System of centrally managing core reference data associated with an enterprise

1. A system, comprising:

an infrastructure services layer tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage media and coupled with a centralized master repository;

a database comprising a cached data area comprising cached data representing managed data of the enterprise extracted from a managed data area in response to a processing request from one or more internal services and re-inserted into the managed data area following processing from one or more internal services, the managed data area comprising one or more core master data management (MDM) tables, and the one or more internal services directly accessing the managed data of the enterprise stored in the centralized master repository;

an inbound staging area comprising one or more inbound staging tables, wherein inbound data is transferred from one or more data sources to the one or more inbound staging tables before the one or more core MDM tables;

one or more data targets, wherein outbound data is provided to the one or more data targets and is sourced from the centralized master repository, the outbound data is transferred from the one or more core MDM tables to one or more outbound staging tables of a coupled outbound staging area before providing the outbound data to the one or more data targets; and

wherein the cached data is stored in an intermediate state in the cached data area for a manipulation process, while managed data in the managed data area of the enterprise is maintained as locked for read-only access until completion of the manipulation process.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated new item introduction process comprises adding data for a new item to the managed data area, validating the data for the new item, approving use of the new item, and publishing the new item as available for use by the external operational systems.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a logical process layer tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage media providing a context for implementing and wholly or partially automating business configuration processes of the one or more enterprise-level business workflows.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a logical service layer tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage media and underlying the logical process layer, the logical service layer providing service functions enabling process tasks for the automated business configuration processes.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a logical data layer tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage media and underlying the logical service layer, the logical data layer providing base data models and physical representations for storing the managed data of the retail enterprise for retrieval and use in connection with the business configuration processes and service functions.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure services layer further provides enterprise messaging between one or more of the internal services and the external operational systems according to operation of one or more enterprise-level business workflows.

7. A computer-implemented method of centrally managing managed data of a retail enterprise, comprising:

providing an infrastructure services layer coupled with a centralized master repository;

providing a database comprising a cached data area comprising cached data representing managed data of the enterprise extracted from a managed data area in response to a processing request from one or more internal services and re-inserted into the managed data area following processing from one or more internal services, the managed data area comprising one or more core master data management (MDM) tables, and the one or more internal services directly accessing the managed data of the enterprise stored in the centralized master repository;

providing an inbound staging area comprising one or more inbound staging tables, wherein inbound data is transferred from one or more data sources to the one or more inbound staging tables before the one or more core MDM tables;

providing one or more data targets, wherein outbound data is provided to the one or more data targets and is sourced from the centralized master repository, the outbound data is transferred from the one or more core MDM tables to one or more outbound staging tables of a coupled outbound staging area before providing the outbound data to the one or more data targets; and

wherein the cached data is stored in an intermediate state in the cached data area for a manipulation process, while managed data in the managed data area of the enterprise is maintained as locked for read-only access until completion of the manipulation process.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the automated new item introduction process comprises adding data for a new item to the managed data area, validating the data for the new item, approving use of the new item, and publishing the new item as available for use by the external operational systems.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

providing a logical process layer providing a context for implementing and wholly or partially automating business configuration processes of the one or more enterprise-level business workflows.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

providing a logical service layer underlying the logical process layer, the logical service layer providing service functions enabling process tasks for the automated business configuration processes.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:

providing a logical data layer underlying the logical service layer, the logical data layer providing base data models and physical representations for storing the managed data of the retail enterprise for retrieval and use in connection with the business configuration processes and service functions.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the infrastructure services layer further provides enterprise messaging between one or more of the internal services and the external operational systems according to operation of one or more enterprise-level business workflows.

13. A non-transitory computer readable media embodied with software that centrally manages managed data of a retail enterprise, the software when executed using a computer system is configured to:

provide an infrastructure services layer coupled with a centralized master repository;

provide a database comprising a cached data area comprising cached data representing managed data of the enterprise extracted from a managed data area in response to a processing request from one or more internal services and re-inserted into the managed data area following processing from one or more internal services, the managed data area comprising one or more core master data management (MDM) tables, and the one or more internal services directly accessing the managed data of the enterprise stored in the centralized master repository;

provide an inbound staging area comprising one or more inbound staging tables, wherein inbound data is transferred from one or more data sources to the one or more inbound staging tables before the one or more core MDM tables;

provide one or more data targets, wherein outbound data is provided to the one or more data targets and is sourced from the centralized master repository, the outbound data is transferred from the one or more core MDM tables to one or more outbound staging tables of a coupled outbound staging area before providing the outbound data to the one or more data targets; and

wherein the cached data is stored in an intermediate state in the cached data area for a manipulation process, while managed data in the managed data area of the enterprise is maintained as locked for read-only access until completion of the manipulation process.

14. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the automated new item introduction process comprises adding data for a new item to the managed data area, validating the data for the new item, approving use of the new item, and publishing the new item as available for use by the external operational systems.

15. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the software if further configured to:

provide a logical process layer providing a context for implementing and wholly or partially automating business configuration processes of the one or more enterprise-level business workflows.

16. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the software if further configured to:

provide a logical service layer underlying the logical process layer, the logical service layer providing service functions enabling process tasks for the automated business configuration processes.

17. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the software if further configured to:

provide a logical data layer underlying the logical service layer, the logical data layer providing base data models and physical representations for storing the managed data of the retail enterprise for retrieval and use in connection with the business configuration processes and service functions.

18. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 , wherein the infrastructure services layer further provides enterprise messaging between one or more of the internal services and the external operational systems according to operation of one or more enterprise-level business workflows.