You can create and maintain external lists in SAP CRM by acquiring specific data from external providers and using this data to gain new business partners. The data from external providers could include information on:
Business partner addresses
Marketing attributes of business partners
Business transactions-related information, such as activities and leads
Survey details
External List Management involves procuring external data, defining mapping formats, checking and preparing the data, updating existing data, creating business partners, using these business partners in marketing campaigns, and analyzing (reporting) the methods used.
Mapping Formats in ELM
You need to maintain a mapping format to map data while maintaining external lists. The external list can be mapped directly to the SAP Business Partner structure. For more information, see Mapping Fields and Mapping Rules.
Maintaining External Lists
For more information, see External Lists in SAP CRM.