How to definitively resolve the bottlenecks that hinder sanitation projects and impair procurement, maintenance, and industrial efficiency.

Technical data discrepancies represent one of the biggest challenges faced by industrial companies that depend on material and supplier databases to ensure operational continuity, accuracy in purchasing, and efficiency in maintenance. Despite being essential, these discrepancies are still treated by many organizations as a secondary detail—which compromises the entire investment in data cleansing and governance.

CH | Astrein 's experience shows that this point is not just sensitive: it's central. In materials sanitation projects, on average 40% of the database presents some technical issue , whether due to lack of information, inconsistent data, or historical errors accumulated over the years. This 40% cannot be ignored, as it represents the point with the greatest impact on operational efficiency.

This article delves deeper into the topic based on the practical experience of CH | Astrein , a leader in master data governance and industrial data cleansing for over three decades. Here, you will understand:

• What are technical issues and why do they arise?

• Why are they at the heart of the problem in materials bases?

• How does the CH | Astrein methodology eliminate these flaws?

• Why projects that ignore outstanding issues have low returns.

• How to structure the participation of plants and users

• The role of the Golden Code and the data community in information reliability.

If your company relies on purchasing, maintenance, or inventory—and requires accurate data management—this is the definitive guide to structuring a truly effective project.

What are Technical Registration Issues?

Technical Data Sheet Issues are items in the database that present some type of problem related to the completeness, accuracy, or consistency of the information. These can include:

• incomplete descriptions

• missing measurements

• technical specifications missing

• incorrect information

• outdated historical data

• inconsistencies generated by different catalogs

• discrepancies between what is in the ERP system and the physical item.

These items represent, on average, 40% of all industrial registrations , especially in companies with multiple plants and a long history of operation.

These are precisely the items that prevent:

• assertive purchases

• negotiations with suppliers

• clear quotes

• adequate replacement

• reducing duplication

• actual standardization

• consolidated view of inventory

Despite criticism, many projects simply ignore these issues. And this means compromising the entire investment in data governance.

Why are technical registration issues the main point of failure in industrial projects?

Most companies seek sanitation for a simple reason: they can't buy the right items because the descriptions are poor . But the problem is never with the easy items.

Simple items—with a clear catalog, accessible documentation, and known specifications—can enrich both the customer and a supplier. They evolve without much friction.

The biggest challenge lies in the areas where:

• The information does not exist in the catalog.

• The manufacturer does not provide details online.

• The item is installed on a machine, but is inaccessible.

• The history is incomplete.

• There was a technical replacement without an update.

• Different plants use different descriptions.

• There is no internal expert to validate.

These are the items where the real bottlenecks lie. And it is precisely in these areas that the buyer suffers:

• Receives a request with a weak description.

• He is not an expert on the subject.

• Contact suppliers and receive questions.

• You need to contact the internal user.

• The user takes a long time to respond.

• The flow extends for days.

Three suppliers can ask three different questions. Three plants can have three different views of the same item.

These outstanding issues extend deadlines, increase costs, and create operational risks.

And here's the crucial point:

If the most difficult 40% are not resolved, the project delivers no value. Standardizing only the easy items is masking the problem.

Every customer who has ever made a mistake knows the pain of receiving an incompatible item — and this always stems from technical issues.

Why ignoring technical issues destroys project returns.

A common mistake in the market is trying to "work around" technical issues. Some companies even recommend:

"If there's no information, delete it."

This is unfeasible and dangerous.

Deleting an item can mean:

• delete an item from inventory

• delete an item in use on the machine

• Delete a critical item for maintenance.

• cause replacement disruption

• creating duplicates in the future

• generate urgent and much more expensive purchases.

Ignoring outstanding issues doesn't reduce costs. It makes the problem worse.

Sanitation without a technical solution is like:

• sweeping the dirt under the rug

• Changing the labels, but not solving the root cause.

• reorganize without correcting

The result?

• base remains inaccurate

• suppliers keep asking

• unsafe maintenance continues

• Duplicates continue to emerge.

• Customers continue to receive incorrect items.

• inventory remains distorted

I.e:

A project that only addresses 60% of the base problem is a project that solves nothing.

Companies invest heavily to improve their governance — and the only way to get a return is by resolving 100% of the available information.

CH | Astrein's methodology for resolving technical registration issues.

Over the decades, CH | Astrein has developed a specific methodology to address exactly where all companies struggle: the scientific pursuit of information .

The approach combines:

• technology

• analytical intelligence

• structured workflow

• technical experts

• validation with manufacturers

• interaction with plant users

• strict governance

This combination results in a process that eliminates pending issues, verifies data, and ensures final standardization.

1. Identifying outstanding issues

Right at the start of the project, the database is analyzed and the items with:

• missing information

• errors

• inconsistencies

• incomplete attributes

They are marked as technical issues and sent for processing.

In general, the number is alarming: approximately 40% of the base .

But in the most critical cases, there are databases with up to 80% of outstanding issues .

2. Structured distribution by plant

Since each plant knows its materials best, the workflow is organized in layers:

1. CH | Astrein identifies pending issues.

2. The system automatically distributes each item to the responsible plant.

3. A plant manager organizes who is responsible for each type of material.

4. Internal specialists receive pending tasks according to their area of expertise (electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, etc.).

