> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.opendatadiscovery.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.opendatadiscovery.org/features/master-data-management.md).

# Master Data Management

The **Master Data Management** section of ODD Platform is the home for operator-curated reference data — the canonical lists, lookup values, and code tables that downstream pipelines and BI tools join against. The section is intentionally narrow today (one child surface — Lookup Tables), but the role is durable: anything that documents *authoritative reference data managed inside the platform itself* (rather than ingested from an external source) belongs here.

ODD covers Master Data Management partially today — what ships is **Reference Data Management** (operator-managed lookup / reference tables as first-class catalog entities). Full MDM semantics (golden records, survivorship rules, stewardship workflows) are not part of ODD; see the [Data Governance map](/introduction/main-concepts.md#data-governance-map) for the position of MDM in the overall pillar set.

Open it from the **Master Data** top-level toolbar tab.

## Subsections

* [**Lookup Tables**](/features/master-data-management/lookup-tables.md) — operator-curated reference tables managed inside the platform. Schema, data tab, RBAC (9 `LOOKUP_TABLE_*` permissions on three surfaces — table, definition, data), full `/api/referencedata/` API surface, and direct PostgreSQL access via `lookup_tables_schema`.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**The 9 `LOOKUP_TABLE_*` permissions are platform-wide, not per-table.** Unlike the per-entity-scoped Term and Data-Entity permissions, a Policy granting (for example) `LOOKUP_TABLE_UPDATE` lets the holder modify **any** Lookup Table in the catalog — there is no per-table or per-owner scoping on these permissions today. Grant them only to operators trusted across the entire reference-data surface. The full per-permission breakdown lives on the [Permissions](/configuration-and-deployment/enable-security/authorization/permissions.md) page and the [Lookup Tables](/features/master-data-management/lookup-tables.md) feature page.
{% endhint %}

## Why this is a separate pillar

For how Master Data Management relates to the other governance pillars (Data Discovery, Data Modelling, Data Lineage, Data Glossary, Data Quality), see [Main Concepts → Data Governance map → Pillar differentiation](/introduction/main-concepts.md#pillar-differentiation) — the canonical home for the six-pillar framing. The closest neighbour is Data Modelling — both involve operator authoring inside the platform — but the difference is structural: Data Modelling artefacts attach to existing entities (a Query Example links to a dataset that a collector ingested); Master Data artefacts *are* entities (a Lookup Table is itself a Data Entity of type `LOOKUP_TABLE`).

## Where to next

* [Lookup Tables](/features/master-data-management/lookup-tables.md) — the only Master Data feature today; full reference.
* [Main Concepts → Data Governance map](/introduction/main-concepts.md#data-governance-map) — for the position of Master Data Management among the other governance pillars (Data Discovery, Data Lineage, Data Quality, Data Modelling, Data Glossary).
* [Permissions](/configuration-and-deployment/enable-security/authorization/permissions.md) — for the regenerated permission list (includes the 9 `LOOKUP_TABLE_*` rows).