Administrators (Master Data Services)

In Master Data Services, there are two types of administrators: model administrators, and the Master Data Services system administrator.

Model Administrators

In Master Data Services, a model administrator is a user who has Update permission assigned to the top-level model object and no other assigned permissions.

  • If the user has access to the Explorer functional area, this user can access all master data.

  • If the user has access to other functional areas, the user can perform administrative tasks, which can include creating model objects, committing versions, creating business rules, processing staged data, or assigning user and group permissions.

Each model can have multiple administrators. Each user can be a model administrator for one, several, or all models in the Master Data Services system.

A user can be configured as a model administrator either in Master Data Manager or programmatically. For more information, see How to: Create a Model Administrator (Master Data Services).

Master Data Services System Administrator

There is only one Master Data Services system administrator. The system administrator is the user specified for the Administrator Account when you create the Master Data Services database.

The Master Data Services system administrator automatically has access to all master data in all models in Explorer. The system administrator can also perform all administrative tasks in all functional areas. Unlike model administrators, the Master Data Services system administrator is not limited to specific models based on assigned permissions. The Master Data Services system administrator is a model administrator for all models in the system and has access to all functional areas of Master Data Manager.

The Master Data Services system administrator is the only user who:

  • Automatically has Update permission to all newly-created models, no matter who created them.

  • Automatically has permission to access all functional areas, no matter which permissions are assigned.

  • Has permission to the Metadata model when the Master Data Services system is first configured, and must assign permission to others who require access to that model.

You can change the user who is assigned as the system administrator. For more information, see How to: Change the Master Data Services System Administrator Account (Master Data Services).

Comparing Administrator Types

Administrator Type

Description

Master Data Services system administrator

  • Permissions assigned in Master Data Manager have no effect on the user's access.

  • Automatically has Update permission to all models.

  • Automatically has access to all functional areas.

  • In mdm.tblUser, the value in the ID column is 1.

Model administrator

  • Permissions assigned in Master Data Manager determine whether or not the user is a model administrator.

  • Can be a model administrator based on permissions assigned explicitly or permissions inherited from a group.

  • Has Update permission only to models that permission is assigned to.

  • Has access only to functional areas that access is granted to.

  • In mdm.tblUser, the value in the ID column is not 1.