This workflow avoids the typical chaos of emails, missed deadlines, and scattered decisions.

3. Collection and return of information

The plant can respond:

• directly through the system

• via structured spreadsheets, if you prefer

• through local consultations (shelf, equipment, staff, etc.)

This phase requires internal discipline from the client, and the control panel helps manage it.

• deadlines

• pending flows

• late plants

• technical bottlenecks

This way, the client knows where to increase resources.

4. In-depth technical validation

After the plant provides the information, the CH | Astrein team gets to work:

• access catalogs

• Consult manufacturers

• validates measures and attributes

• certifies each piece of information

• complete descriptions

• eliminates inconsistencies

• corrects historical distortions

Nothing is copied automatically. Nothing is assumed without technical validation.

This is what we call the scientific activity of data .

5. Final certification and standardization

Only after all the technical research was the item:

• it is enriched

• It is standardized.

• it now has complete attributes

• It becomes unique and traceable.

• can be compared

• can be purchased with precision

Standardization is a natural consequence of technical research, not the primary goal.

Why this step makes the project more valuable (and not more expensive)

Resolving technical issues increases complexity, but drastically reduces future operational costs.

Resolved issues mean:

• fewer emergency purchases

• Fewer incorrect items delivered

• less maintenance rework

• fewer returns from suppliers

• fewer disruptions

• fewer duplicates

• Fewer forgotten items in inventory.

• Fewer inconsistencies between plants

The problematic 40% are precisely where they are:

• hidden waste

• hidden costs

• process failures

• wasted time

• management bottlenecks

Ignoring this part is paying twice for the same problem.

Solving this part ensures that the project returns multiples of the investment.

Structuring the client's internal workflow is essential.

No sanitation project is efficient without company participation. And CH | Astrein's approach guarantees organization, control, and predictability.

The workflow involves:

• Automatic distribution of pending items by plant.

• definition of the technical managers

• team training

• system for responding directly

• optional spreadsheets (when needed)

• performance monitoring dashboard

• deadline management

This level of structuring prevents the dispersion of responsibilities and delays.

This is how large projects — with 20,000, 40,000, or even 60,000 items — are kept under control.

The importance of Community Data and the Golden Code.

Every item sanitized by CH | Astrein enters the data community , an ecosystem with millions of certified items that can be shared among customers.

This ensures:

• consistency

• precision

• technical history

• standardization between plants and companies

• traceability

• reliability

When a company flags an issue and submits information:

• CH | Astrein research

• validated with manufacturers

• update the item

• certifies

• integrates into the community

In this way, different companies benefit from information that has already been validated in other projects.

This ecosystem is enabled by the Golden Code , a unique identifier that consolidates:

• technical version

• manufacturer

• model

• attributes

• unit

• certifications

The Golden Code is the foundation for making registration truly intelligent and useful.

Why projects that are 60% resolved fail to deliver value.

A project that only solves the easy part of the foundation:

• It doesn't prevent bad purchases.

• does not reduce the quotation time

• does not reduce returns

• does not reduce ruptures

• does not prevent duplication

• It does not improve inventory management.

• It does not strengthen governance.

• It does not provide technical security.

The math is simple:

Solving 60% is wasting investment. Solving 100% guarantees a return.

The scientific pursuit of information is what differentiates a superficial project from a transformative one.

Conclusion: Technical issues are central to materials governance—and eliminating them is essential.

Technical discrepancies in registration data are at the root of the biggest problems in industrial operations. Projects that fail to address this issue fail to deliver value, even if they comply with standardization and cataloging steps.

The CH | Astrein approach demonstrates that success depends on:

• rigorous method

• in-depth technical validation

• integration with plants

• Workflow control

• final certificate of information

• use of the Golden Code

• integration into the data community

When 100% of the customer base is treated, the company achieves:

• precision in purchasing

• cost reduction

• fewer errors

• fewer returns

• fewer emergencies

• actual standardization

• reliable stock

• traceability between plants

This is the true value of a sanitation project. And this is what differentiates companies that treat registration as bureaucracy from those that treat registration as a strategic asset.

Bonus tip: treat technical issues as a strategic priority, not as an operational detail.

Pending issues are not a step to be "pushed through." They are the most valuable part of the process. The quality of your registration depends precisely on the most difficult items.

FAQ — 5 common questions about Technical Issues in Registrations

1. Why are technical issues so common?

Because much of the data originates from old records, manual entries, lack of standardization, and the absence of experts at the time the items were created.

2. How much of the database typically has technical issues?

On average, 40%. In critical cases, up to 80%.

3. Is it possible to standardize without resolving outstanding issues?

Yes, but it doesn't make sense. You're just standardizing errors. The problem remains—and so do the costs.

4. How is it decided who is responsible for handling pending issues within the company?

Each plant receives its items and distributes them to specific professionals (electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, maintenance, etc.), ensuring accuracy.

5. Can the information from the pending items be reused in other projects?

Yes. All sanitized items enter the CH | Astrein community, allowing other companies to use already certified information.