | Item catalog |

When a dimension is master-data-backed, add or rename values in **Master Data** (or on the entity's primary screen, depending on entity type). Valid values flow into dimension pickers on journal entries, bills, and invoices automatically.

## Recommended governance workflow

**1. Set numbering first**

Confirm **Next numbers** on the Data & Admin setup checklist so imported and new records follow the same ID scheme. See [Organization settings](https://www.adorabl.info/admin-and-settings/organization-settings.md).

**2. Align field labels**

Apply global renames before training new users — one change beats updating documentation on every screen.

**3. Clean up duplicates early**

Merge duplicate suppliers and customers before month-end close or 1099 preparation. See [Form 1099 report](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-payable/form-1099-report.md).

**4. Review anomalies before payouts**

Resolve risk alerts (shared bank accounts, conflicting tax IDs) before scheduling [Outgoing payments](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-payable/outgoing-payments.md).

## Related guides

> **[Organization settings](https://www.adorabl.info/admin-and-settings/organization-settings.md)**
>
> Settings hub, Data & Admin setup checklist, users and access.

> **[Next numbers](https://www.adorabl.info/admin-and-settings/next-numbers.md)**
>
> Document numbering sequences (also on the governance checklist).

> **[Dimensions](https://www.adorabl.info/books/setup/dimensions.md)**
>
> Bind dimensions to master data entities.

> **[Suppliers](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-payable/suppliers.md)**
>
> Create and maintain supplier master records.

## Troubleshooting

> **I don't see Master Data in the sidebar**
>
> Expand **Data & Admin**. If the item is missing, your role may not include admin access — ask your organization admin to review permissions in [Organization settings](https://www.adorabl.info/admin-and-settings/organization-settings.md).

> **Merge is disabled**
>
> Select at least two records in search results. Merge only combines multiple selected rows into one surviving record.

> **Split or Rename is disabled**
>
> Select exactly one record. Clear other selections by clicking them again.

> **I renamed a field but values didn't change**
>
> Global field rename updates **labels**, not stored record names. To change a supplier or customer name, use **Rename** on the record or edit the record on [Suppliers](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-payable/suppliers.md) or [Customers](https://www.adorabl.info/accounts-receivable/customers.md).

> **A dimension still shows old values**
>
> Confirm the dimension uses **Master data** as its source in [Dimensions](https://www.adorabl.info/books/setup/dimensions.md). Custom-list dimensions are maintained on the dimensions screen, not in Master Data.

> **Duplicate alerts persist after I merged records**
>
> Refresh the page or search again. If the alert references a risk other than duplicates (for example, shared bank details), resolve the underlying conflict on the supplier or employee record.


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