Master data management

In December 2018, the Federal Council adopted a strategy for shared master data management throughout the federal government. The strategy sets out the objectives, principles, implementation concept and measures for shared master data management. The strategy is being implemented in stages. The first stage (2019‒2021) focused on business master data. The second stage (2022‒2024) focuses on personal data, spatial master data and master data on buildings and dwellings.

Shared master data management is key to the digital transformation of public administrations. It enables 'once-only' data submission for citizens and businesses and thus keeps administrative costs down. The federal government manages the shared master data in compliance with data protection regulations and makes it available to public authorities at all federal levels and to other authorised parties.

What is master data?

Master data is information about basic objects in business processes. It rarely changes. Many administrative units need it as a basis to process administrative business. Master data is kept on companies, people and buildings. Master data is managed and used jointly at all federal levels in accordance with the applicable data protection rules and applicable legal provisions.

Ideally, companies and individuals should have to submit their data only once. Once their master data has been entered into a register, it should not need to be entered again in subsequent dealings with the authorities (federal, cantonal, communal).

Second stage (2022‒2024)

The Federal Chancellery (FCh), the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), swisstopo and Digital Public Services Switzerland (DPSS) are currently working together on the second stage of master data management. They are concerned with three types of master data: master data on natural persons, spatial master data and master data on buildings and dwellings. For each of these three master data areas, target scenarios are being developed. The target scenarios describe a desirable future situation. These will then be translated into legislative, organisational and ICT measures.  Digital Public Services Switzerland (DPSS) is clarifying the need for legislation to achieve the ambition of 'federal data management'. All of these steps promote the joint management and shared use of master data.

Completed: first step (2019‒2021)

In the first stage (2019‒2021), the steering committee on joint federal master data management started its work. It ensured that ongoing projects, such as the renewal of a register, were coordinated alongside the joint master data management. The Digital Transformation and ICT Steering Sector (DTI) developed basic principles (fields of action in legislation, organisation and ICT) for expanding joint master data management. For business master data, it developed a report, an organisational concept with tasks and roles, and the target scenario.

SB018 – ICT sub-strategy for expanding federal joint master data management

Further information is available in german and french.