What Is Data Mapping?

Data mapping is the process of linking different data models together. It's a fundamental step in data warehousing since it begins to integrate your source data into a single, unified repository. Data mapping follows a set of standards depending on the domain value of the data model used. When you're mapping disparate data sets, your goal is to map them so that they appear to be one coherent whole which means they need to share some common characteristics. This process results in an intermediate model, a new structure that describes all the elements in each file or database and how they relate. This new structure can then be linked up with other parts of your system (like reports), giving you a complete picture of all your data as it exists at any given time. Data mapping can be applied using procedural codes, Extensible Style Sheet Language Transformation and other existing graphical interfaces. The technique involves evaluating data values in different data sources and automatically and simultaneously discovering complex mappings between the sets. Data mapping is also used to consolidate multiple databases into a single database. The data mapping process requires the user to first identify the source systems containing the data. This is done by examining the requirements document, which identifies all data sources that need to be mapped together. Next, you must create a schema map representing how your source systems will be mapped together and how they will interface. You then need to create an XML file that contains instructions for how each source system should be mapped together and what it should look like at runtime. Data mapping is an exciting and revolutionary approach to finding connections between two data sets. It's not just about encountering a way to get one data set to look like another. It's about discovering the logic that makes up your data and then applying it to other sets. It's a whole new way of thinking about your data, which means you can think of it in completely new ways!