This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sujeet Patel
When we moved from on-prem Informatica MDM to the cloud version (IDMC), one thing hit harder than expected: our trust scores broke everything.
You’d think trust logic is just about giving weights to source systems, right? But in Cloud MDM, the way trust is designed affects not just survivorship, but also how merge outcomes behave in real time.
Let’s break it down.
What Is Trust Logic in MDM?
In simple terms, it’s a priority model — which data wins when the same customer appears from multiple systems.
But here’s the twist: in Cloud MDM using IDMC, you can’t override values using custom Java code or backend scripts. Your trust scores are your only defense against bad data wins.
What Went Wrong In Our Migration
In one case, a client gave Salesforce 90% trust and SAP 10%, assuming Salesforce always has better email.
But one record from SAP had a correct email (updated last week) while Salesforce’s data was outdated by months. Result? Cloud MDM picked the wrong one. Golden record ruined.
Why? Because trust doesn’t care about “recency” — it follows your static weight config unless you add rule-based logic smartly.
What You Need to Think About in Cloud MDM
Use conditional trust rules — not just static weights
Watch out for fields like phone, email, address — they vary across sources
Always define fall-back priorities
Simulate edge cases during testing
Make sure business understands what “trust” actually means technically
Suggestion from Real Use
Don’t just set weights like Salesforce = 90, SAP = 10. Instead:
Build rule-based trust that says:
If email in SAP updated after X date, use SAP
If email is null in source A, fallback to B
Trust design should change based on data quality — not just vendor name
Here’s my personal suggestion: Create 5 fake conflicting records from 3 sources. Run merge and check the golden record. You’ll instantly see if your trust config works or fails.
Learn More with Real Case-Based Practice
We go deep into trust logic, match/merge config, and survivorship design in this project-driven course:
Informatica MDM Cloud SaaS Training – Real Use Cases
https://inventmodel.com/course/informatica-mdm-cloud-saas-training
Trust rules seem simple — until a wrong email merges and your client asks why.
Cloud MDM gives you the tools — but it’s your design that decides whether the golden record makes sense.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sujeet Patel