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Have you ever wondered what roles make up a Material Master data solutions organization? While your side of the process may seem as easy as handing over your data and getting it back clean, there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes for any company you’re working with. That’s why IMA is bringing you a new blog series to spotlight some of the roles that make your data project possible!
First up, let’s look at a day in the life of a Data Cleansing Specialist.
This role is essential when it comes to transforming Material Master (or MRO) data from a mess of different inputs to world class data that can power your decisions and purchases, but you probably don’t know what it is the experts actually do behind the scenes.
To give you an inside look, we interviewed one of our Data Cleansing Specialists, Tanvi Koduru. Tanvi has been with IMA for 4 months and is already an integral part of her team. With her help, we’re going to break down exactly what it’s like to be a Data Cleansing Specialist.
What is a Data Cleansing Specialist?
Before we jump into the interview, let’s get a brief summary of the role itself. Data Cleansing Specialists are staff who have an expert focus on data. When you engage a data cleansing or governance service, these are the people who are doing the actual work on your data. What exactly they’re responsible for will vary from company to company based on the tools they use and their standards, but the overall job is the same.
At IMA, our Data Cleansing Specialists focus exclusively on assigned clients, becoming experts to their needs, and use our in-house tools and their own attention to detail to correct and add item information (name, manufacturer name, attributes, etc.).
In Tanvi’s words: “My job is all about making messy data neat, organized, and useful. I ensure every item has accurate, up-to-date information. Think of it like decluttering a giant digital library—finding missing pieces, fixing errors, and making sure everything is in its rightful place!”
You might still be wondering what exactly that means or what it is Data Cleansing Specialists are doing on a daily basis. For all the answers, let’s get to our interview with Tanvi!
Interview with an IMA Data Cleansing Specialist
What does a typical day look like for you?
My day kicks off with a cup of coffee and a quick dive into my emails—because what’s a day without caffeine and a little inbox detective work right? Next, I check the data governance report, which is like my daily dashboard. It gives me a sneak peek into how busy I’ll be, showing how many items I need to tackle and whether we’re in the green (cruising along) or the red (time to hustle!).
After that, I dive into my first mission: one of my client catalogues. Cleaning data isn’t just about fixing things–it’s like being a digital detective! I dig into product descriptions, research, and compare notes with what our clients provide. Once everything is polished and gets QC’ed by my lead, I send it back to the client.
Mid-morning, we huddle up for a quick team meeting to sync up on priorities and tackle any rush items that might pop up. Thursdays are the best because our training sessions double as quiz games–work and play, all rolled into one!
In the afternoon, I switch gears to a different client catalogue. By then, I’m in full-on productivity mode–cleansing, exporting, and getting it SAP-ready. Before I know it, the day’s over; time flies when you’re solving data mysteries!
What do people not understand about your job that they should?
Most people think data cleansing is just about fixing errors, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about understanding the bigger picture–why the data matters and how it’s going to be used.
For example, when I clean items in a catalogue, I’m not just organizing information; I’m ensuring the data is accurate and meaningful so it can drive real decisions for our clients. It’s like laying the foundation for a building–if the foundation isn’t solid, nothing else can stand on it.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the problem-solving aspect of it. Digging into messy data and turning it into something clean and functional is so satisfying. Plus, no two days are exactly the same; each catalogue brings new challenges and things to learn.
What prepared you for your role?
My knack for attention to detail has always been my strength. I’ve also had experience working with large amounts of information and using tools to make sense of it all. In the past, I’ve worked on projects involving machine learning and data visualization, which helped me develop an eye for detail and a knack for organizing complex information. Combine that with a curiosity for learning and this job feels perfect for me.
What’s an example of a challenge you’ve faced recently?
Challenges are part of the daily grind in my role, and we often face interesting ones!
For example, sometimes we don’t get the manufacturer name or part number for the products we're cleaning. Without those details, cleansing becomes tricky. We need to do manual research, but how do you find a part without that information? In these cases, we rely on the descriptions provided by the client, which can sometimes be vague or unclear. It’s like piecing together a puzzle–breaking down the description to understand every detail and clean the item as accurately as possible with whatever information we have.
Another challenge I had recently was with processing items into SAP for a client. The process can take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the amount and size of the files. This particular time, the SAP system threw an error after hours of loading. When I investigated and realized the automatic processing wouldn’t work, I was pretty disheartened but didn’t give up. I switched gears and went through the files manually to identify which ones had been processed successfully and uploaded the remaining files individually. It was a bit of a marathon, but in the end, it worked, and I got everything processed into SAP! It was a tough but satisfying moment, knowing I had turned a frustrating situation around and got the client what they needed.
Anything else to share with our audience?
Data work may sound like a lot of numbers and details, but there’s definitely a fun side too! Our team is really great and I love when we get the chance to come together. For example, every Thursday we have a training session with team quizzes that get super competitive! We all race to answer questions in a short amount of time to make it to the leaderboard. The top 3 get a shoutout, so it’s a great mix of fun, learning, and a little healthy competition. It’s not just about the work—we also make sure to enjoy the journey, and those moments really bring the team together!
Let’s Debrief
Data Cleansing Specialists are the heart of IMA; without all the hard work they do, there would be no way to return data at the world class standard that our clients are used to. Even with the automated cleansing tools that we use, the expertise of a specialist in the field makes all the difference in verifying and providing the highest quality data.
What does it take to become a Data Cleansing Specialist?
IMA looks for people with a passion for understanding data analytics and attention to detail. You also need strong computer skills and a willingness to learn how to use specific cleansing programs and protocols. It helps to have experience in data analysis, data management, data mining, or other related fields, and having knowledge of industrial spare parts and manufacturing is an asset.
If you have an interest in working with IMA, contact info@imaltd.com to hear about available opportunities.
Wrap-up
Thanks for joining us for a look behind the scenes at IMA. Let us know what roles you’d like to hear about next!
For more information about IMA and our services, check out our website or email us at info@imaltd.com.
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