Source-to-Target Mapping

What is Source-to-Target Mapping?

Source-to-Target Mapping is a set of data transformation instructions that determine how to convert the structure and content of data in the source system to the structure and content needed in the target system. Source-to-Target Mapping solutions enable their users to identify columns or keys in the source system and point them to columns or keys in the target systems. Additionally, users can map data values in the source system to the range of values in the target system.

Source-to-Target Mapping in Travel and Hospitality

Travel aggregators collect data from numerous parties, including airlines, car rental companies, hotel chains, and more. The data they ingest varies markedly from one source to another. Each hotel chain, for example, describes its properties and rooms in each property using different columns and values. To ensure that consumers can easily search and browse through available inventory, travel aggregators must map the data they ingest to their common data format.

Source-to-Target Mapping in Retail

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) files are a well-accepted mechanism to exchange data between suppliers and their retailer partners. Product Activity Data (EDI 852), Purchase Orders (EDI 850), advanced ship notices (EDI 856), and other types of EDI files help suppliers exchange data electronically and consistently. This helps all parties save time and operational costs, reduce inventory levels, and respond faster to supply and demand changes. Source-to-Target Mapping would involve parsing EDI files and mapping their content to one common data format, such as a schema of a CSV file.